08/24/2026
Let’s Talk Copper! 🐑
There is a LOT of controversy surrounding copper and sheep.
We often hear that goats need copper but sheep shouldn’t have it at all. The truth is, sheep DO need copper. It is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in growth, immune function, reproduction, and overall health, especially with the control of parasites.
The difference is that sheep have a much narrower margin between getting enough copper and getting too much. Sheep are considerably more susceptible to copper toxicity than goats, which is why the form and source of supplemental copper matter.
So, let’s talk about the different forms.
Copper sulfate. 🚫⚠️👎🏻
Copper sulfate is a soluble form of copper that is readily available for absorption. It is also a copper source commonly found in commercial goat feeds and mineral products. Some goat feeds contain copper sulfate along with other forms of copper.
This is one of the reasons you will often see warnings on goat feed saying NOT to feed it to sheep. Goat diets can contain considerably more copper than is appropriate for sheep.
We do NOT offer copper sulfate to our sheep.
Copper chloride. 👍🏻✅
The products from FCE (where we purchase) use copper chloride rather than copper sulfate. According to the information provided by those sources, copper chloride has not been associated with known fatalities or documented cases of toxicity in sheep. Knowing that reduces a lot of the stress associated with running our sheep on the mineral buffet.
We keep copper chloride available free-choice in our mineral feeders, and we notice that our sheep tend to consume more during the summer months when parasite pressure is highest.
Copper oxide wire particles. 👍🏻✅
Copper oxide wire particles, or COWP, are something completely different.
These are the tiny rods found inside a copper bolus. They are much less soluble and remain in the digestive tract, slowly releasing copper. COWP has been studied for its ability to help reduce Barberpole worm (Haemonchus contortus), which is one of the biggest parasite problems we deal with in sheep.
We also give our sheep a COWP bolus approximately every 6 months, at 2 grams for adults and 1 gram for lambs. We stuff the bolus in a fig newtons and they gobble them up!
So, copper sulfate, copper chloride, and copper oxide wire particles are NOT interchangeable. They are different forms of copper that behave differently in the animal.
A gram of copper sulfate is not equivalent to a gram of copper chloride, and neither is equivalent to a gram of copper oxide wire particles.
We aren’t trying to give our sheep excessive amounts of copper. We’re trying to understand the different forms, provide what they need, and use copper as one part of our overall parasite-management program.
And honestly, learning the difference between these forms of copper has made me much more comfortable with our mineral program.
Copper is essential. Copper toxicity is real. And finding the right balance is incredibly important when raising sheep. 🐑🌿
What does copper supplementation look like on your farm?
