Feet Trimming?

[Bunbun]

Ok I'm new any tips on trimming a Pygmy's feet? think She is due for a trim?
What do I need to trim her feet? I did some reading earlier and found the trimmers would a rasp like they use on horses be needed or just leave them after a trim?

Thanx
Stacey

[Patty0315]

I use prunning shears or electrican scissors. Do not use a rasp. It is hard to explain but here goes...pick up her foot and look at it. there is probally sections growing over the bottom of the hoof. Trim those away. Now trim the sides a little at a time. You should be able to tell what needs trimed and what does not. Or you can always take a road trip to my place and I can show you , I am serious. I am near watertown.

Call cornell and ask for goat breeders in the area or 4 h groups any should be willing to show you. Or is there a fair coming up ? Go and ask them to explain there. It really is easy and once you do it you will be all set.

Patty

[Bunbun]

Ok I did see the Flap on the bottom that was growing over so I just cut that off and should be able to see more of her foot. Thanx alot Patty

[Nancy_in_GA]

I assume the first picture is a front hoof, and the second is a rear? In the second picture the heels seem to be worn down much more than the toes. I'm guessing that her hooves are too high, but can't quite tell from the picture because of the hair. Some of our goats had the same problem, their hooves looked sort of run over, or twisted, and they tended to wear off their heels first.

You will need something like a rasp, or a knife, or a sander, in addition to hoof trimmers, to lower them.

Find the growth lines on the side of the hoof. Cut the sides of the hoof down with the trimmers to the first growth ring that goes all the way to the back of the hoof, if you can. Maybe you can't cut that much off on the first go 'round. The center will then be higher, and you want the bottom of each hoof to be flat across. Some people shave the center down with a knife if it's soft, or use a rasp if it's hard. I use a belt sander turned upside down, but I'm a nut for gadgets.

If you hit pink or blood, stop, and repeat this every 10 days or so. The hoof should be shorter (leg to ground) than it is long (front to back). She may still wear down her heels first and it may take a while for her to get her leg muscles adjusted to the change, but eventaully most of ours have worked out real well. We are still having problems with the goats with light-colored hooves, because they seem to be softer and grow faster than the dark ones.

Oh, and if the two parts of the hooves have bulges in the middle, try to cut those bulges down so the hooves fit closer together in the middle.

Hope this helps some.

Nancy