Hoof Trimming

I am looking for input: How do you know when it is time to trim hooves? Do you do it yourself or have a vet do it? How difficult is it to do it properly if you have never done it before? Are there any helpful websites or books if you DIY? Any other thoughts on this topic?

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  • Deborah,
    Not sure. I think it was the fact that Coco was so scared and you were having such a hard time holding her that I never though I could do it. And then the first time my dad did it, he nicked Fairy and I never wanted to try it.

    However, I think I may need to learn - my dad is quite busy these days and am finding it hard to get him to trim the four - especially since Fairy's injury in '08, she hates for her hoof on that leg to be touched, let alone the place of injury!!

    I must say I am glad Beauty was a milking doe before buying her. She sees the sheep stand and runs up onto it. Then stands still to have her hooves trimmed! Like a little angel! Now if I could just get through to her that dogs are not her play mates.......... :)

    I believe it has been five years. Because the girls are four now, and we came the fall before they were born to look at your goats. It's hard to believe they will be five next year and that Hansel will be 3!!! They grow up so fast!!

    WG4

    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
    Did someone nick a goat when trimming hooves? Sorry I don't remember. Has it been five years already?
    Deborah

    WorkingGoats4 said:
    Actually Deborah, I don't trim my own goats hooves. I really really hate to say this, but I've scared to ever since that first visit to your farm. :( My dad does the trimming and I hold. But yes, they do fit nicely in my hands --- we use the dull ones for cutting hay bales -- and they are small for may dad's big hands. I would defeniatly recommend them - if you are not wanting to order.

    WG4
  • Did someone nick a goat when trimming hooves? Sorry I don't remember. Has it been five years already?
    Deborah

    WorkingGoats4 said:
    Actually Deborah, I don't trim my own goats hooves. I really really hate to say this, but I've scared to ever since that first visit to your farm. :( My dad does the trimming and I hold. But yes, they do fit nicely in my hands --- we use the dull ones for cutting hay bales -- and they are small for may dad's big hands. I would defeniatly recommend them - if you are not wanting to order.

    WG4
  • Actually Deborah, I don't trim my own goats hooves. I really really hate to say this, but I've scared to ever since that first visit to your farm. :( My dad does the trimming and I hold. But yes, they do fit nicely in my hands --- we use the dull ones for cutting hay bales -- and they are small for may dad's big hands. I would defeniatly recommend them - if you are not wanting to order.

    WG4
  • Like Dianea said, check to see how they feel in your hand. I bought something locally about six years ago, and they were called "hoof rot shears," and they were much too big for my hands. "Hoof trimmers" in the catalogs are smaller. I know WorkingGoats4 is not a big person, so if the shears at TSC fit her hand, maybe they're different than the ones I bought by the same name?

    If you don't cut off more than you'd cut on your own fingernails, you won't have a problem, Crystal. It's been years since I drew blood. I'm sure some people would be more aggressive, but I just don't think it's worth it to introduce the possibility of infection by cutting too closely -- especially now that we no longer show.
  • Crystal,

    Yes! You can find hoof trimmers at TSC (tractor supply). That is where I have gotten my last three pairs and they work great! I believe they call them hoof rot shears at TSC - instead of hoof trimmers. Same thing though.

    Good luck!
    WG4
  • Thank you for the helpful input. I was thinking about buying a video, but thank you Dianea for your advice there. Deborah, like you, I will be nervous the first time that they get their hooves trimmed, but I will certainly make sure that I have some bleed stop powder on hand just in case.
    Do you think that they will sell the trimmer and bleed stop at tractor supply?
    We have some time, they boys had their hooves trimmed right before we got them, which was about 2.5 weeks ago.
    I think that I will look for some video on the process though, just to better prepare myself.
    Thanks you all again.
    Crystal
  • You can definitely do it yourself. It's not any harder than cutting a person's fingernails. You should get hoof trimmers -- online, you can get them from Premier 1, Jeffer's Livestock, Hoegger's, and a lot of other livestock suppliers.

    Just cut off the part that is sticking out beyond the fleshy part -- like you would trim your own fingernails or toenails. When I got my first goat, I looked at the picture in the book, and it said that a properly trimmed hoof would be perfectly square, just like a newborn kid. So, I whacked off enough to make the hoof square, and I thought the goat was going to bleed to death. I suppose if every goat had "perfect" feet, that would be good advice, but very few goats have perfect feet. Whenever someone buys a goat from me, I always show them how to do it so they won't have the same terrible experience I did. I felt so guilty! Some goats need trimming monthly; others need it only every 3-4 months. It depends on how fast their hooves grow and how much they wear off. If they're not trimmed, they'll eventually look like the goat is wearing skis.
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