Why trim the hoof?
Hoof trimming is an important part of goat husbandry and the amount of hoof trimming required will be largely determined by where the goats are located.
When goats live in rocky and dry country where there are plenty of hard surfaces to keep their hoof well maintained, the amount of management will be minimal. However, when goats live in moist and soft soil areas and/ or are being fed a fairly high protein diet, the hoofs will generally need attention every few months.
Hoof trimming allows the goat to walk correctly. A hoof that has not been trimmed as required will cause both unnecessary foot pain and discomfort and certainly exacerbate any structural problems already evident in the goat. Along with drenching, hoof trimming should be part of the regular management planning.
Planning the procedure:
That said, goats that are used to this hoof care are generally compliant and it is the manpower required that is of greater concern. However, it is vital that the goat is adequately restrained, both to avoid injury to itself and also to the human handler.
Small goats can be restrained on their side and each hoof individually attended to. Alternatively, and a better option is the use of a special purpose goat handler where the goats are either restrained on their side or held in a device that firmly grips the body and allows the legs to hang free. Either one, with practice, allows the handler to comfortably trim the hoof without assistance from another person.
Always ensure the hoof sheers selected are suitable for the task; specialist sheers for goats are a worthwhile investment. Selecting ergonomically balanced sheers is also sensible as you will probably be trimming a number of goats, times 4 hoof! Just as important is the need to have very sharp sheers and selecting ones that can be correctly sharpened as required.
Trimming the hoof:
Hoof trimming is all about re-shaping the hoof into its correct and original shape. As the goat has a cloven hoof, all trimming should ensure that the width of the hoof is greater than the height of the trimmed hoof and the two parts are trimmed to the same level.
The hooves can grow unevenly and in a very deformed shape. If left unattended, the horn can grow up and curl right over the hoof; – extremely painful for the goat that will probably then spend a lot of time kneeling to eat or just sitting down.
Boer goats have a more rubbery hoof than dairy goats but can be trimmed well without causing discomfort to the animal. Make long, straight cuts, without cutting too deeply to avoid any subsequent pain and lameness to the goat. Trim parallel with the line of hair.
Remember, dry hard hoofs are harder to cut so standing the goats on wet pasture or trimming after rain is sensible and time-saving.
What to do:
Restrain the goat securely so as to avoid injury to both the goat and the also to the human handler.
Trim the front hooves first. Bend the goat’s knee and turn its leg so you can clearly see the bottom of the hoof. Clean out all manure and dirt embedded in the hoof and start by working from the heel to the toe trimming off excess hoof until you can see the pinkish colour of within the hoof walls. Trim off excess from the point of the toe and heel making sure you trim carefully, a little at a time to avoid cutting too deep and causing bleeding and pain to the animal.
Make long, straight cuts, without cutting too deeply. Trim parallel with the line of hair.
Trim off any folded over edges and any excess side growth.
Next, trim the back feet. Stand at the back of the goat and lift the leg towards you. Start working from toe to heel. Trim off any folded-over edges and any excess side growth. Continue as for the front feet. Check that the toes are of equal length.
Should you accidentally cause any bleeding, spray the area with an approved veterinarian antiseptic spray to avoid an infection.
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