Read on to learn what to know before getting goats and how we approach hoof trimming.
Goat Maintenance on the Farm
We’ve raised goats here at Hidden Heights Farm for years and years. We find that goats do the silliest things! For instance, they regularly get their heads stuck in fences.
As lovable as they are, we just don’t know how they ever survived in the wild! Domesticated goats need our help.
When you plunge into raising goats, you commit to caring for their health, including proper shelter and diet. You need to know the goat must-haves, what to feed goats and about selenium deficiency in goats.
If you get into breeding, you need to know about birthing a goat and bottle-feeding goats. And you also need to know how to care for common ailments like pink eye in goats and hoof rot.
Hoof care comes with the territory, too. Goat hoof trimming is just one more aspect of caring for the needs of these wonderful but goofy animals!
Importance of Trimming Goat Hooves
Wild goats walk over rough terrain all their lives. The rocks, sand, and hard ground file down the hooves and keeps them from getting overgrown.
But domesticated goats do not do that kind of walking over miles and miles of hard, tough ground. Their hooves need regular trimming, especially if they live on soft pasture land or in wet climates.
Without regular trimming, the hoof wall of the goat’s hoof will grow over the sole, trapping in grime and bacteria, which can lead to hoof rot and foot scald. Goats with hoof rot or foot scald become lame. You will sometimes see them walking on their knees while grazing.
Trimming your goats’ hooves keeps the bacteria out of them and prevents them from developing hoof rot or other hoof ailments. So, plan to trim their hooves regularly, roughly every 6 to 8 weeks.
We check our goats’ hooves every time we handle them. If we’re moving them to a new pasture, feeding them, planning to breed them, or getting ready to birth a goat, we take a quick peek at their hooves.
If we notice that they need a trim, we use our hoof trimming shears to quickly take care of any overgrowth right then and there. Just plan to always keep an eye on your herd’s feet or keep them on a regular trimming schedule.
What a Goat’s Hoof Should Look Like
Overgrown hooves often look curled over the sole of the hoof. Untended hooves can also turn the whole hoof inward. It will look impacted with dirt and grime. The hoof on the toes begins to curl up and flare out, kind of like elf shoes.
On the other hand, a freshly trimmed hoof looks level. The hoof wall is level with the sole of the foot and with the fleshy heel. You may notice a pinkish color. The white sole of the hoof should be exposed and clean.
Supplies Needed
- Livestock Hoof Trimmers – They look a lot like garden sheers. You can find them at Premier 1 online or your local livestock supply store.
- Small Hoof Rasp (optional) – This tool can file the hoof after trimming, reducing any sharp edges left over from trimming.
- A Helper or A Milking Stand – Having an extra set of hands works best for trimming hooves, especially for larger breeds. One person can hold the goat still while the other trims the hooves. If you can’t access a helper, use a milk stand to secure the goat.
- Hydrogen Peroxide – In case of an accident or over-trimming, keep peroxide close by to clean any wounds.
- Paper Towels or Guaze – Just in case of injury, have something on hand to clean up any wounds.
How to Trim Goat Hooves
- Your assistant holds the goat still by straddling the goat and holding on to its horns. Or, secure your goat in a milking stand.
- Face the rear of the goat, run your hand down the front leg, pick up the leg at the pastern and bend the hoof up toward you, so you can easily see the bottom of the hoof.
- Use the tip of your trimming shears to clean out any debris, dirt, or manure from the crevices of each digit of the overgrown hoof to expose the white sole underneath.
- Little by little, trim the edges of the hoof wall around each digit of the hoof so that it becomes level with the sole and parallel with the coronary band or the hairline.
- Now, trim the heel. The heel should also be level with the sole.
- If the sole is overgrown ever so slightly, trim tiny snips of the sole until it looks pinkish. At this point, stop. If you continue trimming, you may snip the hoove’s blood supply which could cause bleeding and temporary lameness. If this happens, clean the wound and apply pressure until the bleeding stops.
- Once you trim, smooth out, and level all the edges of the hoof wall, heel, and sole, you can grind or file the hoof to get a nice smooth finish. You can use a small hoof rasp or a carpenter’s knurled edge block plane for this task.
- Then, rotate to the back hooves. Goats like to kick with their hind legs, so be sure to hold the hoof securely. You can even hold the leg under your arm or under your leg for added security.
- Trim all four hooves every six to eight weeks.
The more you trim your goat, the easier it becomes!
Our family farm grows and develops year after year as we experiment and try new things. We are a real family tackling real farm chores. We learn from successes and failures, which we love to share with you.
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