We have had two goats for about 4 years and their hooves have never grown beyond what their exercise took care of, for whatever reason this winter they have grown to the point of needing some attention---what do you all recommend...can we do this easily ourselves..have a wrasp and trimmers that we use on horse hooves. Thanks.

-- Jody Lawler (clothing4U@aol.com), March 10, 2001

Answers

There is a booklet sold through Hoegger Goat Supplies called Nanny Manicures. It is very good at explaining in detail how to trim goat hooves correctly and what happens if you don't.

But if you are needing a quick fix - cut off the excess material that wraps around the hoof. And make the hoof even on all sides and level, sort of what you do with a horse's hoof.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.

You must have some very rocky ground there for them to not have needed trimming for 4 years! I cannot let my does go much beyond 3 months. The kind of trimmers used for horses are not the same type to use for goats. Restrain the animal in a stanchion or tie it up short and have someone press firmly(but not too hard) against it and a fence or barn wall. I like to use a drywall knife, be careful and wear heavy gloves. If they have not been cut all this time, just cut off the flaps that are folded over the sole of the hoof for now, and get that booklet that was emntiond befoe you do more extensive trimming work. If the hoof sole gets a pinkish color, quit trimming, or you will draw blood. This should not happen if you just trim off the flaps though.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 10, 2001.

Do you have a hoof knife, the kind used on the hoof's frog? If so it would be easier than using the nippers. Just use it like a knife and cut away from you and the goat's body. Follow the shape of the hoof and just take off the excess. If you need to take off anything between the hoof walls, shave lightly until just barely pink. Some what like trimming the frog on a horse's hoof. (It is difficult to get the nippers in the smaller areas of the goat hoof. Also the rasp is a bit large and coarse for the softer goat hoof.) In a pinch I have done a more than acceptable job with nothing more than a sharp buck knife. P S Make sure their tetnus is up to date in case you draw blood. Especially if horses are on the property.

-- Nancy Bakke-McGonigle Mn. Sunset (dmcgonig@smig.net), March 11, 2001.

I would rasp or file them. If you don't have a rasp, any metal woodworking or metalworking file will do. Its easier to see where to stop than if you are using something to trim them.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 11, 2001.

caprinesupply.com has a great catalog with tons of information, also a diagram of what feet are supposed to look like, very much like infant feet. They also sell a great pair of hoof trimmers called Shear Majic, and if you keep them put up will last you a lifetime. It takes absolutly forever to rasp down feet, much quicker using a trimmer, trim down each side of the hoof, take some heel off if need, sometimes the inside heels will grow to touching making the toes splay and you may need to take some off, then using a utility knife take off flat even layers until the feet are flat and barely turning pink. Make sure and not take off to much heel in the rear feet. I also cut the dew claws with my trimmers to keep them short and well rounded. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 11, 2001.