Hey there fellow farmers & homesteaders! We all know that taking care of our herd is a top priority. We make sure they have enough food, water, and shelter to keep them healthy and happy. But there’s one aspect of their health that often gets overlooked – their hooves.
Goat and sheep hooves are a crucial part of their body. They help them move around, support their weight, and even regulate their body temperature. But what happens when we neglect them? Leaving goat and sheep hooves can cause serious implications and even be contagious to the entire herd.
First and foremost, not taking care of your herd’s hooves can lead to infections. Just like how we need to trim our fingernails and toenails regularly, goats and sheep need their hooves trimmed as well. A buildup of overgrown hooves can create the perfect environment for bacteria and fungi to thrive, leading to infections. These infections can cause pain, lameness, and in severe cases, even death.
Not only can hooves infections be harmful to individual animals, but they can also be contagious to the entire herd. When one animal has an infection, it can quickly spread to others through direct contact or shared grazing areas. Before your entire herd can be affected, leading to loss of productivity and even financial loss.
But how often should you trim your herd’s hooves? It depends on the terrain and the individual animal’s hooves. Some may need trimming every 2-3 months, while others may need it more often. The best way to know is by checking your herd’s hooves regularly. If you notice overgrown hooves, it’s time for a trim.
Now, you might be thinking, “But my goats and sheep are grazing on rough terrain, won’t that naturally keep their hooves trimmed?” While it may help, it’s not enough. Domesticated goats and sheep have been bred to have longer hooves as they are not constantly moving like their wild counterparts. So, they need regular hoof trimming to keep their hooves at a healthy length.
In conclusion, leaving your goat and sheep hooves untrimmed can have serious implications. It can lead to infections, be contagious to the entire herd, and affect their overall health. So, make sure to add hoof trimming to your regular herd maintenance routine AFTER the trimming DONT TURN THEM LOOSE you should do “FAMACA” score while trimming hooves.
This system assesses the color of an animal’s lower eyelid mucous membranes to determine if it has anemia. The system consists of one to five subjective scores based on the color of the membranes, with 1 being red with no anemia, and 5 being pale/white with severe anemia. The higher the number, the paler the membrane, and the more anemic the animal is. See photo here click link to copy the photo
Your animals will thank you for it, and you will continue to prosper.
Shape: The hoof should be oval in shape and at roughly a 45° angle
Surface: The surface should be relatively smooth with no uneven rings and there should not be any deep cracks
Lineal: The hairline will be smooth and without waves or bumps
Frog: The frog is full, plump and level with the heels
Sound: When tapped with something hard, the hooves will not sound hollow but will sound solid and strong.
Written by Paul Ragsdale Jr
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