Trimming Goat Hooves
The Goat hoof continue to grow much like a fingernail. It will eventually curl around and cause the goat some trouble. Sometimes it even can start to grow into the skin if left neglected for too long. We aren't the best at keeping up, but we never let it get that bad!
We have, however, let it go a bit too long. The last time I went out to take care of this business I couldn't find my shears that I prefer for this job. My red handled straight shears work really well for this. I've managed to do it with curved pruning shears before too, but it is much more difficult. When it's difficult it's uncomfortable for goat and myself.
Sometimes Fawn will let me do this standing up with very little resistance. Tonight was different. This needed done and she wasn't willing to stand there. A neighbor friend showed me how to lay the goat down on her side, then straddle her. She snorts a bit, but it's really not that uncomfortable for her. My weight isn't on her, but on my own legs.
This is the obstinate goat, Fawn.
The first thing I do when trimming the hoof is to push the dirt out from the middle of the hoof. The goat has a split hoof so there are two hoof halves that need trimmed. Each one will collect a lot of dirt up under the edges of the hoof wall that is growing out like a fingernail.
Once the dirt is removed you can see how deep the new growth is. At that point I can see how much needs nipped off the end. I always take a little less than I think I can because going to far is painful for the goat and it bleeds.
Because I was in the middle of this action I didn't get too many good shots of the actual trimming, but allow me to describe it to you . When viewing the hoof from the bottom each half comes to the tip in a "V". When you nip the tip of that V off it becomes easier to identify the hoof wall that needs trimmed off.
I'll proceed with this method a few times until the hoof wall is down close to the sole of the foot. The sole is the softer white middle of the foot.
Here is an image I took from a very good YouTube video about how to trim goat hooves. He doesn't exactly nip the "V" like I do but his method is similar to mine. The text added to the image is mine.
Now get out there and take care of those critters!
Sharing to show how @daddykirbs does it!
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Great post, and yes trimming goat hooves is a must, maybe try to let them run around on hard surfaces they wear down the hooves a little so you don't have to do it every month
And it's not like a fingernail, their hooves are their fingernails, they are just standing on 2 fingers, and if you go look at a horse anatomy, they are standing on 1 finger only, it's actually quite funny
From someone who has 82 goats hooves to rein every year. Great tutorial
That's a lot of feet!
Have raised hundreds of goats in the past. Have found that if they were fed to much grain their hoofs grow much faster than on browse and having large rocks or concrete for them to walk and play on will save time between hoof trimmings.
nice post upvoted
This is awesome, we are planning (hoping) to get 2 goats this spring! Now I will know how to trim their nails:) Thank you!
It's an important task, but way too easy to forget about. Put it on the calendar :)
I trimmed my goats' hooves for the first time this past summer, and I was actually surprised by how easily they cut! I got a brand new pair of sharp shears just for cutting their hooves, and the shears cut through the nail like butter. I actually enjoy trimming the hooves now. Haven't tried it with curved pruning shears, yet, so maybe that would be a little less enjoyable.
Do your goats stand still for it or do you have to put them in a head block or lay them down?
I haven't had them all that long, so I have only done it twice, but so far so good! They were fine with it both times. They are small, though (Nigerian dwarf goats).
If I ever get a goat I will now know how to trim hooves! Great post!
the goat's nails should be cut like finger nails, too.
thanks for giving us a goat nail cut.
I’ve seen a few horrible hooves in a goat and some horses through a rescue I’m part of. It’s so sad to see. Thanks for sharing!! 👍