Goat Pedicures

Suzy waits to get her hoofs trimmed.

My job is to keep the goat still and distracted.

1st thing to do is brush away any debris.
Sometimes we have soaked hoof in warm, soapy water
if needed. 

One part of keeping a goat happy and healthy is trimming and cleaning their hoofs. The hoof is almost like our human nails where as they continue to grow long until trimmed. They curl under trapping dirt and feces underneath which can cause a lot of problems and possible hoof rot. 

Before trimming.

It takes us about 1-2 hours to do all of our 10 goats.

This routine of hoof trimming happens about every 3-4 months. Besides our everyday interaction with our goats this is also a good time for me to examine them for any cuts or lumps. I can also take the time to administer any medications or vaccines. I keep all records in a notebook. 

Rob makes sure to inspect
for any splitting or rot. 

For the actual hoof trimming one needs a scrub brush, hoof trimmers (they look like small hedge scissors) and a sharp knife or razor. Rob is much more skilled at trimming than I am .  . . so it has become his job. When your on a homestead it is just more efficient to find out who is best at what and that job becomes theirs. We each learn the others job though just in case of any absence or illness. My daughter and I usually do the daily milking but everyone in our homestead has learned and can milk if needed. 

After.
It looks good and the goat feels better walking.

If a goat's hoofs become to long or something is caught under the overgrowth it can irritate the goat and make for difficult walking.

Daisy is happy with her pedicure!

It is well worth a couple of hours every few months to be sure you have a happy and healthy goat.