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!
