How to Care for Goat Hooves

Proper hoof care is an essential part of raising healthy goats, and hoof care regimens should include regular trimming and examinations. Domesticated goats have hoof care needs that differ greatly from those of their wild counterparts, whose hooves become naturally worn from travel over long distances and varied surfaces. Goats kept in confined spaces and exposed to high moisture levels or manure content sometimes develop foot rot or scald, hoof diseases common in sheep and goats. Foot rot is a bacterial infection caused by the microorganism Dichelobacter nodosus, whereas foot scald refers to toe inflammation caused by the Fusobacterium necrophorum organism.

Things You'll Need

  • Hoof pick
  • Hoof trimmers
  • Iodine, or copper or zinc sulfate solution (if necessary)
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Instructions

  1. Hoof Trimming

    • 1

      Check the goat regularly for hoof growth, abnormalities in walking or other signs of hoof pain. Overgrown goat hooves exhibit an upward curl at the tip, as well as an inward curl along the bottom edges.

    • 2

      Face the goat's tail and grasp its leg firmly, bending it at the knee to access the hoof.

    • 3

      Use a hoof pick to scrape away any dirt or manure present between the wall of the hoof and the sole of the foot.

    • 4

      Cut back the sides of the hoof with trimmers, until they are even with the sole of the goat's foot.

    • 5

      Use thin cuts or slices to trim, and stop when pink-colored tissue becomes visible.

    • 6

      Remove enough material from the tip of the hoof to make it even with the sole of the foot.

    • 7

      Trim away any dead or rotted tissue, and ensure the hoof is level with the sole on all sides.

    Controlling Foot Rot and Scald

    • 8

      Examine the goat for indications of foot rot or scald. Signs include limping, holding feet off the ground, eating in a kneeling position and the avoidance of walking.

    • 9

      Check the goat's hooves for inflammation. Infected goats will exhibit moist, sensitive and raw skin between the toes, pink to white in color.

    • 10

      Quarantine any infected animals, and begin the treatment process with a thorough cleaning and trimming of the hooves.

    • 11

      Treat infected hooves with a 7-percent iodine solution, or a 10-percent solution of copper sulfate or zinc sulfate. All of these are commonly available commercially.

    • 12

      Cure infections in large numbers of goats by preparing zinc or copper sulfate baths, large enough for several animals to stand in at once. Ensure treated goats spend the next 24 hours in a dry environment, to avoid re-infection.