The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: langdon on February 18, 2010, 07:53:23 pm
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today i had a look at milly and molly's feet. they werent
bad at all. thid trim back a little and clean some muk away.
my only prob is trying to restrain them (gently) to have a good go.
i put a short lead on one of the small verticale bars on the gate,
faced to the rear of the goat and worked one side then the other.
as said they did resist somewhat so since they didnt need a major trimming
i lead them back as not to stress them to much.
im more confident in doing the job now, its just keeping them still.
would it be worth having some feed there for them and maybe someone else
to keep them calm?
langdon ;) your help is needed all goat keepers!! :D :goat:
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I use a Blue-lite (or myti-lite) foot shears, good for smaller hands, for both my sheep and goats. You can get them in all agri merchants or from Ascotts.
We also do it with a two humans to one goat ratio (on a tight lead), they dont like it but I manage to do it about every 6 weeks. Also helps if their feet are wet, lot softer.
If you don't intend to show your goats it doesn't matter if they don't stand perfectly on all four feet, so experience will make you a lot better at this (I am still learning....)
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They get used to it, so I would always do their feet regularly. Another good point is to tie them up in the same way you would to trim their feet, say once a week, and give them a brush or something instead. But make sure you feel down their legs and pick up their feet so they get more used to it happening. I generally just cut feet on my own, but I've been doing it for years. Even my billy doesn't move an inch when you pick up his back feet (which is just as well as he's huge!).
Beth
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Cain and Abel used to be terrible to trim their feet. They are big tall boys, and it took two of us to hold them, one to hold them in a headlock and the other to do the feet!! Then they both got foot rot (suspect Bertie my pet sheep brought it!). So, the two goats had to have their feet checked and treated very often. They got used to having it done, and are much better now.
What we do is put them in their shelter, and push their head into a corner, and press against their back end so they are sort of wedged.
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We also use a head stand ( as in sheep) to hold them. Can be put on a gate or hurdles.
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Both my pet goats (Jake & Kenco) suffer recurring foot rot problems, something they picked up on our last place which was very, very wet...they are regularly treated and inspected and have got so used to being handled that I can even do them on the spot in the field...if they suffer even the slightest discomfort they bleat at me and lift the offending foot as if to tell me what's wrong.
I had a farm inspection the other day and whilst walking around the farm with the Trading Standards Officer, Kenco came up to us and raised his front foot, without thinking I simply took out my knife and trimmed both of his front feet, then walked with him to his field shelter and sprayed them and off he trotted to rejoin Jake and the sheep...the TSO was astounded! Strange how we take some things for granted and don't realise what a privileged relationship we can forge with some of our animals.
farmer, :farmer:
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Well John that is clever, well done. :goat:
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It just goes to show how much they trust you Farmer. And also how clever goats are, that they know it makes them feel better.
Beth
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wow thats really inspiring i guess tho that kinda relationship develops over
a long period of time. ;)
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We had the goats at 1day old, six all together, we hand fed them and Jake and Kenco followed us everywhere...once when Jake was suffering from a urinary infection (a common problem in goats)...I sat up with him in their pen and cuddled him all night...Jake lay in my arms and Kenco and the other goats rested either against me or near me...I think the bond was formed through constantly giving them affection and attention. The other four went for slaughter for meat, but we couldn't lose Jake or Kenco.
Staying with any animal when it is ill or close to birthing is something I try to do, even if it means losing sleep...the trust that is built allows me to handle them more easily and they are not distressed when I handle their off spring...it doesn't work with all of the animals, but when it does its a fantastic feeling to know they trust you.
Guess I'm not a real Farmer...but who cares?
Farmer, :farmer: