[roddycm]

Hello!

I need to trim my boar's trotters as they have got too long... he is very quiet but he is really not keen on having his hooves trimmed (no big surprise) Just wondering how you guys go about this task. He's the first one I have ever had to do as all the girls haven't needed it. Dudley, however, is very lazy and has always been very happy to eat and sleep all day unless there is a girl for him to mate... so I guess his feet dont wear down like the others' do!

I have been advised to "rope" his top jaw and tie him to a post, I am happy to do this if this is really a good way to do things... just checking out the options. A quick google search suggests giving the pig a beer so they relax haha!

Thoughts?

Cheers!

[zackyb]

How can your pig get long trotters? Until recently I kept boars as well as gilts and I have never had a pig with long trotters? Does he get exercise / and able to move about - never had a pig that doesn't run / come for food and forage / play either? Pigs are so so strong - will be really hard to restrain a pig to do that - particularly an intact boar.

Corner him carefully and confine him into  a small strong, secure and safe area so he cant move about and hurt himself or you whilst you do it and hopefully he wont get too stressed and angry - poor lad. Might be helpful to ask your vet for some advice.

[greenbeast]

Here we'd be using a masterject and a sizable dose of stresnil, the vet should have these (at least the medication) and then you can do the trimming with him sedated.

[roddycm]

How can your pig get long trotters? Until recently I kept boars as well as gilts and I have never had a pig with long trotters? Does he get exercise / and able to move about - never had a pig that doesn't run / come for food and forage / play either? Pigs are so so strong - will be really hard to restrain a pig to do that - particularly an intact boar.

Corner him carefully and confine him into a small strong, secure and safe area so he cant move about and hurt himself or you whilst you do it and hopefully he wont get too stressed and angry - poor lad. Might be helpful to ask your vet for some advice.

Hi Zack, I have no idea, he has a huge run and none of the other pigs have ever had bad feet. I have never seen him run anywhere for anything. He is very quiet and chilled, gets all the girls pregnant and does a great job. when you scrath his belly he lays down but won't keep still to have his feet done and although he is very tame he is massive and its just not safe to mess with a boar.

Greenbeast, thanks for the tips! I am in south america so vets not always easy to come by, but I can now go to one with this info and give it a go! cheers!

[nutterly_uts]

For future nail care what about creating a long rough surfaced section (concreted or paving slabs sort of thing) and encouraging him to run it as much as you can - either food end to end or even a nice lady a couple of times a week to help keep them short?

[harmony]

If you are going to retrain a big boar do not rely on one rope around the top jaw. Here we would use a proper pig restraint ( available from agricultural merchants) consisting of a noose on a long handle, which can then be tightened by an easy pulling motion. It acts like a twitch on a horse. The pig will lean backwards and then you attach the second restraint, strong rope around the top jaw which you attach to a strong post. You can then deal quickly and safely with tusks and feet. It is a job for experienced pig men or experienced vets.


The quickest way to trim feet is a small, electric grinder. Don't take off too much foot in one go. Tusks can be done with wire really quickly.


Some pigs are more prone to long feet. Often as they get older and lazier but also poor conformation is a factor.

[roddycm]

Thanks harmony! Sounds like a great system! I met up with a local pig breeder today who has offered to help me this weekend and has the gear! Hopefully, Dudley will enjoy the results of the pedicure haha I am sure he will be more comfortable after its done... we will def do the tusks too as he snagged one of the girls by accident the last month.

[harmony]

Yep, do tusks whilst you are at it. It is not only your sows that can be cut but I know one or two people who have had their legs opened up to the bone and not through an intentional attack but just a friendly shove.

[greenbeast]

I am in south america so vets not always easy to come by, but I can now go to one with this info and give it a go! cheers!

Sorry i didn't realise. Stresnil might be country specific, there'll be an alternative though if that's the route you want to take. The Masterject is a spring loaded needle gun, been absolutely invaluable here.

[roddycm]

  Yes I looked that up! Looks amazing, my sister is coming to visit me from the uk so I think i will order the Masterject and she can bring it! It would be life changing haha! Thanks for your advice!

[JedM]

Stresnil is amazing stuff.  Vet gave some to me when my gilt farrowed and was attacking her piglets.  It knocks them out in about a minute!

[harmony]

Stresnil didn't work with our sow at all