Author Topic: how to trim sows overgrown toes (Read 1833 times)

LouiseG · « **on:** November 25, 2019, 09:10:31 pm »

wondering if anyone can help or advise us. Dorothy our GOS sow (aged about 4 or 5) has overgrown front toes meaning that she is leaning back on her heels and making moving around uncomfortable.

Our vets have no experience of pigs feet and don't really know what to do. so we are turning to you guys for suggestions and advice.

Any help would be gratefully received.
Thank you

harmony · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2019, 09:51:04 pm »

The quickest way I know is to use a pig noose over the top jaw, which acts like a twitch on a horse. the pig leans back but stays rooted to the spot. Someone else then uses a small electric cutting disc to trim the feet. It is the same method of restraint for detusking boars.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2019, 03:18:36 pm »

Its not something I've ever had to do as I only have weaners. As with anything else I haven't seen done I would pay for someone to come out and do it - more experienced pig keeper or a vet. Then they can talk you through it and you can do it yourself next time

LouiseG · « **Reply #3 on:** November 26, 2019, 07:51:30 pm »

Thank you very much, I think we shall use the noose method, I have asked our vet to look in their equipment catalogues for a decent noose, not wanting to go down the Amazon or eBay root for obvious reasons.

If I could find someone nearby to do it for us i would happily pay but we are Cumbria and pig people see to be few and far between unfortunately. Will have our vet friend with us when we try.

harmony · « **Reply #4 on:** November 26, 2019, 08:42:13 pm »

I think fearings do one. It sounds grim but honestly you can do the feet really quickly once you have the pig caught. Her feet sound quite long so take off a good length and then a bit more until you are happy. I once used the noose to keep a pig still when it had managed to get the metal clip of a horses lead rope through its lip. I know...how do these things happen! It wouldn't stay still enough for me to "unclip" it so to speak but once the noose was on it was a doddle.