HOOF CARE
From page 40
This debris, if not removed,
will dull your hand tools and
may hide injuries to the hoof.
K Hoof knife. A hoof knife is
for trimming away loose
dried-out sole. Do not cut
into live flesh or the sole will
be sore and may bleed—not
a good thing. The hoof knife
is also used to trim off loose
and ragged frog in horses.
K Pincers. Pincers are used
to trim the outgrowth of hoof
wall from the hoof.
K Rasp. Use the rasp to
smooth and level the bottom
of the hoof. Every stroke
should go the entire length of
the hoof.
When trimming feet, avoid
doing it at stressful times such
as in hot weather or late in
gestation.
If you are going to do the
trimming yourself, it is
important that you ask your
veterinarian or someone with
experience to demonstrate
how to perform this proce-
dure.
If you are dealing with a
sheep, goat or pig, you will
need a pair of hoof shears.
You will also need someone
to hold the animal while you
are doing the trimming. The
assistant must put the animal
in a comfortable sitting
position. Using the tip of the
hoof shears, remove dirt and
mud from the hoof.
Determine the level of the
sole of the hoof before
starting to cut any of the wall
of the hoof away. First trim off
the point of the hoof of one
claw. Then trim the outer side
of the hoof.
Finally trim the inner side of
the hoof. Then repeat the
process on the hoof of the
other claw. Gradually trim the
hooves down until you can
see the white line of new
hoof growth.
When dealing with a horse's
hooves, secure the horse first.
Stand next to the horse's
shoulder, pick up the hoof
and hold it in place between
your knees so you can use
both hands to work. Clean
the horse's hooves using a
hoof pick to ensure nothing
has become lodged in the
hoofs’ natural depressions.
Begin cleaning at the back of
the hoof and work forward,
removing any debris from the
hoof. Include cleaning
between the frog and the
cleft.
If the hoof needs trimming,
use the pincers to trim away
the excess hoof wall from the
hooves. Make sure you have
a hand on each handle of the
pincers to get an even cut
and make sure the blade of
the nippers is parallel to the
horse's foot while trimming.
Go from heel to toe to ensure
the hoof wall is trimmed
evenly. This should only be
done if you are comfortable
using the tool, and are certain
of your ability not to cut away
too much.
Then use the rasp to smooth
and level the bottom of the
hoof. Every stroke should go
the entire length of the hoof.
This will make sure there
aren't any uneven spots or
ridges. Use smooth strokes
and apply equal downward
pressure. Only use the rasp
from heel to toe and never
from side to side. Keep
checking for levelness every
few strokes or you might
remove more than you
intended and hurt the cow or
horse. You should never file
the sole of the hoof.
Continued on page 43
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