Monday 23rd January 2017
Good foot day
We trimmed the goats’ hooves yesterday. We had a quick check of them a couple of weeks ago but it has been seven weeks since their last trim and it has to be said, we were amazed at how good the dairy feet were and in particular Curds. As we have explored before, we think Curds is carrying a genetic predisposition to bad feet and joints. Cheddar and Gorge (daughters from 2012) were both euthanized as the condition of their feet and joints had got really bad (still feel immensely sad about this...) but Curds has always managed to bounce back from any periods of lameness or clicky knees (often aided by Metacam (an anti-Inflammatory drug).
Back in October we began to put two supplements in the goat feed: glucosamine, that can help ease aching joints; and a biotin and zinc mineral mix that helps strengthen and harden hooves. We always have a healthy scepticism when it comes to supplements BUT three months down the line we have to conclude that it seems as though both of these are doing some good. In Curds and Pickle the hooves were far less split and cracked than they have been before and when we trimmed them, we were left (on the whole) with good strong edges to the hoof wall. Previously we have had to deal with the wall coming away from the actual foot as well as flaking edges. In Curds, this has always resulted in the foot itself starting to curve and becoming misshapen.
Part of the problem with Curds and Pickle has been the wet land we had back in Cornwall. Our fields are a lot less soggy here plus the goats’ stalls are drier due to having earth floors as opposed to concrete. Earth allows for drainage and so we don’t get the very wet bottom layer of bedding that we used to in our old barn.
Curds does still get clicky knees and at time is quite stiff but we have not had to give her any Metacam for a while so it seems as though the glucosamine is working here too.
So, all in all, we are really pleased - although wonder had we started this supplement regime a while ago, what effect it might have had for the twins!!
All three Boers came to us with good feet and their trimming went fine – we expected no problems here!!
Saturday is day 21 after the start of Curds’ last season. She usually returns after 19 or 20 days so we are going to be on tenterhooks as the end of the week approaches.
Part of the problem with Curds and Pickle has been the wet land we had back in Cornwall. Our fields are a lot less soggy here plus the goats’ stalls are drier due to having earth floors as opposed to concrete. Earth allows for drainage and so we don’t get the very wet bottom layer of bedding that we used to in our old barn.
Curds does still get clicky knees and at time is quite stiff but we have not had to give her any Metacam for a while so it seems as though the glucosamine is working here too.
So, all in all, we are really pleased - although wonder had we started this supplement regime a while ago, what effect it might have had for the twins!!
All three Boers came to us with good feet and their trimming went fine – we expected no problems here!!
Saturday is day 21 after the start of Curds’ last season. She usually returns after 19 or 20 days so we are going to be on tenterhooks as the end of the week approaches.