How to handle a boer goat (doe) for hoof trimming

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Fri, 06/19/2015 - 23:30 #1

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12 years 2 months
jbranton
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/24/2012 - 11:17

How to handle a boer goat (doe) for hoof trimming

Hi

 

I have a 4 year old doe who was not hand reared and is rather feisty.  As with my other 3 goats, I must trim her hooves regularly and at the moment she is in desperate need of a pedicure, walking on the sides of her feet.  Problem is that Princess has a rather nasty nature when you try to handle her and I don't have a holding yard or head bail.  Man handling has been the only option but this only perpetuates the problem.  

 

Recently she has become somewhat more affectionate in that she will approach the fence and allow me to pat and scratch her.  This in itself is a miracle.

 

How can I tether her and safely attend to her hooves without harm or danger to myself?  I have already experienced her horns 4 times in the 2 years we have had her.  Now that she is finally displaying some affection and trust in me, I want to approach her next pedicure without undoing all of this by causing undue stress.

 

Can you or anyone please suggest how I may achieve this as it will be an ongoing problem otherwise?

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Wed, 07/08/2015 - 13:03 #2
littlehighcountry
Last seen: 07/08/2015 - 13:06
Joined: 07/08/2015 - 12:56

Hi,

 

The best way and this is for all animals, make each interaction a reward experience. Spend a few minutes with the goat each day and give a reward, a bit of hay, carrot etc. Then each time touch the goat, gradually day by day working your way down to the legs and lifting. Each time the goat sees you coming they'll know they'll get a treat and all it will cost them is you touching their hoofs, to the goat it will be a good deal, and make life easier for both of you.

 

Cheers Scott

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Sun, 06/21/2015 - 12:51 #3
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi,

I know how difficult this problem can be. It is going to take a while to retrain this girl. The problem can commonly be due to four things.

1. she was not handled as a kid and trained to have humans handling her feet.

2. she has been mistreated when young and sees humans as a threat.

3. she is either timid by nature: attack is the simplest method of defense

4. Or she is naturally agressive and should never be bred from as personality is heritable.

Now how to deal with this problem? Simplest solution is to cull her: probably not fair as it isn't her fault. So the only other solution is to retrain her to trust you and allow you to handle her and trim feet as necessary.

(a) put a strong collar on her and let her go again.

(b) Next day, tie her by this collar to the fence or a solid gate and leave her for a short time, say 20 minutes the first time. stand a few feet away and talk gently to her. Have favourite treat ready to hand, let her smell it then and give it to her as soon as you release her. Do this for a week.

(c) week 2. tie her up again and pick up her front feet; no trimming yet. Do this for 3 days or so. Goats resent the front feet being handled less than the back for some reason. Possibly because instinct tells them that predators attack from the back. Day 4. Have someone hold her against the gate (my prefference) or fence (not the electric one, Ha Ha) Because she will try to move away as soon as you pick up her front hoof. If you are strong enough you can straddle her and control her with your knees as I used to do before I had the goat crush.Trim a little off the hoof and release her. It will take about three weeks before she is going to be reasonably calm and will let you do the job properly on all hooves. It is going to take time and a lot of patience on your part, as she sounds like she is afraid and needs to unlearn the panic reaction. You have made a good start teaching her to learn to trust you.

 

Good luck and I wish you well with your retraining.

Barb

My book: Farming Meat Goats: Breeding Production and Marketing. By Barbara Vincent and Published by CSIRO Land Links  is available from the book shop on this web site or can be ordered from any book shop

 

 

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