Maintaining Goat Feet

Prevention and Treatment Strategies

Maintaining Goat Feet

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Many people think maintaining goat feet begins and ends with trimming, but the foundation is nutrition and environment.

ENSURING AN ANIMAL’S well-being hinges on establishing a robust foundation. As agile creatures born to climb and jump, the limbs and hooves of caprines serve as a critical underpinning, exerting a significant influence on their overall health.

Unfortunately, goat feet also easily damaged by many factors that come with domesticity, including environment, nutrition, and disease.

In their natural habitat alongside jagged mountainside rocks or coarse desert sands, goats wear down their hooves as they travel for browsing. Their wild diets help them maintain a tough keratin layer that helps prevent bruising and damage. Moreover, these naturally arid climates promote clean, dry hooves.

For domestic purposes, raising goats in either lush pasture or barn confinement means that hooves will need human intervention to remain in optimal condition.

Basics of Hoof Health

Many people think maintaining good goat feet begins and ends with trimming, but the foundation is nutrition and environment. Unless the hay and forage in your area are perfectly balanced for goats, your herd is unlikely to receive sufficient quantities of all nutrients.

Properly balanced diets supplemented with goat-specific mineral blends go a long way in maintaining healthy hooves because many of the minerals that promote strong hooves are only required in trace amounts. Specifically, these include zinc, selenium, and copper — which also support overall bone structure and strong connective tissue.

The environment is an important consideration when it comes to hoof care. Dry conditions can prevent warts, bruising, and infections caused by pathogens. Although it may not be possible to provide conditions that naturally wear down hooves, routine trimming as needed can help prevent issues.

Common Hoof Problems

Most hoof problems you encounter throughout your goating career are relatively commonplace.

goat-feet

LAMINITIS

Laminitis is an inflammation and separation of the hoof’s soft tissue and a downward rotation of the bone inside the hoof, usually caused by a diet that’s too high in energy and carbohydrates, creating ruminal acidosis, which can release bacteria into the bloodstream that restrict blood flow to the extremities. Subclinical and chronic laminitis can be caused by excessive grain feeding, even if the diet is properly balanced. Fully foundered hooves have a thickened wall requiring special care throughout the animal’s lifespan.

ABSCESSES

Abscesses occur when a pocket forms in the hoof from bacteria entering an exposed injury. Often, these are caused by minor scrapes and punctures. This leads to a pocket of pus that becomes trapped inside the hoof. Sometimes, it works its way down to the surface, ruptures on its own, and heals. Deeper injuries may require human intervention to open and drain the infection.

GRANULOMAS

Like abscesses, granulomas occur from an injury to the hoof. According to the Extension Foundation, “They are round, red swellings of proud flesh’ that grow at the injury site and keep the hard part of the hoof wall from growing normally, and they bleed easily.”

SHELLY HOOF

When the white line (the part where the hoof wall fuses to the sole) breaks down and isn’t taken care of, it can form a pocket that fills with debris. Sometimes, this is gradually cleared with natural growth and routine trimming. But it also opens the door to infection.

FOOT SCALD

Foot scald is also known as interdigital dermatitis. It is inflammation between the toes caused by the bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum. The biggest culprit is ongoing moisture directly on the skin between the toes.

FOOT ROT

Unlike foot scald, hoof rot is contagious and occurs on the sole and toe, not the skin. This causes intense pain and varying degrees of lameness. If not treated, it can lead to permanent hoof damage.

ORF

Orf, or sore mouth, is a viral infection that typically causes scabby, wart-like growths around a goat’s lips and mouth. However, it can also infect hooves and cause lameness and intense pain.

If you’ve had an orf outbreak recently and notice sudden lameness, be sure to inspect hooves closely. Since viruses can’t be treated, it’s best to let orf infections clear up on their own. Removal of the scabs can delay the healing process and promote further spread.

WARTS

These aren’t as common in goats as they are in dairy cattle but can still occur, especially in wet conditions. These appear as hairy or jagged growths on the heel or between the toes. They can be fungal or viral in origin and are treated with various topical or foot bath products.

ABNORMALITIES

There are many reasons why some hooves may have abnormal growth patterns or are prone to bruising or chipping. Genetics can play a role in this, but so can nutrition. Lack of zinc in the diet can cause hooves to grow abnormally after a proper trim, usually becoming flaky and soft despite maintaining a dry environment. This can also leave animals more vulnerable to infections like hoof rot.

Treatments

Most hoof issues have tried and true treatments and can be remedied at home if correctly identified. However, excessive treatment or improper hoof trimming can lead to more harm than good; you should work with an experienced goat keeper or a veterinarian if you are new to the task.

One of the most common treatments for bacteria-borne issues in goat feet (including infected shelly hoof, foot scald, foot rot, and warts) is a hoof bath in copper sulfate, zinc sulfate, or an iodine solution. If possible, infected animals should be housed separately from the rest of the herd, and everyone should receive a hoof bath as a preventative measure.

Thoroughly clean shared stalls and paddocks, as some pathogens can live in the soil for weeks. Prevention is the Best Medicine Even the most experienced goat owners are bound to encounter hoof problems at one point or another, even under ideal conditions. But keeping a good environment on top of routine maintenance will keep most of the worst at bay.

  • Your geographic region, herd ratio, and genetics should be key factors when developing a hoof care routine. If your climate is naturally drier and your goats have access to concrete rocks or natural stone to play on, you may need to trim and inspect less frequently.
  • A good rule of thumb is to inspect hooves whenever you’re handling animals for other procedures like vaccinations or deworming.
  • Keeping bedding and high-traffic areas free of manure and moisture is crucial to preventing the spread of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Unless you have a history of recurring issues, goat herds don’t typically need routine preventative foot baths. However, if you encounter a pathogenic issue, you’ll need a plan to quarantine and treat the rest of the herd, as it can spread anywhere infected animals have walked.
  • A good trim can also help remove infected tissue and promote healing for several ailments. Perhaps more than any other domesticated livestock species, goats require special attention due to the relationship of their hooves to overall health. But with the right approach, you can ensure the goat feet remain in optimal condition and serve as the foundation for overall well-being.

JACLYN DE CANDIO is a professional agriculture writer, communications specialist and farmer. A member of the Ohio Farm Bureau and the Agriculture Communicators Network, she lives in southwest Ohio with her husband and children where they operate Latria Livestock Co., feeding out market kids and lambs.


SOURCES

  • Ockert, K. (2019, September 12). Proper Goat Hoof Care. Sheep & Goats. https://www.canr.msu. edu/news/proper_goat_hoof_care
  • Sartell, J. (2016, March 3). Hoof Care for Goats. Manna Pro – Care and Supplements for Animals. https://www.mannapro.com/homestead/hoof-carefor- goats
  • Whitley, N. (2019, August 14). Goat Hoof Care and Foot Rot Prevention. Goats. https:// goats.extension.org/goat-hoof-care-and-foot-rotprevention/Niyigena, V., Omontese, B., & Leite-Browning, M. (2022, September 6). Managing Foot Rot and Scald in Goats and Sheep. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. https

Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

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