Sheep Hoof Trimming Methods and Technical Points in Spring

The sheep hoof is a derivative of the skin and is in a state of constant growth. For sheep farms and households raising sheep under normal conditions, the growth rate of the sheep hooves is basically equivalent to the degree of wear from grazing movement, so under general grazing conditions, the hooves of most sheep in the flock do not need to be trimmed. In winter, because snowy and rainy weather is often encountered, and because the winter cold freezes the ground, the flock is forced to reduce the time spent grazing outside. In some places, sheep farms and households even completely stop letting the flock graze outside in winter, and the flock is kept under full-time indoor housing. Under winter indoor housing and semi-housing feeding conditions, because the grazing time of the flock is relatively reduced, the growth rate of the sheep hooves will be greatly higher than the degree of hoof wear. This will cause the hooves of some sheep to grow too fast, so that the hooves of some sheep become too long and too pointed, and some sheep may even develop deformed hoof quality that bends to one side.

If the hooves of the flock are not trimmed for a long time, and the hooves grow too long, too pointed or become deformed, it will not only affect the sheep's feeding and walking, but also easily cause hoof diseases in some sheep, leading to upward curling of the hoof tips, cracking of the hoof wall, and deformation of the limbs. It may even bring great inconvenience to the flock's later grazing and feeding. In serious cases, if a ram's hoof quality is deformed, the hind limbs cannot support mating, causing it to lose its breeding value; if a ewe's hoof quality is deformed, she will have difficulty moving during pregnancy (especially in late pregnancy) and often lies down, which will not only affect the ewe's feeding, but also affect the normal growth and development of the fetus in the ewe's body. Therefore, when raising sheep in spring, sheep farms and households should promptly inspect the hooves of the flock and trim the hooves of sheep whose hooves are too long, too pointed or deformed.

Before trimming sheep hooves, soak the hooves in clean water to soften them. You may also choose to trim the hooves in weather after rain, when the hoof quality has been softened by the rain and is easy to trim. When trimming the hooves of the flock, the sheep to be trimmed must be properly restrained, and a specially prepared hoof trimming knife or fruit tree shears sharpened in advance should be used for cutting. When the microvessels of the hoof quality can be seen while cutting, stop cutting further into the inner layer immediately, then level the hoof sole and the edges of the hoof. If bleeding occurs in the hoof during cutting, immediately stop the bleeding by cauterization and stop cutting into the inner layer. Generally, after proper trimming, the bottom of the sheep hoof is flat and the shape is round and square, and the sheep stands with a proper body shape. If an individual sheep has already developed deformed hooves because the hooves grew too long and too pointed and were not trimmed in time, then several careful repairs are needed to correct them, and one must not rush. Generally, grazing flocks need trimming once every spring, while flocks under indoor housing and semi-housing feeding conditions should have their hooves trimmed once every 4 to 6 months to ensure the proper body shape of the flock.