Hey everyone, i have another question! I'v read or heard somewhere that your not supposed to trim a doe's hooves during late pregnancy - is this true? and why not? I have four does that are due in mid march and i trimmed two of them up a little today. They really needed it and i also gave all of the preg does a shot of selenium with vit E, the timing is right isn't it? When should i give it to them again? The last time i gave it to them was six to eight weeks before they kidded last year. I don't offer loose minerals so whatever they get is in that shot and whatever is in thier feed. It is a 16% with a dairy supplement in it.

-- Susan (dsowen@tds.net), February 03, 2002

Answers

I don't know why you shouldn't trim their feet during late pregnancy. Never heard of it, but I've always given my does a last foot trimming just before kidding...at the same time I give them their "dairy" clip. I don't give selenium shots as it's not a problem in my area of Maine. Also, I have a mineral block with selenium available all year around for my goats...plus my 16% dairy feed has supplemental selenium added.

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), February 03, 2002.

Some people do not trim hooves in late pregnancy because the doe's ligaments- including those in her legs and feet- soften and relax during the last few months. I think it is all the more reason to maintain moderate. regular trimming, as long as the doe is calm and doesn't struggle. Definitely don't throw her on the ground and hog tie her...(yes, some people do that). And don't let the hooves get really overgrown in late pregnancy, because with all that extra weight and stress on their feet they would be just miserable.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 04, 2002.

Susan there is an old wives tale, that if you pull up a does rear leg to trim that she will kid early, you will loose the kid. Now does that make sense? :) No! Obviously you don't want to trim a doe who is due to kid in two weeks, so short that you make her limp and not want to move around, without exercise does with heavy amounts of kid could get ketosis. You also wouldn't ask a heavy pregnant doe to jump up on a milkstand (well I guess the jumping down would be worse!) because she could permanantly harm her pasterns. But the rest is just stuff thats passed around with no logic to it. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.

uh oh! i had them all on the milk stand! but that is one of thier favorite places to be (yummy food) and no one struggled with the shot or the trimming either. we had just trimmed them good in october so i was shocked at how their feet looked - and i did't intend totrim them, just give them some selenium but some of thier feet were in such bad shape...i couldn'tlet them go for anohter 6 to eight weeks. oh well i hope they will be ok and have thier babies just fine. Thank you so much for the advice, hey, since thier feet were so terrible could that be a sign of overfeeding? i mean, it has only been three mos since i trimmed them last but they really looked like thay hadn't had a trim in a year!

-- Susan (dsowen@tds.net), February 04, 2002.

Susan more than likely a sign that you have been having wet weather, when the pastures get soggy the girls feet get out of shape. And three months is about the max I let any of my goats go. Now if you are in the dry arid desert or have lots of rocks and such to keep the feet paired down than yes an overfeeding of protein can grow to much hoof to quickly. Don't do anything to your feeding program now with only 6 weeks to go! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.

We just trimmed our girls feet about 2 weeks ago, and most of them are due later this month & in March. We were very gentle and fed them while we did it. They seem perfectly fine and they needed it! Good luck Susan!

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), February 04, 2002.

I noticed that during the summer when my girls climb rocks and boulders, I really don't have to do trimming. During the winter however....

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), February 04, 2002.

I just saw a documentary on the Animal Channel. This lady raised pygmy goats. Her regimen was to trim the feet 30 days before delivery. She also gave the momma to be a shot, but didn't say what it was for. She said she did it with all her expectant mothers, and she had a lot!

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), February 05, 2002.