On August 17th and August 19th 2023, Ontario Goat hosted a hoof health clinic emphasizing the importance of hoof trimming and preventing hoof diseases in your goats. Featured speakers included Dr. Gosia Zoebel (New Zealand), Susan Schoenian (University of Maryland), Dr. Emily zur Linden (Metzger Veterinary), and Dr. Lauren Wilson (Cornwallis Veterinary Services).
Inspired by the event, this blog post discusses the importance of hoof trimming and outlines hoof ailments that you may be concerned about in your sheep and goats.
Hoof Trimming
In intensive systems, like those in Ontario, animals are typically housed on soft surfaces that don’t allow for natural wearing of the hooves. Allowing hooves to overgrow and become deformed can cause permanent damage and increase susceptibility to diseases like abscesses, foot scald, and foot rot. This can cause economic loss due to decreased production, reduced feed intake and growth, lower reproduction rates, and culling.
Hoof growth and frequency of hoof trimming can depend on several external factors including genetics, species, breed, nutrition, and management practices. Hoof growth can also vary among individual animals. Despite these factors, it is important to prevent hooves from becoming overgrown by finding a consistent hoof trimming schedule that works best for you and your animals.
Hoof Health
Overgrown hooves, combined with other factors, such as environment and management practices, can cause hoof health in your herd or flock to decline. It’s important to monitor hoof health in your animals to maintain good health and welfare. Common hoof ailments that affect small ruminants include foot scald, foot rot, abscesses, and laminitis.
Culling susceptible or chronic animals from your herd or flock is the best option to prevent issues from being passed to offspring. It’s also important to speak to your veterinarian about any concerns and questions that you have about hoof health in your animals.
Foot Scald
Foot scald is also known as inter-digital dermatitis or benign foot rot and is most often seen during periods of warm, wet, and muddy weather. It is caused by a bacteria called Fusobacterium necrophorum which can cause irritation, redness, swelling, and inflammation between the two digits of the hoof. Foot scald is not contagious however, leaving the hoof untreated can often lead to more severe ailments such as foot rot.
Foot scald is best prevented and treated using 10 – 20% Zinc Sulfate foot baths and consistently trimming hooves. In severe cases, or those where use of a foot bath is not possible, antibiotics can be used as treatment.
Foot Rot
Foot rot is one of the major causes of lameness found in small ruminants. It occurs when foot scald is left untreated which allows the bacteria, Dichlebacter nodosus, to infect the hoof. Animals with foot rot are typically seen walking and grazing on their knees, limping, and are reluctance to move. When inspecting the hoof, you can expect to see erosion of the tissue and separation of the outer hoof wall from the sole.
Foot rot is contagious. It’s important to prevent transmission between your animals by carrying out the following practices:
- Trim hooves regularly and disinfect trimming equipment after each animal using 60% ethanol.
- Cull susceptible animals from your flock or herd.
- Use footbaths containing 10 – 15% Zinc Sulfate.
Abscesses
Abscesses are found deep within the foot tissue and can be secondary to other hoof ailments, like foot rot, that weaken the tissue. Fusobacterium necrophorum and Arcanobacter pyogenes are the two most common bacteria that can be found in abscesses. Animals with abscesses experience pain, swelling, and heat around the area and are often lame.
Trimming the hooves can allow the abscess to drain. In severe cases, they need surgical removal and prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. In any case, it is important to clean the area after drainage and bandage as needed.
Laminitis
Laminitis is a metabolic disease that typically leads to lameness. It can be caused by a few different reasons including systemic disease or infection, sudden ration changes, and by diets with high carbohydrate or high protein content. Animals with laminitis have difficulty walking which may result in refusal to stand or walk and are often seen walking on their knees. Laminitis is an uncomfortable and painful condition; goats and sheep are often seen grinding their teeth and shifting their weight.
Treatment for laminitis includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and/or reducing or removing grain from the diet. It is also important to trim hooves frequently to maintain their shape and prevent overgrowth, which can make laminitis worse.
Conclusion
Consistent hoof trimming and monitoring hoof health are two very important components to maintaining the health and welfare of your small ruminants. It is also important to speak with your veterinarian about preventing and treating hoof issues in your herd or flock. Lastly, culling can be your best tool when it comes to chronic or susceptible animals.
