Sheep feet query?

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 14, 2019

• #1

I was giving "Herself" a hand yesterday tidying up the feet on her small flock of ewes and it was quite noticeable that several had what Janice described as being "soft and chalky" on the bed/sole of the hoof. Usual bit of trimming work on the outside hoof...

Any ideas on the cause of the softening of the sole I can pass on...?

 

G

GreenerGrass

Member

Location

Wilts

• Aug 14, 2019

• #2

Can pass on that you shouldn't be trimming any of them

 

Al R

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

West Wales

• Aug 14, 2019

• #3

Footvax and formalin. Don’t trim.

 

Northeastfarmer

Member

Location

Cleveland

• Aug 14, 2019

• #4

Cull

 

Tim W

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Wiltshire

• Aug 14, 2019

• #5

Al R said:

Footvax and formalin. Don’t trim.

Click to expand...

NO!!!!!

Footrot hasn't been mentioned, just a bit of overgrown and sort hoof---vaccine would be a waste (i hate the casual use of footvac ---why does no one else see it as a failure in management?)
Cause of soft sole ? Diet,minerals, soft ground conditions ??

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 14, 2019

• #6

Northeastfarmer said:

Cull

Click to expand...

I am up against some resistance on this... Agree totally!

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 14, 2019

• #7

Al R said:

Footvax and formalin. Don’t trim.

Click to expand...

No footrot. Wondering if a footbath would help though...

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 14, 2019

• #8

Tim W said:

NO!!!!!

Footrot hasn't been mentioned, just a bit of overgrown and sort hoof---vaccine would be a waste (i hate the casual use of footvac ---why does no one else see it as a failure in management?)
Cause of soft sole ? Diet,minerals, soft ground conditions ??

Click to expand...

Ground is pretty decent, decent grass, but wondered if I need to grab some palatable mineral!

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 14, 2019

• #9

GreenerGrass said:

Can pass on that you shouldn't be trimming any of them

Click to expand...

Only just trimming overgrown side growth. No major surgery... ;-) Vets recommended Alamycin LA two years ago when we did have a few footrot issues, cleared up nicely.

 

G

Gulli

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Somerset

• Aug 15, 2019

• #10

Mine get the same thing quite often, assumed it was was just from the hoof getting damp and moisture staying there, never caused any issues though so I've never worried about it

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Aug 15, 2019

• #11

Gulli said:

Mine get the same thing quite often, assumed it was was just from the hoof getting damp and moisture staying there, never caused any issues though so I've never worried about it

Click to expand...

We were uncertain if this was going to lead to issues, having not seen it before...