Routine Foot Trimming in Sheep: UK Farmers Practices and Attitudes

[unlacedgecko]

If it works for you it works for you.

 

[texas pete]

I've already stated I am opposed to routine trimming of all sheep

I understood your post from yesterday evening as justifying routine trimming, as it is done in cattle, then why not sheep? Apologies if I read it wrong.

You are quite right to question dogmatic approaches to anything, we do not practice routine foot trimming but if a sheep is lame and requires some level of trimming it gets it. The most obvious example of this would be gapping up the side of the hoof wall, this can fill with dirt and sometimes grit and become infected. This needs removed by trimming and at least sprayed, anyone who wouldn't do this because of unquestioning faith in some religious foot care regime would be better with no sheep.

Of course the situation described above would receive treatment, it's not routine though is it?

Hardly dogma either, just common sense I would think.

There is massive improvement to be made in the national flock lameness wise, there are unseen costs with it that are hard to quantify too. How can you ever hope to achieve a decent LSU/labour unit with persistently lame sheep?

 

[glensman]

I understood your post from yesterday evening as justifying routine trimming, as it is done in cattle, then why not sheep? Apologies if I read it wrong.



Of course the situation described above would receive treatment, it's not routine though is it?

Hardly dogma either, just common sense I would think.

There is massive improvement to be made in the national flock lameness wise, there are unseen costs with it that are hard to quantify too. How can you ever hope to achieve a decent LSU/labour unit with persistently lame sheep?

I agree, that is why I stated at the beginning of the post that I do not practise routine trimming only occasional lame sheep that require it.

 

[Gulli]

Despite not having anything to do with cattle I've been watching The Hoof G.P on Youtube and he mentioned today that cattle are routine trimmed up to 3 times a year. Should all of those cattle be culled or is the fact that they live in modified environments enough reason to accept routine foot trimming? If so, why all the palaver about foot trimming sheep? Very few sheep live the way their ancestors did?

Not all cattle are trimmed 3 times a year, housed herds that are fed hard get routine trimming and it's a cost effective preventative. Never been able to justify it with sheep though

 

[Longlowdog]

@texas pete You didn't read me wrong. I was being devil's advocate for the sake of trying to eliminate dogmatic assertions that stem from one viewpoint without regard for others. Sorry if my posts were confusing, writing replies to posts like this thread have the bees buzzing in my head and my two finger typing skills can't keep up with the ideas flying around.

 

[An ancient git]

I have never footbathed and never trim ewes' feet routinely . A 10 yr old got a bit knocked back last year , and occasionally I'll snip off a bit of horn that is breaking away (if it's making the sheep 'footy') .
But luxury is all are homebred .... so the crap don't perpetuate ..... Buy in and one doesn't get anywhere !

 

[Cider drinker]

15 years ago I stopped twice yearly trimming and moved to outdoor lambing, initially due to time constraints. However it soon became clear that cross contamination and infection occurred during gathering and that was the main cause of repeated problems. Now anything with foot for is treated with antibiotics and mildly trimmed and segregated. Haven't had to footbath for years as well, even for scald.

 

[k.orme]

Thank you to everyone who has already completed the questionnaire, I have had a surprising response rate! great to see all of the different opinions. Hoping the answers will make for a good collection of results. It would be really helpful if anyone could share the link with friends/family etc who would also be interested

Routine Foot Trimming in Sheep: UK Farmers Practices and Attitudes is closed

harper-adams.onlinesurveys.ac.uk

 

[blackieman83]

Done. Good luck!