# Good vs bad hooves



## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

I don’t know where else to ask. What would you consider to be good hooves vs bad hooves? Not well kept vs neglected, but good hoof growth genetically and diet supported vs genetically bad. How do I know?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I’m sure this will be considered more my opinion that a absolute correct answer so you can take my reply with a grain of salt if you would like 
Hooves are something I pay attention to in my goats and is something I do cull over. I’m going to throw random numbers at you, but let’s say most of the goats can go 3 months before they need their hooves trimmed and you have 2 out of the whole herd that need it done every month, I consider that to ultimately be genetics. Is it possible those two might just be lacking something just a tad or they some how process feed and or minerals better Or worse then the others? (I hope that makes sense) I think there is a good chance that just might be the case. But even then I’m sure that could be linked back to genetics as well and has real potential of being passed down to their offspring. I am one that wants a low maintenance herd. That is my ultimate goat. I don’t want the does that I have to constantly trim their hooves and I don’t want the ones that need this or that extra supplement of this or that so in the end no matter what the actual problem is I don’t want it anyways. 
I don’t know this is kinda what I have figured over the years and it seems to be working with my goats. I do not have to trim near as often now as I did when I first started.


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## GoatiesRDear (Mar 10, 2018)

Years ago I had a boar alpine mix doe who always had a touch of hoof rot and her hooves were normel to hard to trim. At the same time i also had two pigmy does who were feed the same diet and housed with the boar alpine mix and they had beautiful hooves. Never any hoof rot and easy to trim feet. Just like clip off the single edge of hoof wall and your done! Now I have two nubian doeling 1/2 sisters. Shanté has weird growing hooves. it's like your constatly fighting to keep her trimmed and standing level. Like one side of her hoof grows unevenly. Her sister, Bell, doesn't have that problem and is easier to trim but still I've never seen as good hooves as my two pigmy girls had.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Is there anything about your herds hooves that would help us nail down this somewhat nebulous and hard to diagnose condition?

I think you are very smart to want to be aware of genetic problems in your herd. Hooves are literally (and I do mean that literally!) the foundation of your herd! And when goats are kept in a small space and depend on the owner for every bit of nutrition, then it can be difficult to sort out what is nutrition, what is management, and what is genetics.

In my case, when I have to constantly do something to or for any of my animals, that is a sign that they need to go. But that does not mean it is genetic (it could be caused by an injury or a birth defect, for example), only that she doesn't work on my farm.

Hard to know it is genetics...


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

This is a tough question for all the variables you have noted. Compounded by the fact that the majority of goats are not kept on large acreage so feet problems really get compounded by lack of exercise/wearing action. 

I once used Google maps to roughly calculate how much ground my goats were covering on a typical free-ranging day at our farm - they walked over 3 miles! So don't freak out when I say that there are 2 year old goats born in my herd that haven't had their first hoof trim yet. The biggest genetic component I see is FAST growth. There are two maternal lines in my herd whose toes get far too long faster than the other does despite all the walking.


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

@mariarose I'm not seeing anything specific. I don't know how to judge hooves at all! I don't even know if I'm seeing good or bad.

For example: is a wider or narrower foot better? Frog staying consistent and only needing to trim walls good or bad? Toe growing same/faster/slower than heel good or bad?

Good to know that my hopes of having an easy maintenance herd is possible! I've been having to trim at least once a month, if not more often. I hate all this wet!


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

This may sound quite dumb. Can anyone describe exactly what they mean by the area they call a frog?

I have studied goat hoof anatomy and never once see a part listed as that.

Yes, I know what a frog is from my equine experience, but curious if there is a comparative part on a goat? Haven't seen it ever called that. 

Thanks!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

This blog has a figure point to the frog half way down: https://farmfitliving.com/goat-pedicures/

This website has a different figure, while I agree with the frog label, some of the others are misplaced in my opinion: http://southafrica.co.za/how-to-care-for-the-hooves-of-goats.html


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

So the frog is an alternate term for the sole?


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

My apologies, it is just completely different with horses and that is the anatomy I am familiar with lol.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Yes, I think sole is the "correct" term and frog just got stolen from the horse world. 

Basically, in a goat, the frog is the part that is live and can bleed!


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

SalteyLove said:


> Yes, I think sole is the "correct" term and frog just got stolen from the horse world.
> 
> Basically, in a goat, the frog is the part that is live and can bleed!


Great, thank you for clarifying.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Yup, it's the sole and heel. Not like the horse's sole and frog at all. I'm an equine person, too, and that was really weird for me.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

mariarose said:


> Yup, it's the sole and heel. Not like the horse's sole and frog at all. I'm an equine person, too, and that was really weird for me.


Maria I didn't know that! We will have to chat horses


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

mariarose said:


> Yup, it's the sole and heel. Not like the horse's sole and frog at all. I'm an equine person, too, and that was really weird for me.


OMG I had no idea, do you still own horses ( I LOVE horses):hi::inlove:


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Yes, I miss them.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

No, I don't still own any...


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

:hug:Awwwww......im sure they still have a special place in your heart!!! What breed were they?


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

My horse herd was as mixed as my goat herd is!


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

LOL!!!!!
Which breed would you recommend for being with goats?!


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

My fault, I shouldn't have said frog... sole is better.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Spades said:


> LOL!!!!!
> Which breed would you recommend for being with goats?!


I don't know if breed is really what matters. It is demeanor as well. But goats often prefer miniature horses as companions.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

mariarose said:


> My horse herd was as mixed as my goat herd is!


Breed has never meant much to me for my horses!


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

mariarose said:


> No, I don't still own any...


My apologies! I couldn't live without equine companionship.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Quick funny story @mariarose and anyone else who may want a bit of info:

Today, for the first time in over a year, I found a tick that rested in one spot on one of my goats' face. I normally see ticks hop on and then off and never latch on. I didn't get close to really tell but the tick didn't move for hours so I figured it was just a really stubborn one that didn't care about the garlic. I picked up my boy this afternoon and was ready with tick pliers, and the tick wasn't even latched on, just hanging out there. It was there for so long I figured it must have been sucking but no! Victory is mine! Garlic has proven over and over to deter ticks from sucking! Yay!


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