# Hoof growth problem - mineral def. or bad trim job?



## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

One of my goats - the "problem" goat it seems.. :roll: - has some odd hoof growth that I have been trying, to no avail apparently, to mend with regular trimming.

To go back to the beginning, she suffered a hoof injury when she was pregnant and the hoof stayed wrapped for nearly three weeks. During this time I couldn't trim and the hoof grew pretty wonky due in part I think to her favoring it from the injury.

Suffice it to say both rear hooves began to grow somewhat curved...as in instead of growing straight up and down, they sort of flare out at the bottom. (I should really take a picture, but hopefully you get the idea).

I have been trying to repair it with regular trimmings and there has been some improvement, but now I am noticing the same thing happening on her front hooves.

She gets alfalfa hay, a 16% sweet feed twice a day that I have doctored up with BOSS and beet pulp, and free choice minerals which is a 1:1 ratio (that is all my local feed store sells).

Could this be all me and my inexperience at foot care or is there a possible mineral deficiency? 

FYI: this is the same goat who is so skinny and is still giving me between 3 and 4 quarts a day. Her coat looks great now after adding BOSS and beet pulp and she is definitely a frisky girl.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I am sorry you are having to deal with this.

The best thing I would suggest is to get a few pictures and let us see what you are talking about. It is hard to say without seeing it. 

Now goats do founder also.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I have to agree with Lori... pics will help determine... what may be going on.... :hug:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Sorry I dont have any suggestions but do have a couple who's rear feet sort of flare out as you have described. They get plenty minerals so thats not the issue. But pics would be hepful. 
These two have the same sire & one of the boys inherited the ugly rear feet.
If you keep em on a frequent trim schedule maybe it can be corrected somewhat.:scratch:


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

I'll see if I can't get a picture this afternoon.

My other goat doesn't have any of these problems, it should be noted, and they get the same diet - of course the other goat also isn't in milk atm and has yet to be bred this season.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Hopefully we will be able to help you when we can see it.

Now sometimes it is just genetics, and there is nothing you can do but try to stay on top of the trimming.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Sorry this took so long!

Here is a picture of what I am talking about...you can see how the medial side of the right hoof sort of grows with a flare out rather than straight up and down. (at least I hope you can!)










The right hoof was also the injured hoof I mentioned above. However, it is not the only hoof that displays this tendency.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Realfoodmama Im not seeing it. Unless your talking about the right inside where hoof is white?
That does not look bad at all to me. Can you get a turned up foot shot?


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

nancy d said:


> Realfoodmama Im not seeing it. Unless your talking about the right inside where hoof is white?
> That does not look bad at all to me. Can you get a turned up foot shot?


Hey Nancy - glad it doesn't look bad to you  And no, I'm talking about the way the hoof sort of...splays out. Its almost like her hooves are too soft and kind of bend as they get longer.

You can't see it at all from the bottom of the hoof...looks perfectly normal. There was a slight cracking a few weeks ago (like the hoof was separating from the pad) but it hasn't come back since I trimmed it off.

Basically her hooves seems soft to me, unlike my Nubian's feet which are near impossible to trim unless they're wet. Eek's hooves (goat pictured) will dent if she stands on the fencing, for example.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She must of been way over grown... in the past and has not been trimmed on a regular basis to try to correct the splaying.....she may never be back to perfect....but you can try to get her as close to it as you can...... looks as if... she needs her toe area worked on... to get her to stand better....trim a little a time.... so she doesn't bleed .. :wink:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Good eye Pam, Foodmama see the coronary band? Toes should be level with that.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree, bad hoof care before she came to you caused the odd growth, I clearly see the horizontal indent on the inner toe of her right hoof. You've done what you can to get her hooves healthy and comfortable but this will either grow out or it can be permanent.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Good eye Pam


 thanks NancyD :hug: :thumb:


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks everyone...I will keep up with the regular trims and see if I can't get it to correct!

For what its worth, her feet don't seem to bother her...she tends to dance on her hind legs and run amok. Its just a visual thing apparently, and looks uncomfortable from my perspective.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Thanks everyone..


 your welcome.... her feet do look OK ....health wise....just needs cosmetic care ...that's all ...with time... she will look better..... :wink: :thumb:


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## hphorses (Feb 16, 2010)

It appears to my that she has foundered on you when she got injurded.. you can see the line on her hooves where the blood flow to the hoop stopped at a acute time... the reason her hooves would be soft and flexible at the bottom would be because the laminae was inflamed and died off there for no longer holding the hoof to the internal structures (coffin bone). Above where you can see that line (small horizontal crack) around her foot is healthy, live, well connected hoof! So just keep her trimmed and in no time you will have nice healthy feet back on your girl!

P.S the reason you are seeing a dip or dish in her hooves is because when the blood flow stop due to stress and the laminae died it released the coffin bone and allowed it to drop and in simple terms she foundered.

Tara


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks Tara!

Just out of curiosity, what can cause founder? Is it a nutritional problem or is it always, like you said, from an injury?

I'd like to know in case something like this comes up again that way I can do better next time.


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## hphorses (Feb 16, 2010)

Founder can be caused by many different things.. injury to the hoof, excess loading of a hoof due to injury to a leg and weighting opposite limb, sever stress mentally and above all the most common is fast diet change/poor diet and poor hoof care... Hoof care is important because standing on excess hoof growth tears on healthy laminae and puts the animal in a constant state of mechanical founder regardless of diet... which is painful, just like you walking around with your nail bent back all day... no fun!

Tara


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