Animal Health & Welfare

Paring (foot trimming) is effective in removing excessive hoof growth and exposing infected areas to the air which combats the pathogens involved.

Paring also eliminates cracks and crevices that could trap mud and harbour footrot bacteria.

 

Before You Start

The sharpness, suitability, cleanliness and maintenance of equipment are all important. 

A good quality pair of precision hoof shears should be used for the hoof wall and a sharp knife should be used for the sole.

Paring

Paring should be carried out with care, particularly avoiding over-paring which causes bleeding. This causes unnecessary pain, increases the risk of future infection and may cause permanent damage to the foot.

Correct trimming procedure

1. Clean feet thoroughly before trimming and inspect each claw carefully
2. Trim the outer wall first, starting with the toe and working backwards towards the heel
3. Leave wall slightly proud of the sole
4. Trim inside edge starting at the toe in as few cuts as possible
5. Hoof clippings can harbour footrot bacteria and should be burned and the treatment area thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after use.

N.B. Ideally, all sheep, once inspected or trimmed, should be put through a zinc sulphate foot bath to reduce the number of infectious bacteria. For further information on foot bathing, use the tab in the left hand menu.

The following recommendations from Defra are given to improve animal welfare whilst paring and to improve the effectivness of the procedure:

• Tools should be disinfected between each sheep by placing them in a 10% solution of zinc sulphate
• Dirt between the claws should be removed to allow a throrough examination and to aid identification of the problem
• The toe should not be clipped too far back such that it causes bleeding and granuloma
• The hoof wall should be cut back such that it still contacts the ground and protects the sole
• Paring should not leave crevices which can offer a safe haven for bacteria

Further information on methods of preventing and treating lameness is available using the tabs to the top left or from Defra using the link to the right.