Sheep Foot Care Tips from a Professional Vet

[@jmc8577]

This is so educational. Thanks heaps. We literally got a few just to mow yards and obviously weren't cared for before our purchase.

[@FarmLearningTim]

They do way more than mow the yard. Properly cared for they improve the paddock, lowering flat weed naturally, draw down carbon, increase soil biology and moisture. They also reduce stress and increase a sense of meaning as you care for such a trusting animal. All I have to do to move paddocks now is bang on the gate and they come running. I go into the paddock and they come straight up for a scratch and a chat. Damn… and I was going to eat them…

[@Karlena_Lewin_Studio]

Thanks for this vids it has helped me heaps about to go do my sheep’s feet 👣

[@nickharrison9883]

Bit of a price difference between what look like burgon and ball footrot shears? at about $70 and those battery jobs at $1k + other wise good tips on hoof care which is often neglected

[@Vee-zx6eh]

Hi Tim, thanks for these sheep care videos. We have some hobby sheep but need to learn more. As we are older, getting down to wrangle sheep feet is hard on the back. I wonder if you might in the future talk about your sheep yard cradle/footbath/gate set up and also maybe a video on how to shear a sheep - what equipment etc. We like your videos very much. Thank you.

[@FarmLearningTim]

G’day Vee. I plan to do more as long as people like them. I have already done one on crutching and the equipment required and how to set it up with a professional shearer. Have you seen that one?

[@Vee-zx6eh]

@@FarmLearningTim Thanks for your response. Not yet but I will be sure to look through your past videos.

[@VK-qo1gm]

Vee, might want to consider self shedding sheep, no shearing required, easy to care for

[@Vee-zx6eh]

@@VK-qo1gm Hi there. Thanks for the tip. We have Dorper cross sheep and they mostly shed. There is always a bit of wool left on them though that looks scuzzy. I have a new fully shedding pure bred Dorper Ram this year so hopefully the next lot of babies turn out to be full shedders. I have a pet Ewe that I clip with dog clippers - she just stands there and lets me do it because she is a sweetheart- however it is a terrible cut because the blades are not designed to go through greasy wool. (There is a video of her on my channel) I would ideally like some cordless sheep shearing clippers - not sure what brand is best. Also, I would like to learn how to shear a sheep properly - I don't want to be a gun shearer, rather just learn a technique to shear them so I can have the sheep looking tidy, healthy and happy.

[@myjourneyanditsbattles7391]

Surely that's not fair to leave the sheep on its back that long. Does it cause anxiety and high stress levels, if the sheep RAM is on the back for to long

[@icryostorm3727]

veryinteresting - and very different advice from a vet compared to here in the UK - the current advice is to not clip the sidewalls (ie pockets) back but to trip the foot flat only . i tend to trim away as like your vet suggested as i feel that longer term its better for the animal - and im less commercial so feel its a better time investment.

[@dog6963]

The same advise is given in Ireland

[@goatvetoz]

Love the yard set-up. Great video.

[@mj-ls7qr8xp3n]

Yeah my vet did same. My goats foot was very tender at first. I used hoof n heel 2x day for 4 days. It really worked, plus I washed foot in bucket of warm water and disinfectant first. Awful it got to that point. I use the ars clippers. Spendy but very sharp!

[@viscache1]

Okay, first off…Great Name! But more importantly and second, thanks for a great video. Our first year with a new flock…different species that need hoof trimming. So it was great to see it done right!

[@VK-qo1gm]

Great & useful info as always. We use the old shears, haven't seen the other one's until now. Thank you & enjoy the long wknd

[@hoyks1]

I really struggled with trimming my goats hooves with the shears, it probably didn't help that the only ones I could get were not much of a step up from kitchen shears. I resorted to horse hoof trimming pincers, they are nice and sharp, so take off the material pretty well, but are overkill and awkward to use with no crush on a goat that isn't keen on a manicure. I can't justify the electric ones for 3 goats and I'd probably come out missing a digit.

[@shanebaldwin4137]

I do not know what size you tried, however if you used regular nippers it would be easier with a pair of 14 track nippers. They are a bit expensive but should last you a lifetime for that purpose.

[@ronaldbarrett9148]

Great information. I enjoyed the video . Thanks.

[@daniellesnyder1244]

I’m a new hobby fiber flock shepherdess and still have so much to learn. I trimmed my two newest sheep the other day and they walked better at first, and now two days later they can barely walk on their front feet. 😢 My gut instinct is I didn’t do a good job trimming flat-this was my first time trimming them and I was a little thrown off by how the previous owner did it (nothing wrong just different)…is it possible to take off too much on the side? They didn’t bleed or show pink.

[@FarmLearningTim]

There might be some dags left over from trimming. If clean, Check between the claws for inflammation or in bad cases puss. If it’s really wet and the skin is inflamed it usually responds well to a zinc sulfate footbath. If there’s puss, it’s possibly footrot and you should consult a vet.

[@MadebyKourmoulis]

I wonder if keptech has some blades like that.

[@jbyrne8977]

I usually do our zinc footbaths for 15-30 minutes. 15 seconds is probably your absolute bare minimum. The experts I have spoken to in Victoria recommend 15 minutes minimum. No harm in leaving them in a bit longer (where possible).

[@dmaifred]

I was hoping this was for my sore feet :)

[@jasonlheath]

Tim, how do you rate the arrowquip sheep handler? Have you used any other brands, e.g. clipex, combiclamp, etc?

[@FarmLearningTim]

I find it ok for “average” sized sheep. Lacking adjustment and ability to upgrade equipment but it’s a good basic tipping handler. Hoping to try out a few more when COVID allows travel! Stay tuned as they say in the classics.

[@jasonlheath]

@@FarmLearningTim thanks for the feedback 👍

[@jasonhicks8622]

Great video

[@MotherEarthWormsOz]

Hi! How are you finding your sheep catcher? would you recommend it?

[@FarmLearningTim]

It’s a good catcher for regular sized sheep. Just have to be careful with legs as tipping. Can get caught if not alert.

[@MotherEarthWormsOz]

@@FarmLearningTim I have aussie whites and dorpers. Would it work well? Is it not as good for small sheep or bigger sheep?

[@shanedouglas2079]

Tim I am in need of some advice about the sheep handler how tight do you go when clamping them mate.

[@FarmLearningTim]

It’s pretty intuitive. I just go to what’s comfortable. If it’s too loose the buggers fall out.

[@shanedouglas2079]

@@FarmLearningTim ok something to go on thankyou very much for a very fast reply.your an absolute legend 🙌

[@dagnyingram3799]

Will goats go in a tipper?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Yep.

[@diemeckerei3021]

And how did she treat the dermatitis?

[@FarmLearningTim]

Antibiotic spray called angomycin. Cleared up in a few days

[@candy-janes6934]

Is all zinc sulfate created equal? I'm having trouble sourcing this in Canada. Amazon has powered zinc sulfate monohydrate 35.5% in a 5 LB package. Will this do?

[@FarmLearningTim]

I would ask your vet

[@shanebaldwin4137]

Would like to speak to your vet about her opinion on other animals and different environments if she wouldn’t mind adding the contact info in the description . Yours looks to be much more humid than ours is. Nice video,, however everyone has sheep who are much better behaved then the the ones delt with as is my experience in life,,

[@FarmLearningTim]

Wandin Vet clinic mate.

[@shanebaldwin4137]

@@FarmLearningTim Thank you kind sir,,

[@peterlewis3978]

Should it not be 10 minutes footbathing in zinc sulphate not 15 seconds otherwise good video.

[@FarmLearningTim]

Depends on concentration.

[@MotherEarthWormsOz]

@@FarmLearningTim what concentration are you using?

[@Dorpers89]

Did not look like she cared for the auto shear

[@featherweightfarm]

Those handlers in my experience are garbage unless you've got extremely docile sheep. They can easily escape and flail around making pairing very frustrating.

[@davidgray8748]

I disagree you should never have to trim feet, generally there's an underlying reason if they are long, and meal feading excelarate their growth.