How often should you Trim Feet on Show Cattle

[creativecattle]

Below is one person's opinion on how often feet should be trimmed. What advice do some others have. Is it the same for steers?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ml8IfgMoy4

 

[BCCattle]

In my opinion trimming your calves feet is just like cutting your fingernails, when your fingernails get to long...you cut them right? Same with cattle however it is critical to the soundness of the animal especially between about 900 lbs. to the time they show or finish out, to have the feet trimmed a couple of times.

 

[polevaultcowboy21]

Always have  done it from about every 30 to 45 days. just keeps them use to it and helps keep them more sound all the way through.  if going to a show try and do it at least a week or two before. that way there pads aren't sensitive walking into the show ring. and that way if they do get a stone bruise or anything like that, it has time to heal.

 

[easttex]

Always have  done it from about every 30 to 45 days. just keeps them use to it and helps keep them more sound all the way through.  if going to a show try and do it at least a week or two before. that way there pads aren't sensitive walking into the show ring. and that way if they do get a stone bruise or anything like that, it has time to heal.

I have always done it about every 45 days or so too, unless i am trying to correct a problem then more often.

 

[farmin female]

I agree with the the video.  People trim feet way to much.  Unless you have skilled trimmers working on them, you run a very real risk of hurting your animal more than helping them.  You can ruin a calf real quick with a bad trim job.  We trim ours about twice before show.  Once in the spring and then again about the first of July.  But we have had calves that only got trimmed once with no problem and they looked good. 

 

[polevaultcowboy21]

I agree, you can mess feet up very quick if you don't have someone that knows what they are doing. We were just lucky enough to know one of very few that were just naturally amazing at triming feet in west texas. And plus he just knows calves and can look at one standing and walking and know right away what he needed to do to help the calf walk better.

 

[ZNT]

I am not a fan of tiny footed cattle, and I think a lot of cattle are ruined by trimming hooves too close, and too often.  I would say about every 45-60 days if you are doing correction, and then every few months after they are corrected.  A lot of our cattle have only had their hooves done one time before they hit the showring.  They just seem to move out so much better if they have not been trimmed so much that they are just walking on their toes.

 

[DCC show cattle]

Completely agree with the video!!! I had one calf one year that got his feet trimmed one time! then had one that had it 4 times but never more than that!!! The least possible the best. I would rather have one long with cusion instead of short and crippled!!!

 

[shortdawg]

We only trim when they need it.

 

[DLD]

I'm with shortdawg - only when they need it.  Some, especially the smaller footed ones, may never need it.  Most of ours get done 2 or 3 times.