Functional Hoof Trimming, Hoof Morphometry and Laminitic Like Lesions in a Flock of Indoor Raised Sheep and Goat

Sheep and goats are mainly raised on pastures in Iran, but more or less it is turning into permanently confined management system which requires regular foot trimming schedule. This study describes hoof morphometry prior and after trimming in sheep and goat in which different chronic laminitis conditions were recorded. A flock of 130 sheep and goats raised indoors was inspected for hoof problems. Out of them 39 sheep and 28 goats with bad foot were trimmed. Any abnormal conditions such as ulcer, crack, over growth etc was recorded. The mean 7.13 kg and for the goats was weight for the sheep was 52.5 6.22kg. The ideal cranial wall length after trimming was found to 51.25 be 3.8- 4 cm, the heel height was best 2.0-2.2cm. During hoof trimming, deep grooves in the heel (heel horn erosion), hoof cracks, heel ulcer, toe ulcer, white line disease, curling toe over growth, medial claw heel over expansion (over growth) both in fore and hind leg in sheep and goats were noticed and recorded ...