Foot Trimming

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:05 pm

Does anyone in the Northants/Oxon/Bucks area use a good foot trimmer who doesn't mind doing Dexters? I have used a man from Northampton for the past two years but his crush is a bit wide for Dexters and once their legs are in the air they like to try and turn over in the crush. Anyone with a Dexter size foot trimming crush could make a fortune as I know a lot of trimmers refuse to trim Dexters feet. Any ideas?

Natasha

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:33 pm

Try Gemma Fullard, 07768-465556. She specialises in Dexters and is very good. She brings her own handling facilities and a helping hand. I guess she'd travel to that area.

Jac · Post by **Jac** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:48 am

natmadaboutdexters wrote: Anyone with a Dexter size foot trimming crush could make a fortune ..... Any ideas?

Natasha

No, Nat they couldn't. Rountine foot care is just not on the agenda for the majority of Dexter owners, so they wait until there is a welfare issue before summoning assistance. Lots of Dexters are not well-handled and certainly not used to having their feet looked at so they throw themselves down in the crush (unless it is a turnover- and there are issues with those) risking injury to themselves (worrying the foot-trimmer and owner to death) so by the time you have got them to their feet and finished the job, it takes ten times as long as the average dairy cow. Do owners want to pay 10x the going rate? I don't think so...

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:13 am

Jac wrote:
natmadaboutdexters wrote: Anyone with a Dexter size foot trimming crush could make a fortune ..... Any ideas?

Natasha
No, Nat they couldn't. Rountine foot care is just not on the agenda for the majority of Dexter owners, so they wait until there is a welfare issue before summoning assistance. Lots of Dexters are not well-handled and certainly not used to having their feet looked at so they throw themselves down in the crush (unless it is a turnover- and there are issues with those) risking injury to themselves (worrying the foot-trimmer and owner to death) so by the time you have got them to their feet and finished the job, it takes ten times as long as the average dairy cow. Do owners want to pay 10x the going rate? I don't think so...

That's not our experience. We usually have two trimming visits per year, and only ever had one cow that cannot be done, we can't put her in a crush either. It doesn't take any longer than any other cow. No turnover crate required. If it took ten times as long to do a Dexter, it would mean that we could only do 2 cows a day

. Can't remember how many we do but more like 15-20? We're just a beef herd so handling of cattle is minimal, but trimming feet is still not a problem.

bjreroberts · Post by **bjreroberts** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:29 am

The Midland Dexter Group had a demonstration last summer from Eric Sansome using a turnover crush, photos on the website http://midlanddextergroup.weebly.com/ch ... -2010.html

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:30 pm

Jac, I think that any cow whose feet have the potential to become a welfare issue should have them trimmed at the neck. We have never had any feet trimmed in over twenty, but we have culled cows for long feet resulting from weak pasterns and low heals. Trimming feet can't change the genes.
Margaret

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:55 pm

bjreroberts wrote:The Midland Dexter Group had a demonstration last summer from Eric Sansome using a turnover crush, photos on the website http://midlanddextergroup.weebly.com/ch ... -2010.html

Nice website Ben. Like the way the bottom photos scrolls through each one for you.

wagra dexters wrote:Jac, I think that any cow whose feet have the potential to become a welfare issue should have them trimmed at the neck. We have never had any feet trimmed in over twenty, but we have culled cows for long feet resulting from weak pasterns and low heals. Trimming feet can't change the genes.
Margaret

Is it all genetic though Margaret? Our cattle are in all winter on straw and the bedding gets very thick and soft. They can come out on concrete a bit but not too much because of slurry. One bad year, they were in for 7 months!!! But usually it's only 5.

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 5:31 pm

Thank you all for your comments. Our Dexters are generally kept inside from October until April so their feet get quite long and it makes them walk too far back on their heels if we don't trim them. Also sometimes they start to cross over so even if we didn't take some of them to shows I would still have them trimmed for their own comfort. Yes they do sometimes like to try and turn over but this is usually because the crush is too wide for them and they have the space to roll over. I will give Gemma a ring, thanks Clive. It took nearly two hours to do 8 Dexters yesterday so don't know if that is quick or slow!

Natasha

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:37 pm

natmadaboutdexters wrote:It took nearly two hours to do 8 Dexters yesterday so don't know if that is quick or slow!

If they all had all feet done, then that's very, very quick IMO.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:24 am

I don't klnow Clive. Sometimes I blame a wet season on the Bog where our cattle live for long toes, then I might think maybe the offending feet are of different density or texture to the good feet, but really, if some can survive our Bog country or your shedding with good feet, why can't they all? Low heels are a common Dexter trait as can be seen in all the old photos and caricatures of big long Dexter feet, but that doesn't mean they should be perpetuated without some attempt being made to breed it out. Being a common trait doesn't make it any the less a structural fault.

Not all Dexters have bad feet so bull selection should be able to improve it to some extent. We have five bulls in to the yards for weaning at the moment. One of the best looking bulls paddles his feet, throwing them forward and landing on his heels, so he will be going in the freezer without a hesitation. Shame, the rest of him is gorgeous.
Margaret

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:04 am

Margaret you are so right to cull for feet and leg problems but isn't it typical that he is the best in other ways.

Beryl at Woodmagic had some real old stagers, well into late teens and never needed the feet done. Now I have part of her herd and they have excellent feet, no trimming required yet, the only one I have that could perhaps do with a trim is thirteen and has a bit of other breeding in it, also she was a milking cow for a good while and fed concentrates which may have made her feet grow. The pure Woodmagics are all OK and one of those is twelve years old. Pity is she has never been led or I would take her to a show!

Reading some of the above comments reminds me that some of the cattle we see at the shows don't naturally have such good feet as they appear to, something to remember perhaps when selecting a suitable cow to breed a bull?

Stephanie

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:13 pm

Any recommended foot trimmers in the south of England ? How much do foot trimmers charge ?

Regards,

Colin

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:24 pm

Colin - If you go to http://broomcroft.info/, then Associations, you'll find a link to the Foot-trimmers Association. Never used them but might be someone near you hopefully? Don't know whether they'll do Dexters!

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