# Do you have your sow's toenails trimmed?



## PattySh (May 14, 2012)

I have a sow that is 3 years old. Compared to younger pigs she is looking like her toenails might need trimming.  WHen standing they look a bit long and seems like her heels are lower. When she had her feet up today on her  door (drooling for dinner!) her toes didn't look that long (compared to what my goats look like). Looked like the pad met the edge of the toe. I lifted her back leg yesterday and she kicked hard so thinking if they need doing the vet will have to sedate her? Input?

Edited to add: She's a big pet so the freezer isn't an option at this time. We raise a litter of pigs per year from her for our pork.


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## SmallFarmGirl (May 15, 2012)

Wondering about this myself..


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## Cornish Heritage (May 16, 2012)

All I can say is "All the best to you if you try!" AND I don't mean that disrespectfully. Have you ever tried to straddle a pig & trim its hooves? You may get one cut but I pretty much guarantee that that will be the last one. Unlike a goat that you can halter, straddle & make stand still a pig will not do this. We have some older pigs here whose nails are a little long but I honestly do not worry about it. 

LOL! It is SO dry here that the ground is baked hard instead of lush grass right now so maybe that will act as a rasp. Exercise will keep the nails down. 

If you are serious about wanting to try & trim the hooves then I would recommend you putting her in a crush so that she cannot move - in my opinion that is the only way you will get it done. OR maybe you can knock her out with some beer!

Liz


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## PattySh (May 16, 2012)

LOL I was seriously considering giving her beer. I hear ya I doubt that it will be a fun job.  Not sure that it is something we can accomplish. Was wondering if anyone ever tried and from what I read vet's don't fare any better usually getting one hoof done! We may have to consider her ready for the freezer as much as I hate to as we are raising a daughter  from her just incase we have to make that choice. Wonder if a three yr old sow is good eating, she is grain and vegie/fruit fed. Seriously doubt the hubby could butcher her tho!


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## SheepGirl (May 16, 2012)

She'd probably make some nice breakfast sausage.


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## Cornish Heritage (May 16, 2012)

> Wonder if a three yr old sow is good eating, she is grain and vegie/fruit fed.


Very good eating  She will still be tender - good sausage, bacon etc. We hang all our pork for 7-10 days - delicious. If you can butcher her at home there will be way less stress. Ours do not know what hit them - one minute they have their heads in food, the next they are gone. SO much nicer. 

Liz


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## Royd Wood (May 17, 2012)

Cornish Heritage said:
			
		

> LOL! It is SO dry here that the ground is baked hard instead of lush grass right now so maybe that will act as a rasp. Exercise will keep the nails down.
> 
> *Well hard ground keeps our sheep feet in good shape and our pigs feet look fine *
> 
> ...


Sounds like she,s a good mum to your pork supply Pattysh


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## Cornish Heritage (May 17, 2012)

> Sorry to hear its already so dry with you Lis - we are short of rain but the fields are lush


Thanks Royd, 

Our fields are looking AWFUL! It is SO sad. We got our first hay in today (from Kansas) as there is no hay around here. Nothing is growing, not even the weeds! LOL! Hoping not to have to start feeding hay in June BUT getting it in now before the price goes through the roof. 

Liz


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## PattySh (May 17, 2012)

She is very tame and a great mom. We do butcher all our own here and brine our own bacon and ham, make sausage etc.  I mentioned the idea of burchering Charlotte and I got some dirty looks from the family! Charlotte is walking fine so hopefully she can have another litter before I have to worry about her feet, then looks like it's beer for her. We usually breed her for a Jan litter so she only has babies once a year, last time she raised 13. How long do you breed your sows and how do you tell when they are done? We've had a bit too much rain here lately. We have alot of mud but the fields here are lush so the  local hay will be nice.


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## Cornish Heritage (May 21, 2012)

> How long do you breed your sows and how do you tell when they are done?


That is a really tough question. We have one 4 year old that had a REALLY rough delivery this last time - a piglet got stuck in the middle of the night, unbeknown to us & it really messed things up. Only 2 piglets out of 10 survived. We honestly thought Penny was going to die BUT she has recovered & has been rebred so she will get one more chance. If this next delivery is as hard as the last one then that will be the end as it would not be fair to put her through that again. We are hoping it was just a fluke though. One of our other 4 year old sows had her piglets fine. I think once they get older they tend to have smaller litters so for some breeders that is a problem. For us breeding a heritage breed we like to keep the older genetics around as LONG as possible but obviously the sow still needs to be weaning several piglets to make it pay. 

Liz


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