Hoof pairing?

Timmaay

Do many of yous (esp the dairy lads) do yourown hoof pairing? Its something I haven't learnt how to do properly yet, and generally leave to the hoof pairer, who we call in between once ever 2wks and 6wks, depending on time of year and how bad the cows are.

Our crush isn't setup proper at all for hoof pairing, its against a wall, and only a basic jack for the back legs, cows kick way too much and are put under too much pressure with their legs lifted as such, and there is almost no way of looking at a front leg. Its something that would be handy to do myself I'll admit, always the odd one cow who doesn't need much attention, and often gets left a few weeks till you call the hoof pairer again.

What sort of crush would I need, or is it even worth buying a decent crush, against getting in the hoof pairer more often? Trying to do the odd cow in the crush as is now isn't an option moving forward, just too dangerous and asking for a broken hand etc! Main things I'd need to would just be the odd pairing, remove afew stones or put on some bluestone etc.

jersey101

Timmaay wrote: »

Do many of yous (esp the dairy lads) do yourown hoof pairing? Its something I haven't learnt how to do properly yet, and generally leave to the hoof pairer, who we call in between once ever 2wks and 6wks, depending on time of year and how bad the cows are.

Our crush isn't setup proper at all for hoof pairing, its against a wall, and only a basic jack for the back legs, cows kick way too much and are put under too much pressure with their legs lifted as such, and there is almost no way of looking at a front leg. Its something that would be handy to do myself I'll admit, always the odd one cow who doesn't need much attention, and often gets left a few weeks till you call the hoof pairer again.

What sort of crush would I need, or is it even worth buying a decent crush, against getting in the hoof pairer more often? Trying to do the odd cow in the crush as is now isn't an option moving forward, just too dangerous and asking for a broken hand etc! Main things I'd need to would just be the odd pairing, remove afew stones or put on some bluestone etc.

have you seen the crushes that you can buy for the front of your existing crush, there like a crate, Don't know what price they are now is that what you are talking about getting. We never do any pairing here. Any cow that gets a bad foot is generally old and we just cull her if we can

C0N0R

Do all our own out here, only really getting a handling on it now. Can do back feet in the herring bone no problem, good leg rope and away you go! Front feet are a bit more challenging though!!

dar31

do all of it bar the dry cow maintenance and bit in the spring when there is a lot and to busy.
have a winch that hooks on to the side rail in the parlor, will do any cow and even a quire bull.
can do front feet by running them up the relevant side of the parlor, and pull foot up around the kick rail, need two people for this, dont tie off rope in case cow goes down

Timmaay

Yeh I started this thread because I was trying to do something similar with a heifer the other day, who appeared to have a stone or something stuck in her front leg, put her in the front row of the parlour. But she was kicking like mad with her back legs every time I tried to get the rope around her front foot, just too dangerous and not worth getting a kick in the head/arm over ha. If I'm to bother with much hoof pairing myself I'll definitely put in something on the front of tje the crush like Jersey said, but don't know if it's even worth it.

Mulumpy

dar31 wrote: »

do all of it bar the dry cow maintenance and bit in the spring when there is a lot and to busy.
have a winch that hooks on to the side rail in the parlor, will do any cow and even a quire bull.
can do front feet by running them up the relevant side of the parlor, and pull foot up around the kick rail, need two people for this, dont tie off rope in case cow goes down

Tried tying a cows foot up on rail in parlour to take out a stone, cow got excited broke rope and her two back feet came down into pit and wedged herself under the bar. Tested the four wheel drive on quad pulling her out, apart from few lost hairs she was grand. Wont be trying that again