So, what all do my services entail? I currently provide mobile hoof trimming for small livestock.  I specialize in mini pigs(up to 300lbs) with their hoof and tusk care as well as nutritional education. I also trim goats, sheep, miniature horses and donkeys as well as the occasional halter trained miniature zebu. I would also be MORE than happy to trim ole Fido's nails as well!   

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What I expect from owners-

   I do expect the animals to be caught and tethered or placed in a small area with easy access for pulling them out. I no longer wrangle animals for clients unless this is previously discussed, planned, and time made for this. I will charge for this unless it is only a few animals and doesn't require a lot of time or effort. I am a hoof trimmer, not a wrangler =]

   If you have a spare hand, I may ask for assistance with animals. I'm usually pretty good at handling things myself but I work alone so an extra set of hands will never be turned down! If you don't have a cool shaded area to work in, I would be so very appreciative if shade could be provided. I'm sure your animals would be as well!

 

Goats/Sheep-

 I no longer carry a stanchion with me so if you have one, I'd be more than happy to use it! Otherwise I will need an owner or helper to catch and hold each animal so that I can trim it appropriately.   

  I do charge $20 per animal. This goes for does, wethers and all sheep. I charge extra for intact bucks. Yes they may be your sweetest animal, unfortunately they have an odor that I have to then spend time removing from my tools, clothes and vehicle. I do try to avoid doing them until the very end of the appointment. 

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- $20 Does, sheep

- $40 Bucks

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   I have also decided to add another service for goats. I will also be available for disbudding kids. Miniature goat kids can be anywhere from a few days old to upwards 4 weeks old. It is really dependent on horn bud size. Standard goat kids NEED to be done within the first week of life. I will not disbud goat kids who's horn buds are too big. It is much more difficult and harder on the kids. The larger the horn buds, the more likely scurs will still occur. 

  

   As soon as you can feel a horn bud, I can disbud them safely. I will use clippers to shave the head around the horn buds. This helps cut down on smoke as well as making it much easier to see exactly where the iron is placed. Don't worry, the hair will grow back! Doelings and wethers to-be will get just a single ring burn on each bud. Bucklings will get what is called, a "figure 8" burn. This covers the main horn bun as well as the little notch in front. If you've ever looked at an adult goat with horns, you'll notice their horn base isn't circular. It's almost "V" shaped in a way. Bucks have more testosterone so this notch tends to be thicker and more pronounced, and more often then not, is missed when they are disbudded. Hence often times bucks will have some big nasty scurrs that need tended to as they do not grow properly. 

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- $20 per kid

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Pigs-

*** GREAT NEWS!*** I have been apprenticing under Emily Mohring of, "Adventures with Emily the Trimmer." She has over 15 years experience trimming livestock, and specializes in pigs! I have finished my apprenticeship and am Mohr Method Approved!!

 

Pig hoof trimming is $90. Tusk trimming is an additional $40 and eyes and ears cleaning is an additional $20. 

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    Oh pigs. Pigs are fun. Do please be ready for the squealing!. Pigs are very intelligent and know when something is up. They don't like to cooperate when they think something is up and usually become very resistant. I do not use any drugs to sedate them or tranquilize them for this event. My method of control is to "flip" the pig onto it's back, essentially giving me more control over the situation and the pig. The pigs WILL protest, but don't be alarmed! The first time is usually the worst and they tend to calm down more after each trim. I will not "restrain" the pig while I am holding it the entire time. The "less is more" method of holding pigs tends to be the best. I strongly suggest no one to hold onto any legs as this tends to make things worse. The only time I may ask for help is if I have what is considered, a "limo" pig. A pig with a long body. While I can straddle the shoulder area, I do not want their hips/pelvis to rotate as this can lead to a back injury. This is where I may ask for an owner to straddle the pigs hips with their feet, just to make sure they maintain a straight back and alignment. For the pigs well being! 

   I encourage the use of treats after when the trim is complete. I strive to make this a very low, to no stress event. The more pleasant, the less protest that occurs(sometimes.) But NO food or eating of any kind no less than 2 HOURS before the scheduled appointment time. This is strictly for your pigs safety. We don't want them to throw-up and possibly aspirate partially digested food while upside down. So nothing before the appointment, minimum 2 hours.

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Pigs NEED to be separated from any other pigs when I arrive. For their safety and mine! Small spaces are the very best for flipping pigs. We do not want to chase them around and get their heart rate up so quickly as this will take them more time to calm down and only get them more riled up. 

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Miniature Cattle-

   Miniature cattle are my new venture. I have been doing a lot of reading on cattle feet and how to trim them, and have trimmed a few sets on zebu. I am really hoping to be able to invest in a small mobile table, or chute to make this a more safe process. I am not a fan of manhandling animals if we don't need to.. I've been around them here and there and am hoping to get into raising Zebu so either way, it'll be very beneficial for me to learn.  

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Hoof trimming is $45

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Miniature Horses/Donkeys/Mules-

   I am also going to add on small horses/ponies/mules/donkeys to my list. There is a need for farriers for them and I'd like to help fill that need. Emily will be mentoring me on trimming them as well. I trimmed my own mare myself but never offered this service outside of that. Now that I will have someone to really show me how to do it correctly, I feel comfortable being able to offer this service to you! 

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$45

 

Dogs-

    I am also going to offer nail trimming on your dogs as well! Some dogs get very worried at the veterinary office and can make it difficult to safely trim their nails which makes it a very negative experience. You always want to make these unpleasant thing, a positive experience. Treats and praise at the right moments will really help make the experience a pleasant one! Please provide treats, or if they are very toy driven, have their favorite toy available for rewarding. I will have my own treats if you do not have any special requirements.  

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Dogs are $25

 

Other Fees/expenses-

   Stop Fee- There is a stop fee involved to help cover fuel and other expenses. This fee will be dependent on distance. I DO travel all corners of Texas, and the more animals I can see in one area, the lower the stop fee can be.  When I can get a group of folks to settle for a date within the same area(reasonable travel) I can split up the stop fee to make it less. 

   Buck Fee- As stated above in the goat and sheep section, I will charge an additional $10 per buck trimmed. I know it's an inconvenience but bucks tend to be hit or miss with attitude and stench. My vehicle happens to also be my daily driver that my family rides in, and after trimming bucks, needs to be extensively cleaned. I have learned that layering up with gloves does help but there is always a residual smell that finds its way into the seat and especially the steering wheel. I haven't trimmed goats in over 4 months last I was in my pickup and I still get a small wiff of buck from time to time haha. So the fee assists in cleaning expenses and the time it takes me to clean my vehicle out. Some day I hope to have a separate vehicle dedicated to trimming appointments but until then, my poor Ford is the victim of choice =P

   Other Expenses- There really shouldn't be any other expenses needed. I do offer assistance in catching and penning but will have to charge. $15/30 minutes. This has to be scheduled ahead of time. I more often than not will have other appointments waiting on me so I can not devote a lot of time catching animals and penning them up. If animals are not easily accessible upon arrival of scheduled appointment time, I will only stay as long as the scheduled appointment allows. I will charge a stop fee and mileage and we can reschedule for another day.

   Other Animals- I do offer trimming on other animals and prices are dependent on the animal. I can do small furry friends such as rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. I am more than happy to trim chickens and fowl as well. Prices will vary on these animals as well as ease of the process. Feel free to ask! The worst I can say is no =]

 

  If you have any questions about my services, fees, or about your animals, please contact me! I am very happy to help you and your animals! You can contact me via e-mail through the link on this page, or through Facebook which is also linked here as well.