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Evaluating Soundness
 Feet
and Pasterns
Pasterns on sheep should be strong with a slight
angle that provides cushion for the other joints.
The picture on the left shows a pastern with too much
set, resulting in poor depth of heel (the hoof-skin
junction is too close to the ground). The picture
on the right shows a pastern that is in danger of
breaking down (extremely weak), resulting in extremely
poor depth of heel.
Sheep should have big feet with even toes that set flat
on the surface and square with the animal's body. The
left picture shows a foot with nice, big, even toes.
The picture on the right illustrates the pastern and
foot structure that is desired in sheep. This lamb has
the correct set to its pastern, good depth of heel,
and it has a big foot that sets flat and even on the
ground.
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