Former soldier becomes one of the most qualified cattle hoof trimmers in Cumbria

The 39-year-old, from Harraby in Carlisle, left the armed forces after 12 years of service and was unsure what to do next.

He said: “I got out of the Army nine years ago, and started doing security work. One of the guys I was doing it with said he had a friend who had a foot trimming business and needed someone to push cows in.

“I did that, and the guy then asked if I fancied learning how to do the foot trimming… I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Mr Cullen has been working for Paragon Veterinary Group for about two-and-a-half years now, and enjoys the variety of the job.

He said: “I’m on a different farm every day, so I love it. Although the icy winter mornings don’t always help.”

Engaging qualification

The quest to improve and be better constantly drives the foot trimmer, with Mr Cullen having recently been awarded the Level 4 Professional Foot Trimming qualification by the Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board, the highest you can achieve.

“It goes a lot more in depth and is much more specialised, so you know the anatomy of the foot and know what you’re dealing with under the layers of what you are trimming,” he explained.

The qualification itself is no easy task, and it has taken him almost two years to complete. It begins with a two-week course, followed by an exam that requires a minimum 80% pass rate.

Mr Cullen then completed a 2,000-word essay discussing a farm he had been working on, the issues he had discovered, and the treatment carried out, as well as any measures he could recommend to prevent issues in the future.

Finally, once he had completed about 1,000 cases, he underwent an assessment with three assessors watching him trim as many cows’ feet as required.

After all the hard work, Mr Cullen said that it is definitely worth it. “The qualification gives you more of an understanding of what’s going on, and shows clients that you’ve really done your homework.

“I don’t believe there are any other vet practices in Cumbria which have [a foot trimmer with] a level four qualification, although there are a couple of self-employed trimmers who have it,” he concluded.

Read more livestock news.