Basic info:
- Jeremy Wood, The Hoof Cowboy, southern Idaho
- Owns and operates Wood Hooftrimming since 1998
- @TheHoofCowboy
- Facebook followers: 330,000
- YouTube subscribers: 18,000
How did you get started sharing your hoof trimming profession on social media?
I had the opportunity to go to a hoof trimming conference in Denmark in October 2023. There, I met most of the current social media hoof trimming creators, and I was blown away at the demand they expressed for hoof-related content. A presentation during the conference discussed the power of how the visuals the world experiences on social media influence us all, and how these visuals shape and mold our perceptions of reality. There are plenty of negative images forming this perception surrounding dairy. In the hoof trimming arena, we deal very closely with animal welfare, which is where these images focus on. I wanted to take on the challenge, and my goal was to show the care and effort that goes into caring for animals. Not only focusing on what I do as the hoof trimmer, but also to show what farm employees are doing, dairy owners and managers are doing, and, ultimately, what all the companies that support this industry are providing to give cows the best life possible.
How did you build such a strong following on your social media pages?
I started posting on Facebook around the middle of October 2023. Before then, I had taken a break from social media, so I wasn’t very savvy on how everything worked. Another hoof trimmer influencer coached me along and kept telling me to just keep posting. So, I posted a lot. Eventually, I started learning more how to edit videos and anticipate what my audience liked and didn’t like. When you start getting a few videos that go viral, your following grows fast.
Courtesy image.
What is the most popular post you’ve ever made?
The most popular post on my page was a video showing the extraction of metal that had worked up into the corium. It was also one of my personal favorites because I was able to highlight the care given on the farm, which led to a fast recovery in a situation that I thought the cow would not recover from.
Share an example of a rewarding experience you’ve had using social media to communicate about your occupation as a hoof trimmer.
The social media experience has been an eye opener for me. I’ve felt the love, and also the hate, but most rewardingly, the honesty. People genuinely care about these animals. Most people following my page do not have any background in any type of agriculture. They don’t understand, and in my opinion want to learn. When I was new to this, I always would feel so affronted by comments that criticized me or our industry. My red-headed temper would flare, and I would think of so many well-articulated comebacks. Then I’d take a breath and try my best to provide that understanding, and try to give an honest answer. Time and time again, what started out as a deflating comment turned into a discussion that ended in gratitude, which gave and still gives me hope for humanity and hope for our industry.
Courtesy image.
