Hoof
The hoof (pl.: hooves) is the tip of a
Description
The hoof surrounds the distal end of the
There are four layers within the exterior wall of the hoof. From the outside, a hoof is made up of the stratum externum, the stratum medium, the stratum internum and the dermis parietis. The stratum externum and the stratum medium are difficult to distinguish, the stratum externum is thin and the stratum medium is what makes up the bulk of the hoof wall.
Most
In some so-called "cloven-hooved" animals, such as camels, the "hoof" is not properly a hoof – it is not a hard or rubbery sole with a hard wall formed by a thick nail – instead it is a soft toe with little more than a nail merely having an appearance of a hoof.
Some
Management
Hooves grow continuously. In nature, wild animals are capable of wearing down the hoof as it continuously grows, but captive domesticated species often must undergo specific hoof care for a healthy, functional hoof. Proper care improves biomechanical efficiency and prevents lameness.[5] If not worn down enough by use, such as in the dairy industry, hooves may need to be trimmed. However, too much wear can result in damage of the hooves, and for this reason, horseshoes and oxshoes are used by animals that routinely walk on hard surfaces and carry heavy weight.[9]
Horses
Within the equine world, the expression, "no foot, no horse" emphasizes the importance of hoof health.
Cattle
A cow hoof is cloven, or divided, into two approximately equal parts, usually called claws.[12] Approximately 95% of lameness in dairy cattle occurs in the feet.[12] Lameness in dairy cows can reduce milk production and fertility, and cause reproductive problems and suffering. For dairy farm profitability, lameness, behind only infertility and mastitis, is the third most important cow health issue.[13]
Hoof trimmers trim and care for bovine hooves, usually
Gallery
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Rear foot of a giraffe (no dewclaws)
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Rear hooves of a horse
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Malayan tapir hooves: front with four toes, back with three toes
In culture
Hooves have historical significance in ceremonies and games. They have been used in burial ceremonies.[14]
See also
Notes
- ^ The term "cloven hoof" therefore being a technical misnomer as nothing is actually "cloven".
References
- ^ "the definition of hoof". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
- PMID 19386479.
- S2CID 221584511.
- S2CID 18789008.
- ^ PMID 18314044.
- PMID 26226838.
- ^ S2CID 36816180.
- ISBN 978-0-8032-6421-2.
- ^ "Why Do Only Some Horses Wear Shoes?". wideopenpets.com. 2016-04-21.
- .
Lameness, behind infertility and mastitis, is the biggest cause of economic loss to a dairy farmer (Weaver, A., 2006). Many farmers and veterinarians have used a phase that distinguished that if the animal has bad hooves then it is of no use, the most common version of this phrase is used with equines, "No hoof no horse."
- ^ "Common hoof problems : Horse : University of Minnesota Extension". www.extension.umn.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
- ^ ISBN 9780932147424.
- PMID 3995246.
- ^ M. E. Robertson-Mackay (1980). "A head and hooves burial beneath a round barrow, with other Neolithic and Bronze Age sites on Hemp Knoll, near Avebury, Wiltshire". Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society.
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