fbpx
Wikipedia

Hoof

February 15, 2024

"Cow toe" redirects here. For prostration in East Asian cultures, see kowtow.

The hoof (pl.: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering.[1] Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits; the ruminants with two digits are the most numerous, e.g. giraffe, deer, bison, cattle, goat, and sheep.[2] The feet of perissodactyl mammals have an odd number of toes, e.g. the horse, the rhinoceros, and the tapir.[3] Although hooves are limb structures primarily found in placental mammals, hadrosaurs such as Edmontosaurus possessed hoofed forelimbs. The marsupial Chaeropus also had hooves.[4]

The feet of the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) have cloven hooves with prominent dewclaws.

Description edit

 
Sagittal section of a wild horse hoof.
Pink: soft tissues;
light gray: bone;
cyan: tendons;
red: corium;
yellow: digital cushion;
dark gray: frog;
orange: sole;
brown: walls

The hoof surrounds the distal end of the second phalanx, the distal phalanx, and the navicular bone.[5] The hoof consists of the hoof wall, the bars of the hoof, the sole and frog and soft tissue shock absorption structures.[5] The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole and the edge of the hoof wall. Hooves perform many functions, including supporting the weight of the animal, dissipating the energy impact as the hooves strike the ground or surface, protecting the tissues and bone within the hoof capsule, and providing traction for the animal. Numerous factors can affect hoof structure and health, including genetics, hoof conformation, environmental influences, and athletic performance of the animal. The ideal hoof has a parallel hoof-pastern axis, a thick hoof wall, adequate sole depth, a solid heel base and growth rings of equal size under the coronary band.[5]

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.[6] Inside the hoof wall is a laminar junction, a soft tissue structure that allows the hoof to withstand the demands of force transmission it undergoes.[7] This tissue structure binds the inner surface of the hoof wall, the dermis parietis and the outer surface of the third phalanx.[7]

Most even-toed ungulates (such as sheep, goats, deer, cattle, bison and pigs) have two main hooves on each foot, together called a cloven hoof.[Note 1] Most of these cloven-hooved animals also have two smaller hooves called dewclaws a little further up the leg – these are not normally used for walking, but in some species with larger dewclaws (such as deer and pigs) they may touch the ground when running or jumping, or if the ground is soft. In the mountain goat, the dewclaw serves to provide extra traction when descending rocky slopes as well as additional drag on loose or slippery surfaces made of ice, dirt, or snow.[8] Other cloven-hooved animals (such as giraffes and pronghorns) have no dewclaws.

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 odd-toed ungulates (equids) have one hoof on each foot; others have (or had) three distinct hooved or heavily nailed toes, or one hoof and two dewclaws. The tapir is a special case, having three toes on each hind foot and four toes on each front foot.

Management edit

 
An oxshoe is being nailed on the hooves of a bull used for draft at Chinawal, India, to prevent them from wearing out too much.

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 edit

Within the equine world, the expression, "no foot, no horse" emphasizes the importance of hoof health.[10] Hoof care is important in the equine industry.[5] Problems that can arise with poor horse hoof care include hoof cracks, thrush, abscesses and laminitis.[11]

Cattle edit

 
Trimming the hoof of a cow with an angle grinder

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 dairy cows. Hooves can be trimmed with a sharp knife while the cow is restrained and positioned with ropes. Professional hoof-trimming tend to use angle grinders and some type of hoof trimming crush to make the process quicker and less physically demanding on the hoof trimmer. A hoof trimmer using modern machinery may trim the hooves of more than 10,000 cows per year.[citation needed] The trimmer shapes the hooves to provide the optimal weight-bearing surface. A freshly trimmed hoof may be treated with copper sulfate pentahydrate to prevent foot rot.

Gallery edit

  •  
    Rear foot of a giraffe (no dewclaws)
  •  
    Rear hooves of a horse
  •  
    Malayan tapir hooves: front with four toes, back with three toes

In culture edit

Hooves have historical significance in ceremonies and games. They have been used in burial ceremonies.[14]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The term "cloven hoof" therefore being a technical misnomer as nothing is actually "cloven".


References edit

Listen to this article (6 minutes)
 
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 12 February 2023 (2023-02-12), and does not reflect subsequent edits.
(Audio help · More spoken articles)
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hooves.
  1. ^ "the definition of hoof". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  2. ^ Keller, Anna; Clauss, Marcus; Muggli, Evelyne; Nuss, Karl (2009-07-15). "Even-toed but uneven in length: the digits of artiodactyls" (PDF). Zoology. 112 (4): 270–278. doi:10.1016/j.zool.2008.11.001. PMID 19386479.
  3. ^ Holbrook, Luke T. (1999-09-01). "The Phylogeny and Classification of Tapiromorph Perissodactyls (Mammalia)". Cladistics. 15 (3): 331–350. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.1999.tb00270.x. ISSN 1096-0031. PMID 34902952. S2CID 221584511.
  4. ^ Sánchez-Villagra, Marcelo R. (22 December 2012). "Why are There Fewer Marsupials than Placentals? On the Relevance of Geography and Physiology to Evolutionary Patterns of Mammalian Diversity and Disparity" (PDF). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 20 (4): 279–290. doi:10.1007/s10914-012-9220-3. S2CID 18789008.
  5. ^ a b c d e O'Grady, Stephen E. (2008). "Basic Farriery for the Performance Horse". Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice. 24 (1): 203–218. doi:10.1016/j.cveq.2007.12.002. PMID 18314044.
  6. ^ Goulet, Catherine; Olive, Julien; Rossier, Yves; Beauchamp, Guy (2015-11-01). "RADIOGRAPHIC AND ANATOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DORSAL HOOF WALL LAYERS IN NONlAMINITIC HORSES". Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound. 56 (6): 589–594. doi:10.1111/vru.12280. ISSN 1740-8261. PMID 26226838.
  7. ^ a b Douglas, Janet E.; Thomason, Jeffrey J. (2000). "Shape, Orientation and Spacing of the Primary Epidermal Laminae in the Hooves of Neonatal and Adult Horses (Equus caballus)". Cells Tissues Organs. 166 (3): 304–318. doi:10.1159/000016744. PMID 10765026. S2CID 36816180.
  8. ^ A Beast the Color of Winter: The Mountain Goat Observed. U of Nebraska Press. 1 February 2002. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-8032-6421-2.
  9. ^ "Why Do Only Some Horses Wear Shoes?". wideopenpets.com. 2016-04-21.
  10. ^ Aoki, Yasuhiro (2006). "Changes in walking parameters of milking cows after hoof trimming|(Aoki, Y. et al., 2006)". Animal Science Journal. 77: 103–109. doi:10.1111/j.1740-0929.2006.00326.x. 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."
  11. ^ "Common hoof problems : Horse : University of Minnesota Extension". www.extension.umn.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  12. ^ a b Shearer, Jan K.; Sarel Rens Van Amstel; Adrian Gonzalez (2005). Manual of foot care in cattle. Hoard's Dairyman Books. ISBN 9780932147424.
  13. ^ Weaver, A. D. (1985-01-01). "Lameness in cattle—Investigational and diagnostic check lists". British Veterinary Journal. 141 (1): 27–33. doi:10.1016/0007-1935(85)90123-X. PMID 3995246.
  14. ^ 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. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

February 15, 2024
hoof, redirects, here, prostration, east, asian, cultures, kowtow, hoof, hooves, ungulate, mammal, which, covered, strengthened, with, thick, horny, keratin, covering, artiodactyls, even, toed, ungulates, species, whose, feet, have, even, number, digits, rumin. Cow toe redirects here For prostration in East Asian cultures see kowtow The hoof pl hooves is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering 1 Artiodactyls are even toed ungulates species whose feet have an even number of digits the ruminants with two digits are the most numerous e g giraffe deer bison cattle goat and sheep 2 The feet of perissodactyl mammals have an odd number of toes e g the horse the rhinoceros and the tapir 3 Although hooves are limb structures primarily found in placental mammals hadrosaurs such as Edmontosaurus possessed hoofed forelimbs The marsupial Chaeropus also had hooves 4 The feet of the roe deer Capreolus capreolus have cloven hooves with prominent dewclaws Contents 1 Description 2 Management 2 1 Horses 2 2 Cattle 3 Gallery 4 In culture 5 See also 6 Notes 7 ReferencesDescription edit nbsp Sagittal section of a wild horse hoof Pink soft tissues light gray bone cyan tendons red corium yellow digital cushion dark gray frog orange sole brown wallsThe hoof surrounds the distal end of the second phalanx the distal phalanx and the navicular bone 5 The hoof consists of the hoof wall the bars of the hoof the sole and frog and soft tissue shock absorption structures 5 The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole and the edge of the hoof wall Hooves perform many functions including supporting the weight of the animal dissipating the energy impact as the hooves strike the ground or surface protecting the tissues and bone within the hoof capsule and providing traction for the animal Numerous factors can affect hoof structure and health including genetics hoof conformation environmental influences and athletic performance of the animal The ideal hoof has a parallel hoof pastern axis a thick hoof wall adequate sole depth a solid heel base and growth rings of equal size under the coronary band 5 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 6 Inside the hoof wall is a laminar junction a soft tissue structure that allows the hoof to withstand the demands of force transmission it undergoes 7 This tissue structure binds the inner surface of the hoof wall the dermis parietis and the outer surface of the third phalanx 7 Most even toed ungulates such as sheep goats deer cattle bison and pigs have two main hooves on each foot together called a cloven hoof Note 1 Most of these cloven hooved animals also have two smaller hooves called dewclaws a little further up the leg these are not normally used for walking but in some species with larger dewclaws such as deer and pigs they may touch the ground when running or jumping or if the ground is soft In the mountain goat the dewclaw serves to provide extra traction when descending rocky slopes as well as additional drag on loose or slippery surfaces made of ice dirt or snow 8 Other cloven hooved animals such as giraffes and pronghorns have no dewclaws 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 odd toed ungulates equids have one hoof on each foot others have or had three distinct hooved or heavily nailed toes or one hoof and two dewclaws The tapir is a special case having three toes on each hind foot and four toes on each front foot Management edit nbsp An oxshoe is being nailed on the hooves of a bull used for draft at Chinawal India to prevent them from wearing out too much 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 edit Within the equine world the expression no foot no horse emphasizes the importance of hoof health 10 Hoof care is important in the equine industry 5 Problems that can arise with poor horse hoof care include hoof cracks thrush abscesses and laminitis 11 Cattle edit nbsp Trimming the hoof of a cow with an angle grinderA 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 dairy cows Hooves can be trimmed with a sharp knife while the cow is restrained and positioned with ropes Professional hoof trimming tend to use angle grinders and some type of hoof trimming crush to make the process quicker and less physically demanding on the hoof trimmer A hoof trimmer using modern machinery may trim the hooves of more than 10 000 cows per year citation needed The trimmer shapes the hooves to provide the optimal weight bearing surface A freshly trimmed hoof may be treated with copper sulfate pentahydrate to prevent foot rot Gallery edit nbsp Rear foot of a giraffe no dewclaws nbsp Rear hooves of a horse nbsp Malayan tapir hooves front with four toes back with three toesIn culture editHooves have historical significance in ceremonies and games They have been used in burial ceremonies 14 See also editClaw Hoof glue Horse hoof Nail anatomy Notes edit The term cloven hoof therefore being a technical misnomer as nothing is actually cloven References editListen to this article 6 minutes source source nbsp This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 12 February 2023 2023 02 12 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hooves the definition of hoof Dictionary com Retrieved 2016 11 30 Keller Anna Clauss Marcus Muggli Evelyne Nuss Karl 2009 07 15 Even toed but uneven in length the digits of artiodactyls PDF Zoology 112 4 270 278 doi 10 1016 j zool 2008 11 001 PMID 19386479 Holbrook Luke T 1999 09 01 The Phylogeny and Classification of Tapiromorph Perissodactyls Mammalia Cladistics 15 3 331 350 doi 10 1111 j 1096 0031 1999 tb00270 x ISSN 1096 0031 PMID 34902952 S2CID 221584511 Sanchez Villagra Marcelo R 22 December 2012 Why are There Fewer Marsupials than Placentals On the Relevance of Geography and Physiology to Evolutionary Patterns of Mammalian Diversity and Disparity PDF Journal of Mammalian Evolution 20 4 279 290 doi 10 1007 s10914 012 9220 3 S2CID 18789008 a b c d e O Grady Stephen E 2008 Basic Farriery for the Performance Horse Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice 24 1 203 218 doi 10 1016 j cveq 2007 12 002 PMID 18314044 Goulet Catherine Olive Julien Rossier Yves Beauchamp Guy 2015 11 01 RADIOGRAPHIC AND ANATOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DORSAL HOOF WALL LAYERS IN NONlAMINITIC HORSES Veterinary Radiology amp Ultrasound 56 6 589 594 doi 10 1111 vru 12280 ISSN 1740 8261 PMID 26226838 a b Douglas Janet E Thomason Jeffrey J 2000 Shape Orientation and Spacing of the Primary Epidermal Laminae in the Hooves of Neonatal and Adult Horses Equus caballus Cells Tissues Organs 166 3 304 318 doi 10 1159 000016744 PMID 10765026 S2CID 36816180 A Beast the Color of Winter The Mountain Goat Observed U of Nebraska Press 1 February 2002 p 52 ISBN 978 0 8032 6421 2 Why Do Only Some Horses Wear Shoes wideopenpets com 2016 04 21 Aoki Yasuhiro 2006 Changes in walking parameters of milking cows after hoof trimming Aoki Y et al 2006 Animal Science Journal 77 103 109 doi 10 1111 j 1740 0929 2006 00326 x 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 a b Shearer Jan K Sarel Rens Van Amstel Adrian Gonzalez 2005 Manual of foot care in cattle Hoard s Dairyman Books ISBN 9780932147424 Weaver A D 1985 01 01 Lameness in cattle Investigational and diagnostic check lists British Veterinary Journal 141 1 27 33 doi 10 1016 0007 1935 85 90123 X 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 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hoof amp oldid 1197258539, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.