Hoof

(Capreolus capreolus) have cloven hooves with prominent dewclaws. The hoof ( : hooves or hoofs) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Hooves are present in some even-toed and odd-toed placental mammals, as well as in some nonmammalians. *Artiodactyls ( : "even", and : "toe") 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, goats, gazelles, antelopes, pigs, and sheep. *The feet of perissodactyl ( : : uneven", and : "toe") mammals have an odd number of toes, e.g. the horse, the rhinoceros, and the tapir. *Although hooves are limb structures primarily found in placental mammals, hadrosaurs such as Edmontosaurus possessed hoofed hindlimbs. The marsupial Chaeropus also had hooves.

(Capreolus capreolus) have cloven hooves with prominent dewclaws. The hoof ( : hooves or hoofs) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Hooves are present in some even-toed and odd-toed placental mammals, as well as in some nonmammalians. Artiodactyls ( : "even", and : "toe") 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, goats, gazelles, antelopes, pigs, and sheep. The feet of perissodactyl ( : : uneven", and : "toe") mammals have an odd number of toes, e.g. the horse, the rhinoceros, and the tapir. Although hooves are limb structures primarily found in placental mammals, hadrosaurs such as Edmontosaurus possessed hoofed hindlimbs. The marsupial Chaeropus also had hooves. ==Management== is being nailed on the hooves of a bull used for draft at Chinawal, India, to prevent them from wearing out too much.|thumb Hooves grow continuously. In nature, wild animals will wear down their hooves at roughly the same rate as their continuous growth, keeping them in balance. However, captive domesticated species often must undergo specific hoof care for a healthy, functional hoof. Proper care improves biomechanical efficiency and prevents lameness. If not worn down enough by use, such as in the dairy industry, hooves may need to be trimmed. For animals who put unusually heavy stress on their hooves, such as horses or work oxen that routinely walk on hard surfaces and carry heavy weight, they risk damage to their hooves from too much wear. For this reason, horseshoes and oxshoes are used. ===Cattle=== A cow hoof is cloven, or divided, into two approximately equal parts, usually called claws. Approximately 95% of lameness in dairy cattle occurs in the feet. 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. 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 trimmers 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. 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. ===Goats=== Domesticated goats kept on rocky terrain can maintain their hooves on their own, similar to wild goats. Extensive farming styles that allow goats to roam over a relatively large amount of territory also lets most goats handle hoof management on their own, as can very active breeds such as Kiko goats raised for meat. However, goats raised on soft terrain often require occasional hoof trimming every 3 months or so from a human tender. This is common with dairy goat and fiber goat husbandry. ==Gallery== Horse rear hooves.jpg|Rear hooves of a horse Tapir hooves.jpg|Malayan tapir hooves: front with four toes, back with three toes Pig cracked hooves.JPG|Cloven hooves of a pig Schafbeine 01.jpg|Sheep hooves Amneville Bison 27082010 4.jpg|Pointed hooves of a bison Cameltoe - Flickr - loufi.jpg|Broad hooves of a camel Blogcaribou8.jpg|Reindeer hooves Winter horse hooves (5909760691).jpg|Horses' hooves in snow Rind - Hufe - Zoopark Erfurt - 20120409.JPG|Cattle hooves PSM V40 D380 Musk ox hooves.jpg|Muskoxen broad hooves La Palmyre 106.jpg|White rhinoceroses' hoof The philosophical transactions (from the year 1732 Fleuron T103701-19.png|Rhinoceroses' hooves Sus Scrofa Vorderlauf.jpg|Hooves of a pig showing dewclaws Bairds-Tapir-Foot.jpg|Cloven hooves of a tapir Masai Giraffe right-rear foot.jpg|Rear foot of a giraffe (no dewclaws) Deer Are The Hoofed Ruminant Mammals Forming The Family Cervidae.jpg|Cloven hooves of an anoa Klaue eines Hausschweins.JPG|Pigs' hooves in soft ground Carcassonne - Dama dama 11.jpg|Hooves of a fallow deer showing dewclaws Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Study of a Goat's Deformed Hoof - WGA00854.jpg|Deformed hoof of a domestic goat Burg Meersburg April 2010 1010942.jpg|Moose hoof File:Hippopotamus-foot.jpg|Hippopotamus hoof ==In culture== Hooves have historical significance in ceremonies and games. They have been used in burial ceremonies. ==See also== Claw Horn (anatomy) Nail (anatomy)

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370137427 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.