Hoof
Hoof
Hoof (/huːf/ or /hʊf/), plural hooves (/huːvz/ or /hʊvz/), is the hard, thick covering protecting the toes of many land-dwelling mammals, including horses, cattle, deer, and pigs.
Etymology
The term "hoof" comes from the Old English hōf, which is from Proto-Germanic *hōfaz (compare West Frisian hoef, Dutch hoef, German Huf). The Proto-Germanic term is likely an early loan from Proto-Indo-European *kópos (foot, track), from *képos, a word used to describe sharp objects.
Anatomy
A hoof is made up of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole and the edge of the hoof wall. Much like human nails, hooves are constantly growing and are trimmed if not worn down.
Related Terms
- Keratin: The protein that hooves, nails, and hair are made of.
- Farrier: A professional who trims and shoes hooves.
- Laminitis: A disease that affects the feet of ungulates and is characterized by inflammation of the laminae.
- Frog (horse): The highly elastic wedge-shaped mass on the underside of a horse's hoof.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hoof
- Wikipedia's article - Hoof
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