Ungulates are hoofed animals such as horses, donkeys, zebras, camels, giraffes, and deer. Hooves can be single (such as a horse’s hoof) or cloven (split into two parts). Deer, cattle, sheep, and goats have cloven hooves.
A hoof is the tip of a toe of an ungulate. It is made of keratin, a thick, hard covering. The sole of the hoof is partially rubbery, but hardens near the outer edges. There is also a hard wall formed by the solid nail rolled around the tip of the toe.
Humans keep animal’s hooves clean and trimmed. In the wild, animals have natural ways of keeping their hooves healthy.
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