International Hoof Care Month – February 2025

History of International Hoof Care Month

While the origins of International Hoof Care Month are largely unknown, we do know that this day was set aside to create awareness of hoof-care health. This sounds like a good day to know everything there is to know about animal hooves.

A hoof is basically an enlarged toe made of keratin, a protein also found in human hair and nails. Hooves are composed of two structures, the ‘unguis,’ and the ‘subunguis.’ The ‘unguis’ is the nail, while the ‘subunguis’ is a fine layer on the underside of the nail. The ‘unguis’ surrounds the tip of the animal’s digit like a cylinder, encircling the ‘subunguis.’ Animals with hooves are known as ‘ungulates.’ There are two categories of ungulates, odd-toed ungulates called ‘Perissodactyla’ and even-toed ungulates called ‘Artiodactyla.’ The odd-toed ungulates use an odd number of their toes while moving, usually one or three. The even-toed ungulates walk on an even number of toes, usually two or four.

Just as we take care of our feet and toes, so we should take care of animals’ hooves since hooves affect their mode of transport and, consequently, every other area of their lives. They may develop infections or start walking with a limp. For animals that move in herds, any animal with an injured hoof won’t keep up with the rest of the herd, becoming vulnerable to predators. For others, such as horses, hooves bear the full brunt of the animal’s weight. Having an injured hoof puts them under significant stress and has a negative impact on their overall health.