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hoof, horny epidermal casing at the end of the digits of an ungulate (hoofed) mammal. In the even-toed ungulates, such as swine, deer, and cattle, the hoof is cloven; in the odd-toed ungulates, such as the horse and the rhinoceros, it is solid. Hoofs are adapted to the habits of the animal : e.g., flat, thick cloven hoofs enable the camel to walk on soft sand without sinking into it.
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• mammal
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