Preliminary studies on hoof characteristics in Amiata donkey

Figures & data

Table 1 Hoof biometric characteristics (mean±SD).

Crown circumference, cm	31.36±1.45
Foot plantar circumference, cm	34.43±1.45
Crown circ./FP circ. ratio	0.91±0.03
Maximum hoof length, cm	12.01±0.7
Maximum hoof width, cm	8.78±0.5

Table 2 Hoof hardness (mean±SEM).

	Wall	Sole	White line
Hardness, H	126.5±3.3^A	105.2±3.3^B	74.0±3.3^C

A,B,C P<0.01.

Table 3 Hoof thickness (mean±SEM).

	Wall	White line
Thickness, mm	9.0±0.3^A	3.98±0.3^B

A,B P<0.01.

Table 4 Hoof chemical composition (mean±SEM).

	Wall	Sole
Moisture, %	11.7±3.2^B	23.2±2.6^A
Crude protein, % DM	98.8±0.1	99.3±0.2
Ashes, % DM	1.2±0.1	1.0±0.1

DM, dry matter;

A,B P<0.01.

Table 5 High concentration mineral composition in hoof (mean±SEM).

	Wall	Sole
Aluminum, ppm	315.2±25.2^A	216.9±25.2^B
Calcium, ppm	1350.0±54.2	1354.6±54.2
Iron, ppm	437.8±65.5	589.2±65.5
Potassium, ppm	1067.7±112.8	1690.5±112.8
Magnesium, ppm	286.7±20.5^b	347.7±20.5^a
Manganese, ppm	54.4±6.3^a	35.2±6.3^b
Sodium, ppm	267.6±15.0	249.2±15.0
Phosphorus, ppm	193.5±12.6^A	234.3±12.6^B
Zinc, ppm	108.7±3.7^b	120.1±3.7^a

a,b P<0.05;

A,B P<0.01.

Table 6 Low concentration mineral composition in hoof (mean±SEM).

	Wall	Sole
Copper, ppm	4.4±0.6	3.5±0.6
Lithium, ppm	0.7±0.05^A	0.2±0.05^B
Nickel, ppm	23.5±4.9^A	3.7±4.9^B
Lead, ppm	3.6±0.2^A	0.9±0.2^B
Selenium, ppm	3.8±0.7^A	0.4±0.7^B
Strontium, ppm	4.4±0.9	3.2±0.9

A,B P<0.001.

Table 7 Pearson correlation between moisture and hardness in hoof.

	N observations	Moisture
Hoof	25	-0.37
Sole	15	-0.08
Wall	10	0.03

Table 8 Hoof mineral content and hoof hardness (H) Pearson correlation (N observations=30).

	H
Aluminum	0.43^*
Calcium	-0.19
Copper	0.22
Iron	-0.16
Potassium	-0.54^**
Lithium	0.56^**
Magnesium	0.26
Manganese	0.26
Sodium	-0.05
Nickel	0.33
Phosphorus	-0.32
Lead	0.63^**
Selenium	0.44
Strontium	0.25
Zinc	-0.45^**

* P<0.05;

** P<0.01.

Table 9 Correlation between hoof mineral content.

	Al	Ca	Cu	Fe	K	Li	Mg	Mn	Na	Ni	P	Pb	Se	Sr	Zn
Al	-
Ca	ns	-
Cu	0.51^**	ns	-
Fe	ns	ns	ns	-
K	ns	ns	ns	ns	-
Li	0.73^**	ns	ns	ns	-0.49^**	-
Mg	ns	ns	ns	0.50^**	ns	ns	-
Mn	0.40^*	ns	0.38^*	ns	ns	0.61^**	ns	-
Na	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	-
Ni	0.41^*	ns	ns	ns	ns	0.49^**	ns	ns	ns	-
P	ns	ns	0.44^*	ns	0.53^**	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	-
Pb	0.54^**	ns	ns	ns	-0.50^**	0.81^**	ns	ns	ns	0.53^**	-0.46^**	-
Se	0.43^**	ns	ns	ns	ns	0.54^**	ns	ns	ns	0.96^**	ns	0.64^**	-
Sr	0.47^**	ns	0.96^**	ns	ns	ns	ns	0.50^**	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	-
Zn	-0.48^**	ns	ns	ns	ns	-0.40^*	ns	ns	ns	ns	ns	-0.41^*	ns	ns	-

ns, not significant;

* P<0.05;

** P<0.01.