Hoof morphometry of Santa Inês and Dorper sheep raised in Northeastern Brazil

This study aimed to determine the hoof measurements in Santa Inês and Dorper sheep breeds, establishing a morphometric standard for evaluation. The thoracic (TL) and pelvic (PL) limbs from the right antimere of twenty male sheep, slaughtered at 30–35 kg and 150–180 days of age, were used. Their hooves were deungulated and, with the aid of a digital caliper, measurements of the wall, heel, bulb, and sole (height, length, width, and thickness) were taken. The hoof angle was measured with a protractor. No difference was found in the hoof measurements of the same limbs among sheep of the same breeds. In contrast, a comparison between the limbs showed that the PL was larger than the TL, mainly in terms of the heel height, bulb thickness, and sole and bulb widths in the Santa Inês breed and the heel height and abaxial wall and sole lengths in the Dorper breed. The lateral hoof of the PL showed the greatest differences among the measured parameters, as well as heel height in both limbs. The ratio between the abaxial wall and heel heights varied between 1.35 and 1.67:1 in the breeds. A comparative analysis of the measurements between the breeds showed a difference in the conformation of the TL hooves, depicting a significant difference in the heel and abaxial wall heights, wall thickness, and angle. In the PL, this difference was found in all variables, except the sole width. Based on hoof metrics of the right antimere of sheep, it can be identified that, in general, Dorper sheep hooves are larger than those of Santa Inês.

Keywords:
biangulated; horn capsule; morphometry; phalanges; podiatry