how do horns grow?

[meleahbee]

I can't seem to find the answer to this anywhere!

When goats' horns grow to they grow from the head up (like a fingernail) or do they grow from the inside core outwards?

What I mean is, if they had a mineral deficiency and the horns show it will it just keep growing out like when you get one of those white spots on your fingernails? And even if the goat gets its minerals, a ring of ugly horn will always be there?

Or, if it starts getting proper minerals, will it fill back in the yucky spots?

[genebo]

Unfortunately, the horn grows out from the head. A significant deficiency can make a lasting mark on the horn.

I got a 9 year old goat in bad condition. She was undernourished and sick. It took a while to bring her back to health. Three years later, her horns had a noticable decrease in the diameter about 2" from her head. They were smaller there than just outboard of there. While restraining her to trim her hooves, one horn broke off at the thin spot. It was bloody, but blood stop powder stopped the bleeding and iodine kept it from getting infected.

Next year, she broke off the other one at the same length while butting heads. Same treatment took care of it.

She's fourteen now and her horns are about 3" long.

She's fat and sassy and is 2nd in command of the herd. She was first until she broke her horns.

Genebo
Paradise Farm