Influence of biotin supplementation on pig claw horn: a scanning electron microscopic study

Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh.

Observations made with a scanning electron microscope of the claw horn and underlying soft tissues of young pigs fed a normal diet supplemented with 1 mg d-biotin/kg of feed were compared with observations on a similar group receiving no additional biotin. Supplementary biotin affected the structure of the coronary epidermis; there was an increase in the density of the horn tubules in the stratum medium, the horny squames in the stratum medium were more tightly packed and the tubules were more clearly defined in the pigs receiving biotin. The width of the band of intertubular horn adjacent to the laminae was greater in the claws of control pigs.