Horns vs. Antlers: What Sets Them Apart?

Antlers (left) and Horns (right) (Photos: Galatas/Giles Laurent/Wikimedia Commons)

Horns and antlers are unique structures found on certain mammals, differing in how they grow, look, and function.

(Photo: Todi.leggieri/wikimedia Commons)

Horns are permanent structures that grow throughout an animal's life. They consist of a bony core covered by keratin, the same material found in fingernails and hair. Keratin is a strong, fiber-like protein that constitutes the main component of hair, feathers, hooves, claws, and horns. It provides these structures with their strength and durability. Horns are unbranched and present in both males and females of species such as cows, goats, and antelopes. They develop from specific areas of the skull and remain with the animal for its entire life.