The Collaborative International Dictionary
Hoof \Hoof\, v. i.
To walk as cattle. [R.]
--William Scott.-
To be on a tramp; to foot. [Slang, U.S.]
To hoof it, to foot it.
On the hoof, of cattle, standing (on the hoof); not slaughtered.
beef on the hoof, live cattle.
Usage examples of "beef on the hoof".
Hence, although they were badly overgrazing this land and losing most of their calves to colic or coyotes, their herd presently sported some real fat beef on the hoof, and Onofre, knowing exactly how to play on their white middle-class guilt, always managed to drive the price down until the hippies were practically selling Joe Mondragon his Moto-Cross hamburgers for nothing.
His was a ranching family he had been raised with the ammoniac al smell of cow dung in his nostrils, and had learned to judge beef on the hoof when he was small enough to perch up on Bawu's saddle, pommel likea sparrow on a fence pole.
Hence, although they were badly overgrazing this land and losing most of their calves to colic or coyotes, their herd presently sported some real fat beef on the hoof, and Onofre, knowing exactly how to play on their white middle-class guilt, always managed to drive the price down until the hippies were practically selling Joe Mondragon his  .
Which is silly since we've all this beef on the hoof and the best slaughter houses in the nation.