Trihorn

The **Trihorn** (*Malliatriceras Amica*), known as the **Casdya** in Nesarian, is a large domesticated herbivore which originated in Keloruela and Roulonne, but has spread across much of Inecuria since its domestication at some time around 1300 BC. Trihorns are the only surviving member of the Ceratopisdae family, and are the only dinosaur to grow wool. Trihorns are kept as livestock to harvest their eggs, meat, wool, hides and horns.

Trihorn eggs are roughly watermelon-sized and are somewhat richer in protein than the eggs of chickens. Domesticated female Trihorns typically lay one egg every 2-4 days as long as they are well-fed, but egg production ceases if they are starving in order to conserve nutrients and energy. The whites of Trihorn eggs are identical in taste to chicken eggs, but the yolks are noticeably more rich in flavour.

Evidence suggests that Trihorn wool was once coarse and wiry, but through many generations of selective breeding, the wool of domesicated Trihorns has become much softer and comparable to sheep's wool. Trihorn wool is brown, ranging from a very dark near-black brown to chesnut-coloured. Trihorn wool is frequently used for textiles, but its popularity has been steadily falling since the 17th century compared to sheep wool; the white colour of sheep wool means it can be dyed into a much greater variety of colours, whereas Trihorn wool's colour range is limited. Even so, it has never faded out of use because Trihorn wool is generally much cheaper than sheep wool.

Trihorns are amongst the longest-lived livestock animals; the typical Trihorn can live for 55-60 years, and the oldest on record lived to 81. However, as is common with livestock, they are usually slaughtered before this, as the quality of a Trihorn's meat degrades as they near the end of their natural lifespan. Females are typically slaughtered as soon as they stop producing eggs, which usually occurs at 40 years of age but can be as late as 45. When males are slaughtered depends on the needs of the farmer; if they are being kept for wool then they are usually slaughtered between 30 and 40 years of age, whereas a male that is good for breeding could be slaughtered as late as 50. If the farmer has no use for the male beyond their meat, they are generally slaughtered as soon as they reach full maturity (that is, their maximum size), which occurs 4-5 years after hatching.

## Appearance

Trihorns are tailed quadrupeds, and are the largest livestock animals in the world; the typical male specimen has a shoulder height of 2 metres and a snout to tail-tip length of 6 metres, and weighs approximately 5 tonnes. Females are typically smaller, but only marginally so. Whereas the wool of a Trihorn is dark to medium brown, their skin is a light greyish-brown, and often speckled. Their pupils are rectangular, like those of a goat, and they have black sclerae and honey-coloured irides.

The most distinctive part of a Trihorn is their head, from which they take their name. Trihorns have a long supraorbital horn above each eye socket, and a third smaller horn on their snout, above the nostrils. The front of their jaw forms a beak, which is able to grasp and pluck with surprising dexterity and care. At the rear of their skull is a solid bony frill, the edge of which is lined with short triangular horns.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Trihorn frills were once much larger and had openings (fenestrae), but smaller frills were selectively bred for. It is unknown whether this was merely a side-effect of selecting for other characteristics or whether it was deliberate; the argument largely hinges upon whether one believes the ancients understood that a smaller frill would save nutrients and energy for the development of other attributes.

## Diet

Trihorns can be opportunistic omnivores, but they are not particularly efficient at digesting meat, and are usually herbivorous. Trihorns will eat fruits, berries and vegetables when available, but the majority of their diet is made up of ferns, bushes and small trees. The Trihorn digestive system is highly effective at digesting tough plant material, making wood a viable food source. Trihorns can digest grass, but they generally do not eat it unless other food is unavailable, as they are not particularly effective at digesting it and must eat significant quantities of grass to feed themselves.

The substantial bulk of a Trihorn necessitates a large intake of food; for this reason, domestic Trihorn herds tend to be much smaller than those of cattle or sheep, and they can only exist either where vegetation is dense or where feed can be easily supplied. The individual Trihorn is much higher-maintenance than a cow or sheep, but the individual is also substantially more productive, lives for longer, is more resistant to disease and is near-impervious to predation. The trade-off has been considered worth it by farmers for millennia.