Secondary growth from soft hoof (8)
I believe the answer is:
offshoot
'secondary growth' is the definition.
'offshoot' can be an answer for 'growth' (I have seen 'Side growth ' mean 'offshoot' so perhaps 'growth' could also mean 'offshoot'). I am unsure of the 'secondary' bit.
'from soft hoof' is the wordplay.
'from' indicates an anagram (from the letters).
'soft'+'hoof'='softhoof'
'softhoof' with letters rearranged gives 'OFFSHOOT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for offshoot that I've seen before include "new branch" , "Side growth" , "Branch; spin-off" , "Outgrowth or by-product" , "Branch, derivative" .)