COMPARATIVE BIOMETRY OF THE TONGUE IN THREE SPECIES OF RUMINANT

Abstract

Seventeen heads of apparently healthy adult ruminants {Six Red Sokoto bucks (RSB), Six adult Uda rams (UR) and five White Fulani bulls (WFB)} were purchased from slaughter house in Mokwa town immediately after the animals were slaughtered using Halal method of slaughtering with aim of
comparing biometric parameters of their tongues. The weights of the tongues were measured by using a sensitive electronic balance in gram (g). The length and width were measured using thread and metre rule in centimeter (cm) while thickness was measured with the help of a digital vernier caliper
in millimeter (mm). The results showed that all means of the biometric parameters of the tongue measured were all significantly (P 0.05) different among the three species studied. On separation, the mean biometric parameters were significantly (P 0.05) different from one another in the three species for some parameters and for some the mean biometric parameters of the tongue of WFB was significantly (P 0.05) different from UR and RSB. The width of the lingual fossa was not significantly (P>0.05). Different in the three species. The three ruminants studied have different morphometric patterns. This study in addition to its usefulness in clinical comparative anatomy and pathology, it has also established a comparative baseline data for further lingual studies in these
species of the ruminant animals.