Radiographic Morphometry of Radio-ulna Bone in Red Sokoto Goat

Abstract

Fifty-seven (57) Red Sokoto goats of both sexes from Sokoto metropolis of different age groups were used for the study, the forearm was radiographed and the image of the radiograph captured. The aim of the research was to evaluate radiographic morphometry of radio-ulna bone in Red Sokoto goat, and thus to provide data on the postnatal developmental pattern of the radio-ulna bone, which will serve as a guide for the estimation of age by radiography and in selection of different sizes of intramedullary pin during fracture reduction in orthopedic surgery, and also as a guide for Veterinarians in diagnosis, prognosis and surgical procedures. The parameters considered were the radiographic mean lengths and widths of the radio-ulna bones. The radius and ulna bones had lowest mean lengths of 58.23±0.78mm and 60.09±0.21mm respectively at 1st week and highest mean length of 148.07±0.35mm and 149.72±0.53mm respectively at 144th week. The Radius and ulna bones had lowest mean widths of 5.76±0.06 and 1.96±0.07 respectively at 1st week and highest mean width of 12.04±0.01mm and 8.71±0.07mm respectively at 144th week. Statistical significance (P<0.05), was seen across all the groups for the radio-ulna bone lengths and no significant difference was seen for the radio-ulna bone widths except for groups B and D in ulna bone width. It was concluded that the radio-ulna bones increased in lengths and widths as the animal age increased, though the radius was shorter but wider than the ulna and longitudinal growth has a faster rate compared to transverse growth in radio-ulna bones.