European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 12 - Number 1
Eur J Anat, 12 (1): 57-62 (2008)

A craniometric analysis of the skull of the Red Sokoto (Maradi) goat (Capra Hircus)

Olopade J.O., Onwuka S.K.

Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

ABSTRACT The study involved the osteometric study of 32 parameters in the skull of the Red Sokoto goat in Nigeria. The mean condylobasal length was 20.3 cm while the overall length, whole skull height, and whole skull index were 17.2 cm, 10.5 cm and 0.7 Ã? 102 respectively. Nearly all of the parameters studied revealed no significant differences (p< 0.05) between animals of one year of age and below and those above this age mark. Female goats had higher values for most of the craniometric measurements. The results are discussed as regards their importance for comparative anatomy with other breeds and a better understanding of the adaptational physiology of the Red Sokoto breed to its environment.

Keywords: adaptation, analytic method, animal experiment, article, breeding, comparative anatomy, craniometry, goat, Nigeria, nonhuman, skull

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)