Objectives – Chapter 10
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Know and understand the zoological classification of the species.
Know and be able to proficiently use terminology associated with the
species.
Know normal physiological data for the species, and be able to identify
those that are abnormal.
Identify and know the uses of common instruments relevant to the
species.
Describe prominent anatomical or physiological properties of the
species.
Identify and describe characteristics of common breeds.
Describe normal living environments and husbandry needs of the
species.
Understand and describe specific reproductive practices of the species.
Understand specific nutritional requirements of the species.
Taxonomy/ Zoological
Classification
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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Subclass: Eutheria
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovinae
Genus: Bos
Species: B. primigenius
Subspecies: B. taurus
B. indicus
Courtesy Joy Hornaday Tannies 2012
Courtesy Joy Hornaday Tannies 2012
Ruminants Anatomy
Anatomical Terms
Bovine Skeleton
Cow and Sheep Skull
• The brain is situated within
the cranium - a box-like
posterior part of the skull.
• The brain is connected to
the spinal cord through a
large hole, the foramen
magnum.
• The foramen magnum is
flanked by two large knobs
or occipital condyles that
form a joint with the first
cervical vertebra of the neck.
• Sinuses or spaces are
present between the inner
and outer cranial walls.
• The coronoid process is
located medially to the
zygomatic arch, between
the eye and the ear. The
coronoid process allows
muscle leverage to be
exerted onto the mandible.
The joint between the skull
and the lower jaw is formed
by a mandibular condyle. In
cattle and sheep, the
mandibular condyle is
relatively flat and allows
considerable movement in a
horizontal plane. Lateral
movement is important in
animals whose teeth work
with a grinding action.
• Ruminants such as
cattle, sheep and goats
are herbivores with a
unique digestive
system. A prominent
feature of ruminant
dental anatomy is that
they lack upper incisors,
having instead a
"dental pad", as
shown in the image to
the right of a goat.
Dental Formulae
Deciduous
003
=10
313
0033
Permanent
3133
=16
The dental anatomy of all ruminants is similar
• In the dental formulae shown above, cattle are depicted as
having 3 incisors and 1 canine tooth. Some authors prefer to
state that they have 4 incisors, with the canine tooth refered to
as the fourth or corner incisor.
• Llamas*
Llama and Alpacas
Maxilla and mandible, llama. Maxillary teeth shown are the third incisor and
canine. Mandibular teeth shown are I1-I4. The llama fighting teeth are the
upper third incisors, upper canines, and lower fourth incisors (six total teeth).
The fighting teeth Courtesy of Dr. Bradford B. Smith and Dr. Karen I. Timm
Tooth Eruption
Deciduous
Permanent
Incisors
Birth - 2 weeks 18 - 48 months
Premolars
Birth - 1 weeks 24 - 36 months
Molars
• CD
6 - 30 months
Maxillary Arcade
• Note the lack of
incisors
Maxillary Arcade
(Lateral view)
Mandibular Arcade
Mandibular Arcade
(Lateral view)
The wide gap that separates the incisors (or
dental pad on the maxilla) from the premolars
is called the diastema.
• The vertebral column or backbone
is the main axis of the skeleton and it
protects the spinal cord. The spinal
cord is located in a neural canal
formed by a long series of neural
arches, each contributed by a
different vertebra.
• The neural arch of each vertebra is
supported on the body or centrum of
the vertebra. In some types of
vertebrae, the neural arch extends
dorsally as a prominent spine that
may be called a dorsal spine, a
neural spine or a spinous process.
types of vertebrae
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NAME--------REGION---------BEEF--------------LAMB
Cervical--------Neck------------------7-----------------------7
Thoracic-------Ribcage---------------13---------------------13 to 14
Lumbar--------Loin--------------------6----------------------6 to 7
Sacral ---------Sirloin------------------5----------------------4
Caudal---------Tail--------------------18 to 20--------------16 to 18
Plan of neck in beef, showing:1, ligamentum nuch; 2,
atlas; and 3, axis. The ligamentum nuchae is pale yellow
• The first cervical vertebra, the atlas, articulates with the skull and is
greatly modified in shape to form a joint that enables the animal to
nod its head up and down.
• Rotation or twisting of the head occurs from the joint between the
atlas and the next cervical vertebra, the axis.
• The ligamentum nuchae is a very strong elastic ligament in the
dorsal midline of the neck, and it relieves the animal of the weight
of its head. Were it not for the ligamentum nuchae, the head of the
standing animal would droop between its forelimbs
Ribcage
• The cage formed by thoracic vertebrae, ribs and
sternum is an essential component of the respiratory
system. Thoracic vertebrae are distinguished by their
tall dorsal spines, many of which point towards the
hindquarter and are known as the feather bones.
The structure of the ribcage is rather variable in
lamb carcasses
BEEF----------LAMB
Total pairs of ribs-------------13--------------13 to 14
Pairs of sternal ribs-----------8----------------8
Pairs of asternal ribs----------5---------------5 to 6
Number of sternebrae--------7---------------6 to 7
Pelvis
• The pelvis and the sacrum
form a ring of bone
completed ventrally by the
pubes. The left pubis is
separated from the right
pubis by fibrocartilage which,
at parturition, may soften to
allow movement between
the bones of the pelvis. The
pubes are separated when
carcasses are split into left
and right sides in the
abattoir.
Plan of the pelvis in a hanging beef carcass
showing:1, lesser sciatic notch; 2, ischiatic
spine; 3, greater sciatic notch; 4, psoas tubercle;
5, obturator foramen; 6, symphysis pubis;7,
ischium; and 8, ilium.
Pubic
Another plan of the both sides of the pelvis in a hanging
carcass showing: 1, tiber coxae; 2, acetabulum; 3,
acetabular ramus of ischium; 4, tuber ischii;
5, symphysis pubis; 6, ilium; 7, pibis; and 8, ischium
• The pubic bone exposed on a carcass is called the aitch bone.
The aitch bone is curved in steer and bull carcasses, is
moderately curved in heifers, but is straight in cow carcasses
Forelimb skeleton -Scapula
• The scapula is not fused to the
vertebral column (like the pelvis in the
hindlimb), and this allows muscles that
hold the scapula to the ribcage to
function as shock absorbers during
locomotion.
• The scapula has a distal socket joint
for the next bone in the forelimb, the
humerus. This socket joint is called the
glenoid cavity . The glenoid cavity is
wide and shallow, unlike the ball and
socket joint in the hindlimb which is
narrow and deep.
• On the lateral face of the scapula is a
prominent ridge of bone called the
spine of the scapula. In beef carcasses,
the scapular spine is extended distally
as a prominent acromion process.
Humerus
• Proceeding distally down the forelimb, the bone that
articulates with the scapula is the humerus.
• Proximally, the humerus has a relatively flat knob or
head to fit into the glenoid cavity of the scapula.
Two well defined condyles on the distal end of the
humerus contribute to the hinge joint at the elbow.
Radius & Ulna
Beef shankbones showing: 1, distal end of humerus; 2, olecranon
fossa; 3, olecranon process;, 4,radius; 5, ulna; and 6, carpal bones.
• The radius is joined to the ulna and is
the shorter and more anterior bone of
the pair
Femur
• The proximal bone of the hindlimb is the femur or
round bone. The articular head of the femur is deeply
rounded and it bears a round ligament that holds it
into the acetabulum.
• Another distinctive feature of the femur is the broad
groove between the two trochlear ridges located
distally. The patella or knee cap slides in this groove
• In beef and lamb
carcasses there is a
single major bone,
the tibia or shank
bone, located
distally to the femur.
• Tibia and fibula
1, medial condyle,
2, lateral condyle;
3, tibia, and
4, fibula.