Comparative Histoarchitectural Studies on Teat of Small Ruminants

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore the histomorphometry of teat in lactating and nonlactating Madras Red ewes and Boer local she-goats.Wall of the teat was comprised of skin, fibromusculovascular layer and teat mucosa.Teat skin was made of epidermis and dermis. Epidermis comprised stratified squamous keratinised epithelium. Dermis composed of hair follicles, nerve endings, sweat glands and sebaceous glands. Teat cistern and Furstenberg’s rosette was lined by a bilayered cuboidal epithelium. In teat canal, epithelium was transformed into the stratified squamous keratinized type. Significant difference was observed in
teat skin epidermis thickness, epithelial height of teat canal, thickness of keratin and pre-keratin layers between lactating and non-lactating ewes and she-goats.