Age Related Variation in Gross Anatomy of Caecum in Prenatal Goat (Capra hircus)

Abstract

The present investigation was done on the caecum of 36 non-descript goat embryos/foetis (irrespective of sex). Embryos/foetis were equally divided into three groups having 12 foeti in each group. The caecum was observed as a ceacal bulge between small intestine and large intestine at 43 days of gestation and became clearly distinguishable as a short curved blind tube on 45th day of gestation. The caecum was in close contact with the ileum and distal part of jejunal coils up to 50 days of gestation and after this stage got separated from jejunum. The thin and narrow ileocaecal fold was observed first time between ileum and caecum at 82 days of gestation and from116 days of gestation the fold became wide and clearly visible. Internally ileocaecal opening was present in the form of ileal papilla at 150 days of gestation. Statistical analysis revealed that there was highly significant increase in total average length and diameter of caecum from early to late prenatal period.