Prenatal Development of Bones of Hip, Thigh and Leg Regions of Buffalo

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 48 buffalo foetii ranging from 41 to 280 days of gestation (2.8 to 91.6 cm CVRL). Alizarin red S method was used to stain whole foetus of different sizes. The study revealed that ilium and ischium had primary ossification centres in their bodies at 64 days of gestation, whereas pubis showed ossification centre at 135 days of gestation. The femur showed three ossification centres viz., one primary ossification for diaphysis at 59 days and secondary ossification centres for distal epiphysis at 170 days and head at 252 days of gestation. Tibia showed four ossification centres at 59, 181, 186 and 216 days of gestation. The fibula showed two ossification centres viz., one each for head and lateral malleolus at 64 days and 264 days of gestation, respectively.