Topographical and Morphometrical Studies of the Heart in Early Foetal Development of Goat (Capra hircus)#

Abstract

The goat foetuses only with normal morphology were collected from local slaughter houses of Mathura. The topographic location and morphology of the heart were recorded. The biometry
was done and the data were statistically analyzed. The foetal heart was situated from 3rd ICS (intercostals space) to the 6th ICS. On 46th day of gestation and onwards the general morphology of the foetal heart was outwardly similar to that of adult goat. Both the left and right longitudinal grooves were well developed and occupied by fine blood vessels, but there was no fat deposition in the longitudinal and transverse grooves. The mean value of heart percentage (in relation to body weight) was 1.526±0.09 % with a range of 1.31% to 1.71%. In early foetal period, in the thorax, the growth of lungs speed up in comparison to heart; so the heart percent in relation to organs present in the thoracic cavity which was 61.11% on 46th gestation day became 40.09% on 49th day of gestation.