Asymmetries of forelimb digits of young cattle

Thumbnail
View/Open
Issue date
2020-07-02
Author
Parés Casanova, Pere-Miquel
Castel-Mas, Laura
Jones-Capdevila, Kirian N.
Suggested citation
Parés Casanova, Pere-Miquel; Castel-Mas, Laura; Jones-Capdevila, Kirian N.; . (2020) . Asymmetries of forelimb digits of young cattle. Veterinary Sciences, 2020, vol. 7, num. 3, p. 83. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci7030083.
Impact

Google Scholar logo  Google Scholar
Share
Export to Mendeley
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Based on the anatomical premise that, in bovines, the medial (inner) hoof is larger than the lateral (outer) one in the forelimb, we hypothesized that this implies a phalangeal form difference. To test this hypothesis, asymmetries of the forelimb acropodia (phalangeal series) were studied on calves
belonging to the Brown Pyrenean breed, a meat breed managed under extensive conditions in NE Spain. Dorso-palmar radiographs were obtained for each acropodium in a sample of 17 paired left and right forelimbs. Size and shape were analysed by means of geometric morphometrics on medial and lateral acropodial series (III and IV series respectively) for each left and right limb. Shape coordinates were computed by Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Medial and lateral acropodial series appeared similar in size, but their shape expressed an especially high directional asymmetry, with distal phalanges (pedal bones) being abaxially (outwards) oriented. Such morphological observations may be an important reconsideration of 'normal' radiographic acropodial symmetry evaluation. This can be explained not only by an unevenly distributed ground reaction force between acropodial series, but also between right and left limbs, making medial and lateral hoof surfaces differently prone to overloading and, accordingly, to injuries to the limb.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/69217
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci7030083
Is part of
Veterinary Sciences, 2020, vol. 7, num. 3, p. 83
Collections
cc-by (c) Parés Casanova, Pere-Miquel et al., 2020
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as cc-by (c) Parés Casanova, Pere-Miquel et al., 2020