Abstract

This study was conducted with 57 Red Sokoto goats, which were randomly obtained from three different small ruminant farms with birth record within Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria. They were classified into different age groups and subgroups, from 1-144 weeks. The radiographs of their forearms were taken and the proximal and distal epiphyseal plate lengths of both radius and ulna bones were measured. The radiographic images of the bones showed that the proximal and distal epiphyseal plates of the radius were opened at week 1 with mean lengths of 0.50±0.05mm and 1.10±0.01mm respectively but fuses at week 8 and 36 respectively. The proximal ulna epiphyseal plate was opened at week 1, with mean length of 1.67±0.02mm and fused at week 144. However, the distal ulna epiphyses appeared radiolucent at week 1 and 2 and became radiopaque at week 3 with an epiphyseal plate mean length of 3.67±0.26mm which reduced chronologically and fused at 96 week. It was therefore concluded that in Red Sokoto goat, epiphyseal plate lengths decreases with increase in age and fuses at different age even within the same bone, and the epiphyseal plates of radius bones fuse earlier than the ulna bones.

Keywords: Epiphyseal plate, Red Sokoto goat, Radiography, Radius, Ulna