Anatomy and histology of ruminant stomach of goat

Abstract

Gross and microscopic anatomy of the stomach of twenty adult goats, including blood supply and nerve supply have been investigated. Linear, weight and capacity measurements were recorded in relation to body length and weight. The disposition of inner mucosa of various stomach compartments was also studied. The caudo-ventral blind sac of rumen of goat, unlike that of other ruminants, extended more caudally than the dorsal one. Dorsal coronary grooves were absent. The right ventral coronary groove was distinct and reached the ventral border of rumen. The omasum was the smallest and oval in shape. The abomasum was comparatively larger in goats. The compound stomach in adult goat weighed 3.45 per cent of intact body weight. The volume of different stomach compartments as percentage of total stomach were 73, 7, 2 and 18 for rumen, reticulxam, omasiim and abomasum respectively. The wet tissue weights of different compartments as percentage of total stomach were about 66, 9, 8 and 17 for rumen, reticuliim, omasum and abomasum respectively. Basically, the mlcroscopic structure of goat stomach resembled closely that of other uruminants. The forestomach had the non-glandular cutaneous mucous membrane, a connective tissue sub mucosa, a two layered muscular tunic and a serosa. The omasum and abomasum presented the muscularis mucosae. The abomasum had glandular epithelium with the cardiac, fundic and pyloric regions. The different compartments of stomach of goats was innervated by the dorsal and ventral branches of the vagus. The arterial supply was by the branches of coelic artery.