ANATOMY OF THE CARPAL ARTICULATION OF BUFFALO CALVES (BUBALUS BUBALIS)

Asia is the native home of the water buffaloes. The disease conditions of the joints of the limbs drastically reduce the productive and reproductive capabilities of the animals. Hence, the present study was undertaken to throw special anatomical features of carpal joint of buffalo. The study was conducted on 15 apparently healthy buffalo calves of 1 to 1(1/2) years age to record their special morphological features compared to white cattle. The individual carpal bones had well developed articular facets. The synovial sac of inter carpal articulation and that of carpometacarpal articulation communicated with one another. In antebrachiocarpal articulation a 'lambda' shaped interosseous ligament was observed connecting the depression in the middle of posterior margin of distal end of the radius with the intermediate carpal and ulnar carpal. In inter carpal articulation one interoseous ligament was observed between the non articular area on the distal surface of intermediate carpal and the non articular area of fourth carpal. Such ligaments were not reported in carpal articulation of white cattle. In carpometacarpal articulation an interosseous ligament was observed connecting the non articular area of lateral surface of the fused second and third carpal to non articular area of proximal extremity of large metacarpal, the fibers of which blended with the interosseous ligament connecting the two carpal bones of distal row.