King's Applied Anatomy of the Abdomen and Pelvis of Domestic Mammals. Geoff Skerritt
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Название: King's Applied Anatomy of the Abdomen and Pelvis of Domestic Mammals

Автор: Geoff Skerritt

Издательство: John Wiley & Sons Limited

Жанр: Биология

Серия:

isbn: 9781119574590

isbn:

СКАЧАТЬ abdominal cavity.

      1.3.1 The skin

      The skin, or common integument, varies in thickness between species and bodily location. The abdominal skin is very thick (4–5 mm) in the ox but is quite delicate and thin (1–3 mm) in the other domestic species. Hair grows from the skin in all of the species but is much less in the pig. In all species there is much less hair on the ventral abdomen than elsewhere. Most of the hair of the sheep has a specific structure and is termed wool. In all species except the pig a principal function of the hair/wool is to reduce heat loss; the pig relies on a large amount of subcutaneous fat for this function.

      The domestic species vary in regard to the number and distribution of the mammary glands. The mare has only two mammary glands, and these are located either side of the midline on the ventral abdomen in a prepubic position. The cow usually has four mammary glands, collectively known as the udder; it is located mainly ventral to the caudal abdomen but with its caudal part ventral to the pelvis. The udder is suspended by strong elastic tissue extending essentially from the linea alba and the symphyseal tendon.

      There are seven pairs of mammary glands in the sow, although only 8–10 are usually functional depending on litter size. In this species the mammary tissue extends in the body wall from the axilla to the level of the stifle.

      The udder of small ruminants comprises two glands and is situated in the inguinal region. In the bitch there are usually five pairs of mammary glands; in the cat there are generally four pairs.

      

      1.3.2 The subcutaneous fascia

      Superficial fascia: In the pig this layer is adipose over most of its area and functions as an insulating layer promoting heat retention. However, in most other species this adipose tissue is not complete except in the inguinal region. In horses and cattle the cutaneous muscle is well developed in the superficial fascia layer and serves to twitch the skin to dislodge flies.

      Deep fascia: In the horse and ox the deep fascia is developed as a thick sheet of fibroelastic tissue covering most of the external abdominal oblique muscle, the ribs and the tuber coxae. This is termed the yellow elastic tunic providing support for the abdominal contents and contributing to the suspensory apparatus of the udder in the cow.

      Origin: The ventral surfaces of the sternal ribs and sternum.

      Insertion: The cranial border of the pubis with the prepubic tendon. The prepubic tendon is the tendon of insertion of the two rectus abdominis muscles, although most of its fibres extend between the iliopubic eminences.

      Species variations: In the ox there is wide separation of the medial borders of the rectus abdominis muscles. caudally. In the immature animal the linea alba is perforated by the umbilicus.

      Origin: The lateral surfaces of the ribs caudal to the fourth rib and the lumbodorsal fascia.

      Insertion: The linea alba and prepubic tendon.