Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding of the 17th International Conference.
College of Veterinary Medicine. University of Basrah. Iraq.
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CAST FORMATION AND MAMMOGRAPHY STUDY OF THE
INTRAGLANDULAR DUCT SYSTEM IN THE LACTATING
UDDER OF ADULT INDIGENOUS COW (Bos taurus)
Salah, H. Almaliki* , Mahdi, A. Atyia*
*Department of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq
Corresponding Author:almalikisalah@yahoo.com
Keywords: Indigenous cow, Udder, duct system, radiography
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to describe some characteristic features of the
intraglandular duct system in the lactating udder of adult indigenous cow by cast forming
and radiography study. Ten udders of local breed cows (5 for resin cast formation and 5
for radiological study), clinically appeared healthy and aged (2-5) years were obtained
from Al- shoala slaughter-house in Baghdad city. Our study primed to describe and
investigate of the intraglandular duct system of the local cow breed. The present finding
was showed that the duct system was a network of unequal sizes tubules which was
begins with the small intralobular ducts then interlobular duct empty into a collecting
duct which drain the milk into the lactiferous sinus by a several of lactiferous duct, the
lactiferous sinus forms a common cavity for each quarter of the udder which drain into
the teat sinus and then teat canal.
INTRODUCTION
The cow was a one of the most important animals because it was the mains source
of milk and meat production, the quantity of milk and its quality was directly dependent
on the health of cow and in particular the health of the udder (1, 2, 3).
The study of intraglandular duct system was very important for evaluation of the
morphological characteristics of the udder in the cow (4, 5). The duct system of the
lactating udder was a tubules which drain the milk from the secretory units (alveoli) to
the lactiferous sinus by a small intralobular duct and ended in the teat canal then the teat
orifice (6, 7, 8).
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding of the 17th International Conference.
College of Veterinary Medicine. University of Basrah. Iraq.
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The Iraqi cows consider as the primary dairy animals for many dairy products
were including thick cream (gay mar), butter, and cheese (9).
Due to lack of anatomical and histological study on the udder of iraqi cow and
specially the study of the intraglandular duct system which was consider the second
important portion of udder beside the first portion which was the glandular part, so the
aim of our study was to attentions to the possibility of using cast forming and radiological
technique to investigate of the pattern of intraglandular duct system to summarize the
data for better understanding the function of milk production.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
To investigate the duct system in the lactating udder of Iraqi cows, ten udders of
apparently healthy of local Iraqi cows aged 2-5 years were clinically healthy and
normally appearance which collected immediately after slaughter from Al-shoala
slaughter-house in Baghdad city.The udders were located in the inguinal region which
removed with it was skin covering and care was taken to avoid injury of udder tissue. The
specimens were divided into two groups 5 udders for cast forming and 5 udders for
radiological study.
The cast form of resin technique:
For producing three dimension cast of the intraglandular duct system, the five
udders were injected with Cold Cure Acrylic resin (Fig.1) which was powder and liquid
in mixed ratio of 2gm to 12ml liquid this ratio give about 17 minutes to setting which was
enough time to complete injection.
The resin was injected by hand and using 50ml syringe and polyether catheter
inserted in the teat orifice of each quarter and the resin was injected as a single dose in
each gland. After complete the injection, the teat orifice was close by ligation it to
prevent oozing the resin mixture from the teat orifice. Each gland gets a single dosage of
resin which were (10, 20, 30, 40, 150) ml.
The injected udder was kept for 24 hours in a room temperature to complete
setting of resin was occurs. After that the second step was the maceration which was done
by 40% KOH solution for 4 days. The KOH solution was changed every day and in each
change the cast gently rinse with tap water and cover with new solution of 40% KOH.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding of the 17th International Conference.
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Each udder was kept in separation suitable plastic container full with a solution for 4
days.
The solution was changed every day, at the end of the fourth day complete
maceration of soft tissue was occur, the cast thoroughly washed in tap water for three
hours then the cast was dried by hot air. The cast was examined by the naked eye and
magnified lens for study, greet care was taken to the all parts of cast (10).
Mammography study:
The mammography was a radiographic term used for description the distribution
of intraglandular duct system imaging by using contrast media (11). The use of
mammography as a useful tool for the evaluation of morphological characteristics of the
udder and teats in dairy cattle, to summarize the data related to ultrasound examination in
cows (12).
The radiological images were down by using contrast media on the fresh isolated
udders to investigate pattern of the intraglandular duct system in lactating udders.
Two types of contrast media used in this study were Ultravist 370 (Iopromide 370
mg I/ml) which was an Iodine compound and Barex (Barium sulphate) (Fig.2).
The contrast media was injected manually by hand and using 50ml syringe and
poly ethylene catheter of 20cm length and 3mm diameter inserted through the teat orifice.
Four dosage (5-10-15-20) of contrast media were injected in each gland, and a single
exposers (radiological image) was taken after each injected dosage to follow the contrast
media passing in the duct system of each gland.
For donning x-ray image, the x-ray digital machine (Siemens Germany) was
controlled on the following parameters were used: KV. (60), Time exposer (4.5) msec
and focus film distance FFD (80) cm. (11).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The cast form of resin: To make a complete gland cast forming, the resin must be have
low viscosity to allow the resin for passes through small ducts to reach into the alveoli
quickly as possible before the resin was set. The proper time (17) minutes which was
prepare previously through the ratio mixture was (2 to 12) help to produce good cast,
through given enough time to complete injection before setting of resin.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding of the 17th International Conference.
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The manual injection of resin by syringe produce enough pressure to push the
resin through the duct system without making damage of fine duct and alveoli, this result
was agreement with the finding of (10), who reported the using of air compressor in the
process of injection may be produce rapture in a fine duct.
The time of maceration usually depended on the concentration of the KOH
solution and the size of specimen (13). The thourghly of the cast after maceration was
much imparted the clean cast from the macerated debris and to remove the harmful effect
of KOH on our hand during handling the cast to examined.
At a first observation, the cast produce by a half udder (fore and hind quarters),
the cast shows each quarter produce a single gland and appear as heavy branched freeseem
spongy mass from dense meshwork of resin (Fig.3) this was agreement with (14) in
she-camel and (15) in goat.
The hind gland slightly larger than the fore one of the same half (Fig.3) this result
was uncontract with the results of (14) in she-camel which found that each quarter
possesses two gland completely separated from each other, with fore (large) and hind
(small) gland of the same halve.
The ventral extremity of the cast of each gland, showing spindle rod-like
projection (3.5 cm) from the cast which was the teat sinus with the teat canal, connected
with the base of each gland (Fig.3, 4). Same results were found by (16, 17) which used
epoxy resin in sheep mammary gland, also agreement with the results of (14) in shecamel.
While was contrast from the result of (18) in the teat of mammary gland in
carnivorous, horse, pig which contain multiple teat camel and sinus separately at the teat
apex.
The lactiferous sinus was a base of the gland which large, round and various in
size cavity (Fig.4, 5). The lactiferous sinus was connected ventrally with the teat sinus
and dorsally with a several lactiferous ducts were relatively large and open dorsally on it
(Fig.4, 5, 6) same result was observation in she-camel by (14).
Each lactiferous duct received several small diameter collecting ducts and the
collecting duct formed from several interlobular duct which ended by many intralobular
duct which was the fines branches and ended by the alveoli which appear as very small
round sac-like structure (Fig.6, 7). This same as in she-camel by (14, 15) in the goat.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding of the 17th International Conference.
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Radiological study:
Our results in radiological study showed at the begins of injection (5ml) of the
contrast media via the teat orifice, the contrast media pass up through the teat canal, teat
sinus and small amount distributed in the lactiferous sinus. The teat canal and sinus
appears as long narrowed spindle in shape (Fig.8), that similar finding were recorded by
(19) in small ruminants and (14, 20) in she-camel.
At second injection (10ml), the contrast media progressive move up in the
lactiferous sinus. The contrast media when injected in the fore quarter was showing
begging of lactiferous duct, while in the hind quarter the contrast media distributed
horizontally (Fig.9).
This variable bet in the fore and hind quarters due to the fore quarter was smaller
in size than hind quarter so the contrast media move more up, similar finding of (19) in
ewe which has irregular lactiferous sinus and clearly diameter lactiferous sinus in shegoat.
While (20) showed the lactiferous sinus appear as large round structure in shecamel.
At the third injection (15ml) of contrast media, the lactiferous sinus in fore quarter
was felled and the origin of lactiferous duct were appeared, also the lactiferous sinus of
hind quarter was felled with contrast media (Fig.10).
As contras media more injected (20ml) it pass more up reaching the alveoli by
passing through the lactiferous duct, collecting duct, interlobular and intralobular duct
(Fig.11, 12) similar finding was found by (20) in she-camel, (21) in goats and (8) in cow.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.19, No.3, 2020. Proceeding o
College of Veterinary Medicine. University of Basrah. Iraq
Fig1: Injectable materials: shows three types of Cold Cure Acrylic Resin
which were used in cast formation.
Fig.2: Contrast media, shows two types of the contrast media which
were used: a. Iopromide b.
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Barium sulphate
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Fig.3: Cast form of the right halve of the lactating udder in local Iraqi
cow shows: a.Fore quarte
Fig.4: Cast form of the hind quarter in the
cow shows: a.Teat canal
d.Lactiferous duct.
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quarter b.Hind quarter c.Teat canal d.Teat sinus
lactating udder in local Iraqi
b.Lactiferous sinus c.Lactiferous sinus
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sinus.
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Fig.5: Cast form of the lactating udder in local Iraqi cow shows:
a.Lactiferous
Fig.6: Cast form of the lactating udder in local Iraqi cow shows:a.
b.Collecting duct c.Interlobular
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sinus b.Lactiferous duct.
duct.d.Intralobular duct e.Alveoli.
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Lactiferous duct
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Fig.7: Cast form of the lactating udder in local Iraqi cow photed
magnifying glass shows:
c.Collecting duct
Fig.8: Radiographic picture of the right halve in lactating udder shows:
orifice b.The teat canal c.Teat sinus
sulfate contrast media).
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with
a.Lactiferous sinus b.Lactiferous duct
d.Interlobular duct e.Intralobular duct.
1. Fore quarter 2. Hind quarter(5ml of Barium
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a.The teat
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Fig.9: Radiographic picture of the right halve in lactating udder shows:
a.Teat canal b.Teat sinus c.Lactiferous
1.Fore quarter 2.Hind quarter (10ml of Iopromide contrast media
Fig.10: Radiographic picture of the left halve in lactating udder shows:
a.Teat canal b.Lactiferous sinus
quarter(15ml of barium sulfate contrast media)
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sinus d.Lactiferous duct
c.Lactiferous ducts 1.Fore quarter 2.Hind
media).
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media).
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College of Veterinary Medicine. University of Basrah. Iraq
Fig.11: Radiographic picture of the right halve in lactating udder shows:
a.lactiferous ducts
duct e.Alveoli
Fig.12: Negative radiographic picture of the right halve in lactating udder
shows: a.lactiferous ducts
media).
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b.Collecting duct c.Interlobular duct d.Intralobular
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