1.

FAMILIARIZATION WITH BODY POINTS OF ANIMALS

Observations: To study the body points of animals.

The body of the animal can be divided into five major parts- head, neck, trunk, fore limbs and
hind limbs.

CATTLE

Head
1. Poll: The part immediately between and behind the horns.
2. Horns: Paired bony processes that emerge from either side of the poll.
3. Ears: The organ of hearing, situated just behind and below the horns.
4. Fore head: From the poll down to the level of the eyes.
5. Face: From the level of the eyes downward to the nostrils.
6. Bridge of nose: Area of nasal bone.
7. Facial crest: Ridge of bone on the face below the eyes on either side.
8. Nostrils: Two natural openings for breathing.
9. Temporal fossa: Depression between the base of the horn and outer angle of the eye.
10. Muzzle: The lower part including nostrils, mouth and a chin.
11. Muffle: Area between the nostrils, which is generally hair-less and black in colour.
12. Eyes: An organ of sight. It includes EYEBALL, UPPER EYELID, and LOWER
EYELID, and THIRD EYELID (less developed), inner canthus and outer canthus.
(Canthus is an angle formed by both lids on either end of the eye).
13. Jaw: Upper jaw is formed by maxilla and premaxilla, and lower jaw by mandible
bone.
14. Cheeks: Area of masseter muscle, the side of the face below the eye and above and to
the side of the mouth.
15. Jowl: Space between the branches of the lower jaw.
16. Throat: The upper part of the oesophagus just behind the jowl.

Neck
17. Crest: Upper ridge of the neck, starting from poll.
18. Base of the neck: The place where neck joins the body.
19. Apex of neck: Attachment of the neck to the head.
20. Hollow of the neck: Hollow area at the base of the neck.
21. Jugular groove: Running down the lower part on each side of the neck from the
angle of the jaw to just in front of the shoulder.
22. Dewlap: A pendulous fold of the skin hanging down the lower part of the neck.

Trunk

23. Hump: Fleshy protuberance on the top or shoulder of the animal.

24. Withers: Just behind the hump.
25. Back: Just behind the withers to the head of the last rib.
26. Loin: The part of the body lying on each side of the spinal column between the hip
bone and last rib. (Region of lumbar vertebrae).
27. Rump: Region of sacrum, point of rump is the highest point formed by the sacral
tuber.
28. Dock: The part of the body of animals adjacent to the base of the tail.
29. Tail: The posterior extremity of an animal.
30. Switch of tail: Tuft of hair at the end of the tail.
31. Breast: Lower part of the neck where it joins the body.
32. Brisket: The part of the lower chest of the animal between the two fore legs.
33. Chest: Ribs springing from the backbone above and attached to the breastbone below.
34. Girth: Circumference around the chest, it is just behind the point of elbow.
35. Belly (Abdomen): The area behind chest carrying alimentary canal and other organs.
36. Flank: Hollow area between the ribs and hip or hook bone.
37. Fold of flank: The flap of the skin on its lower border.
38. Body: Comprises the chest, belly and flank.
39. Barrel: Comprises belly and flank.
40. Anus: The posterior opening of alimentary canal under the root of the tail.
Points present only in males
41. Sheath (Prepuce): Flap of skin in the abdominal region.
42. Penis: The male organ of copulation.
43. Scrotum: Pouch of skin in which the testicles are lodged.
44. Testicles: Male generative glands, which lie in the scrotum.

Points present only in females

45. Naval flap: Loose skin below the abdomen.
46. Udder: Mammary gland, the anterior part is called the fore udder and posterior as
rear udder.
47. Teats: Through which the milk is drawn.
48. Milk vein: Veins on the udder.
49. Vulva: External opening of the female genital organs situated below the anus.
50. Escutcheon/milk mirror: A triangular pinkish area below the vulva extending on
both sides up to pin bones.

51. Milk well: The place from where the milk veins enter into the abdominal wall.
Fore limb
52. Shoulder joint: The joint formed between the scapula and upper end of the humerus.
It includes the point of shoulder and shoulder blade.
53. Elbow joint: Formed by the dorsal end of humerus and proximal end of radius and
ulna.
54. Arm: The region of massive muscle lying over the humerus.
55. Fore Arm: Region of radius and ulna between elbow and knee joint.
56. Axilla: The cavity beneath the junction of the arm (region inside the elbow).
57. Knee-joint: Formed by radius, carpal bones and metacarpal bones.
58. Fetlock joint: Joint formed by the lower end of the metacarpal bone and the first
phalanx with its sessamoides.
59. Shank, shin or fore cannon: Portion of the limb below knee joint to fetlock joint.
60. Dew claws: Two horny callosities behind the fetlock joint.
61. Pastern: The region below fetlock and above coronet.
62. Coronet: Region round the top of the hoof.
63. Hoof: The outer horny covering of the foot, which is divided into two parts called
claws. Each claw is having a horny wall, sole, bulb of heel and hollow of the heel.
64. Cleft of the hoof: Space between the two claws.
Hind limb
65. Hindquarter: Region bounded by rump and dock.
66. Buttocks: The mass of muscles lying on either side of anus and extending downwards
to the level of stifle to behind and flank in front.
67. Hook bones: Bony prominence formed by the external angle of ileum.
68. Pin bones: The projection of the quarter just below the root of the tail.
69. Thurl (Hip joint): Midway between hook bones and pin bones (formed by ischiatic
tuber).
70. Thigh: Region of femur bone, which runs from the hip joint to the stifle joint.
71. Stifle joint: The joint formed by femur, patella and tibia.
72. Groin: The Inner aspect of thigh.
73. Hock: Joint formed between the tibia, tarsal bones and metatarsal bones.
74. Point of hock: The upper most extremity of hock formed by tuber calices.
75. Hamstring: The strong tendon running from the muscles of the back of the thigh to
the point of hock.

Note: Below the hock the same terms are used as in the forelimb; except hind cannon for fore
cannon.

Buffalo

1. Hump and dewlap are not present in buffaloes.

2. Brisket is more developed in buffaloes as compared to cattle.
3. Rest points are same as in cattle.

Sheep

The points peculiar to sheep are:

1. Lachrymal pouch: A pouch situated below the inner canthus of the eye, about ½
inches deep. The lining of this pouch has a gland which produces a waxy secretion, which on
drying forms a yellow sticky covering on the skin.

2. Tassels: These are two appendages of skin hanging from the throat, also called as
THROAT FOLDS or DODDLES or WATTLES in certain breeds of sheep only.

3. Inguinal pouch: A shallow depression in the inguinal region in both sexes. It

produces a similar secretion as that of lachrymal pouch.

4. Inter digital pouch: A pouch situated in the inter-digital space. The lining of this
pouch is pale and thin having fine colourless hairs. The secretion is colourless and waxy in
nature.

5. Horns are generally absent in both sexes, but when present they are found in males.

6. The tail of sheep may have thin tail or fat tail, long tail or short tail.

7. Gigot: The name applied to the thigh of sheep.

8. Knob: The ram has an increased growth on the nose just above the nostrils.

Goat
The points not found in goat are:
Muffle, dewlap, hump, switch of tail, escutcheon and naval flap.
The points peculiar to goats are:
1. Tassels: Throat folds found in certain breeds only.
2. Mane: Hair springing from the crest of the neck, found in certain breeds only.
3. Beard: A bunch of hairs hanging from the chin, generally seen in male goats of
certain breeds only.
4. Scrag: Name given to the crest of the neck.
5. Bag: Term applied to the udder of goats.

Questions

1. Draw the diagrams of cattle, sheep and goat and indicate the body points.