Olaifa AK and Adeyemi IM
Objective: Goats are a great resource in developing countries where they serve as a source of food, milk, hides and as a wealth repository. Wounds affect the quality of hides that can be obtained from goats and an understanding of the contraction rates of wounds on different parts of the body may aid in treatment of wounds.
Methods: Ten male and female goats were acquired and stabilized for this study. They were aged between 1-1.5 years and weighed between 10-12 kg. Three full thicknesses 1 cm by 1 cm epidermal wounds were created on the head, trunk and leg of each goat and monitored by measuring the rate of contraction on a daily basis. The measurements for days 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 were recorded.
Results: The contraction rates for the trunk were significantly different (p<0.05) from those of the head and leg. The contraction rates for the female animals also suggested that the healing occurred faster in the female animals.
Conclusion: There are indications that the female hormones are able to improve wound healing in females and the difference in contraction rates between different parts of the body is due to the difference in blood supply and muscle mass as well as the amount of movement the part of the body undergoes after wounding. These are some of the factors responsible for the differential in healing between the male and female WAD goats and the specific part of the body in this study.
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