Venous Vascular System of the Mammary Gland in the Buffalo Cow - Morphological Aspects -

Abstract

Considering the clinical benefits derived from the extensive morphological data existing in relation to the vascularisation of the udder in various milk cow breeds, our study focused on assessing the venous vascularisation of the udder in buffalo cows. Ten adult female buffalo cow udders were sampled, their vascularisation highlighted by arterial injection of a coloring agent, then fixed in a 2% formalin solution for 24 hours. The venous vascular system was identified by stratigraphic dissection under a magnifying glass and examined. We have identified common venous trunks for the homolateral anterior and caudal quarters and perforating veins going through the median septum. In 7 out of 10 examined udders, teat and parenchyma veins merged into a venous circle for each caudal quarter, both of them merging caudally with the greater venous circle at the base of the udder. 5 out of 10 samples also presented secondary venous circles around each anterior quarter. The results of the present study indicate a proportionally better developed venous vascularisation of the caudal quarters in the buffalo cow, correlated with a higher milk production at this level; a superior number of veins and a higher occurrence of venous circles at this level illustrate this aspect. However, the udder presents a unified venous drainage, as superficial veins of homolateral quarters merge, and the median suspensory ligament is traversed by perforating veins.