Relations Between the Hump, Ligamentum nuchae and Thoracic Vertebrae in Bos indicus

Abstract

The thoracic Vertebrae and the   course of ligamentum nuchae and hump of East African Zebu (Bos indicus) ranging from 5 months foetuses to 4 years old, were investigated. A comparison was made with 28 Bos taurus cattle, 1-4 years old. The summits of spinous processes of the 7^th to 13^th thoracic vertebrae of Bos indicus in both sexes and all ages are bifid and extremely tilted caudally, the terminal branches are covered by cartilage hich furnish attachments to the funicular part of the ligamentum nuchae. In Bas taurus the summits are slightly widened into tubercles. In Bos indicus the tips of the spinous processes of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th thoracic vertebrae directed dorsad and slightly caudad are bordered by two lateral portions of the funicular ligamentum nuchae. The inserting nuchal ligament forms a concave face dorsally which in Bos Taurus is convex. The spinous processes become shorter and flattened laterally towards lumber junction. The hump is composed of the rhomboideus cervicis muscle, adipose tissue type I, collagen and elastic fibres and lies between the first and the 9th thoracic vertebrae