Morphohistological Studies of the Brain Regions Involved in Balancing and Equilibrium in Determination of a Possible New Method of Restraint in Small Ruminants

Restraint is a vital aspect in animal handling as it ensures safety of the animal, handler and overall success of a procedure. Several methods of restraint which include physical, chemical and environmental has been documented and practiced by veterinarians to carry out medical procedures in a bid to alleviate animal suffering. We observed that upon laying sheep and goats on lateral recumbency and placing a thick folded piece of clothing material on the external ear, the animals remain in that position until when the material is removed where they make efforts to regain their standing posture. This present study determines to evaluate the possibility of such action in becoming another method of physical restraint in small ruminants. Sheep and goats head were purchased from butchers at the Maiduguri abattoir where the brain was dissected and the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstems were subjected to a comparative morphohistological analysis with the aim of identifying the regions, investigating them and making comparative between those of sheep and goats. There was a significant similarity in the gross and histological features of the sheep and goats’ brain with a slight difference in nature and number of cells. The result suggests that these similarities and differences may contribute to the distinct abilities of these species to respond to the aforementioned action. This study focuses on the parts of the brain associated with the observed vestibular induced immobility and reports all findings on it.