Measurement and comparison of vertebral heart size (VHS) in Muzaffarnagari sheep using two different methods

Abstract

The present study was conducted to establish the standard values (range) for parameters of the heart and thorax, to evaluate the Vertebral Heart Size of the twelve apparently healthy Muzaffarnagari sheep divided into group I (10-20 kg, age 3-6 months) and group II (25-40 kg, age 12-15 months) six in each. The Vertebral Heart Size was recorded as per Buchanan and Bucheler (1995) and Ljubica et al. (2007) method and differed significantly between groups I and II animals. The mean Long Axes, Short Axes and Vertebral Heart Size in group I was 10.83 ± 0.23cm, 6.53 ± 0.14cm and 8.40 ± 0.14v respectively, whereas in group II these mean values were 12.47 ± 0.23cm, 7.55 ± 0.30cm and 8.23 ± 0.21v respectively using Buchanan and Bucheler method, when calculated as per Ljubica et al. method Vertebral Heart Size was 9.27 ± 0.13cm and 9.15 ± 0.16cm in group I and group II respectively.