THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

of pyknotic nuclei in the follicular cells. In the 6-month-old
calf, the average follicular population was 148,400 while
adult cows had an average of 20,000 follicles. Development
of the secondary and tertiary follicles was more pronounced
in calves than in older buffaloes while corpus luteum (1-2)
and large numbers of atretic follicles (5-10) were prominent
in older animals.
Keywords: water buffaloes, ovarian structures, follicular
dynamics
*Philippine Journal of Veterinary Animal Science,
16(1&2):71-72, 1990.
A-68
OVARIAN FOLLICULAR POPULATION IN SWAMP
BUFFALOES AT VARIOUS AGES*
O. F. Smith, Ph.D. Student, IGS, CLSU
F. A. Adriano, Science Research Analyst, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
P. G. Duran, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
H. V. Venturina, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
A. S. Argañosa, Deputy Director, LRD, PCARRD
L. C. Cruz, Professor, DAS-DA, CLSU and Project Leader, PCRDC-PCARRD,
CLSU
Fifteen healthy Philippine carabaos (PC) with body score
4.0 (scale of 1-5) from 4 age groups, namely: young (6-7
mo., n=4), pubertal (2 years, n=5), adult (7-8 years, n=3)
and old (12-14 years, n=3) were ovariectomized.
Immediately after collection, ovaries were fixed, dehydrated
and embedded in paraffin wax and stained with
Hematoxylin-Eosin and Periodic Acid Schiffs Hematoxylin.
Follicles were counted and classified into primordial,
growing secondary and tertiary. Furthermore, follicles
were classified as atretic or not.
Keywords: ovarian follicular population, Philippine
carabao females at various ages
*Proc. 3 rd World Buffalo Congress, Bulgaria. 1991. 1:86
(Abstr.). Also in Abstracts of Water Buffalo Researches in
the Philippines. 1981-1995 (1996), PCC-DA, p. 74. Also
in Annotated Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity:
Livestock and Poultry (Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997,
Carabaos. (2002) p. 346.
A-69
COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF THE LARYNGEAL
SKELETON OF THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO*
J. A. Solis, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
The larynx of 12 adult apparently healthy native carabaos
were collected from the Caloocan City slaughterhouse.
ANATOMY
The individual cartilages were identified, isolated from the
other parts of the laryngeal organ and studied in detail with
respect to their anatomical features. The skeletal framework
of the larynx of the Philippine water buffalo is composed of
the cricoid, thyroid, epiglottic and arytenoids. The cricoid
as in other domestic animals is the most caudal of all the
laryngeal cartilages. It is more compressed from side to
side and shows a characteristic signet ring-like appearance
similar to that observed in other domestic animals. The
thyroid is the most extensive of all the laryngeal cartilages.
It occupies the greater part of the lateral and ventral aspects
of the larynx. The epiglottic cartilage is broad and
quadrangular in shape. It is located most cranially and lies
over the internal surface of the thyroid cartilage. The arytenoid
is paired. They are related to the cricoid cranially and to the
thyroid laterally. Each cartilage is triangular in outline and
has for its parts three surfaces, three borders, a base and
an apex. As a whole, the cartilaginous framework of the
bubaline larynx appears bulkier, broader and shorter than
the bovines. The individual cartilages are thicker, more
compact and fume in their attachments.
Keywords: comparative anatomy, laryngeal skeleton,
Philippine water buffalo
*Third Professorial chair lecture delivered on June 21,
1976 during the Freshman Orientation Program, College of
Veterinary Medicine, UP Diliman, Quezon City and also
published in the Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
15 (1&2): 21-27, 1976.
A-70
THE INTRATHORACIC VESSELS OF THE
PHILIPPINE CARABAO (Bos bubalis)*
J. A. Solis, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
C. P. Maala, Instructor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
The embalmed cadavers of six apparently healthy adult
native carabaos of both sexes were utilized in this
investigation. They constituted the specimens used in
comparative anatomy by the Veterinary Anatomy 102 class
during the second semester school year 1972-1973. Among
the blood vessels observed are the thoracic aorta, common
brachiocephalic trunk, brachiocephalic artery, pulmonary
artery, brachial arteries and the azygos veins. Comparing
these vessels with those of the ox, there appeared to be
only slight differences observed. However, the azygos
veins in the Philippine carabao are well developed and
exhibited peculiar arrangement and distribution of their
tributaries. Two azygos veins were observed: a vena
hemiazygos on the left side and an azygos vein on the
27