Morphological Features Of Fetal And Adult Adrenal Glands In Kano Brown Goats (Capra hircus)

Gross and histomorphological features of fetal and adult adrenals obtained from slaughtered Kanobrown goats at Obollo Afor and Nsukka abattoirs were studied. The specimens were divded into groups A – D for gestation day (GD) 86-102, 103-124, 125 – 146 and adults respectvely. The mass of the adrenals increased significantly with age. Microscopically, GD 86 – 102 adrenals comprised outer capsule, definitive zone (DZ), fetal zone (FZ) and medulla. By GD 103 – 124 they exhibited transitional zone with less dense packed cells when compared with outer defnitive zone. Full termadrenals had definitive cortex with zona granulosa at the early formative stage. The adult adrenals exhibited structures with typical zonation of the cortex. The width of DC increased while that of FZ decreased sgnificantly (P < 0.01) with increasing age of the fetuses. These results suggest that the adrenals of Kano brown goats undergo morphological developmental changes similar to those of other animals.Keywords: Adrenal gland, Adults, Fetuses, goats, Capra hircus, Morpholog