Age Related Estimation of Physical and Chemical Properties of Pectoral Long Bones in Kenguri Sheep

The present study was conducted on ash samples of pectoral long bones of Kenguri sheep to know the calcium and phosphorus concentrations. The marked midshaft cortical (2 cm) bones of right humerus, radius and metacarpals from 24 animals of both sexes were classified into 3 groups according to their age, utilized for estimation of physical and chemical properties such as weight, volume, density, percentage of ash in cortical bone, calcium and phosphorus contents and calcium phosphorus ratio. The percentage of ash samples of humerus, radius and metacarpals bones were 58.77±0.01%, 66.94±0.06% and 69.36±0.10% respectively in group-I animals. There was a significant difference in percentage of ash samples of humerus, radius and metacarpals bones between all the groups of Kenguri sheep. The percentage of calcium contents were 23.281±0.09%, 20.415±0.08% and 21.823±0.13% in humerus, radius and metacarpals bones of group II animals respectively. The percentage of phosphorus contents were 11.06±0.21%, 11.26±0.26% and 11.71±0.04% in humerus, radius and metacarpals bones of group III animals respectively. There was significant difference in Ca:P ratio of humerus between group-I and group-II animals. However, there was no significant difference between group-II and group-III animals. There was significant difference in Ca:P ratio of metacarpals between all groups of animals.