Cow skull: structure and what parts it consists of, anatomy of a horned animal

A livestock breeder in modern conditions needs to know the basics of the anatomy of his wards in order to understand the features and timeliness of their development. Such information contributes to the improvement of animal care, the prompt detection of diseases or congenital deformities. Patterns of modification of the skull of a calf, the state of the organs of the cow's head should be in the control zone of the owner.

Cow skull anatomy

The skeleton of the head is called the skull. In each animal, its structure and shape differ not only in size, but also in the configurations of individual parts. This is due to the lifestyle of the animal and the functioning of each bone.

The skull of a cow is formed by several large bones:

• frontal;
• parietal;
• occipital;
• temporal;
• upper and lower jaw.

Cattle (cattle) has a powerful frontal bone with horny processes (except for breeds or individuals with a sign of polledness). This bone is thicker and stronger in a bull than in a cow. The parts of the skull listed at the beginning of the list are single. Jaws - paired. Many smaller bones have a pair symmetrical from the sides of the cow's muzzle, including:

• nasal;
• tearful;
• intermaxillary;
• palatine;
• zygomatic;
• upper and lower turbinates;
• pterygoid.

In total, the cow has 7 skull bones in a single copy and 13 in double quantity. They form cavities in which the organs of the head work and create reliable protection for them.

As a cow grows and ages, the shape of the skull changes. This process can be observed especially clearly at the stage of embryonic development and the period from birth to adulthood. In newborns, the head is more rounded than in older livestock, since the brain section is more fully formed, and the jaw part is weaker.

As you grow older, muscles are added, the connection of organs experiencing increased stress with the large bones of the cranium is strengthened. So, chewing muscles are fixed on the brain region. On the posterior upper edge of the cow's skull, between the horns, a frontal crest is formed. It is characteristic only for cattle. Thanks to him, the horned animal, without fear for the integrity of the head, uses its weapon. However, a strong blow to the upper third of the frontal bone leads to lightning death of a large ungulate.

What the head is made of

The skull of a cow, along with ligaments, muscles and brain, is hidden under the skin and fur. The following organs are located on the visible part of the head.

Horns

Cows don't seem to need them. But in the wild, the female with their help protects herself and her offspring. After all, even the structure of the digestive tract of a cow is arranged in such a way as to store grass, quickly biting it in a dangerous place, and then, after belching, chew it well. In animal husbandry, horns only make females aggressive, they can ram the skin and injure the udder.

The shape of the horns is conical or helical, curved. They are based on processes of the frontal bone. The top layer is a dense horny substance, thickened at the bends. The surface is smooth, but cross-rings are often visible, reflecting the stages of horn growth.

After all, during the year both bulls and cows consume different feeds. Females have even more rings due to periods of pregnancy (pregnancy).

The weight of a pair of horns depends on body weight and breed, ranging from 700 g to 2.5 kg.But horns up to a kilogram are more common. They are used in the haberdashery industry, as they are easy to process. They are also used to make high-quality animal bone meal, as they contain the most durable protein.

If the owner decides to remove the horns, then such an operation is recommended to be done when they begin to grow. This is due to the structure of aggressive processes. If they are injured or cut off, a lot of blood can be released.

Eyes

In the opening of the eye socket of the skull is the eyeball. It has the same structural elements as the visual organs of other animals. However, a cow sees the environment differently than a predator or a person. Cattle distinguishes saturated colors, sees worse during the day, and better at night (compared to people).

Teeth and tongue

The teeth of a cow are made up of incisors and molars. Their number depends on age and conditions of detention.Beef breeds complete their teeth faster than dairy breeds. teeth

Newborn4-6 milk incisors 1 week 2 years 5 years

8 milk incisors
12 molars and 8 primary incisors
24 molars and 8 permanent incisors

The upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw, and chewing occurs alternately with the left and right side of the dentition. The cow's tongue is attached to the hyoid bone and mandible by muscles. Its back is rough, has a thickening (pillow), taste buds. The tongue stirs the food in the mouth, making it well-wetted with saliva.

Ears

They serve for the perception of sounds and orientation of the body in space. The ear consists of:

• external ear canal;
• middle and inner ear.

The outer shell is formed by flexible cartilage. Her skin is covered with short hair on the back and longer in the recess. Ear lubrication glands secrete sulfur. The shell picks up sound signals like a locator and directs them inside the ear structure, towards the tympanic membrane (0.1 mm thick membrane).

The middle ear consists of the malleus, anvil, stirrup and lenticular bone, which transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the fluid of the inner ear. At the same time, they are able to amplify or weaken the sound. The inner ear contains balance receptors.

A cow picks up a much wider range of sounds than a person and most of the animals around him. She hears very low frequencies, and her cat has overtaken her in recognizing high frequencies.

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