Morphometric evaluation of gross pulmonary indices in the Red Sokoto goats for pulmonary consolidation assessment

This study determined the gross morphometry and dimensions of the Red Sokoto goat (RSG) lungs, which may serve as basis for clinical and radiographic assessment of pulmonary consolidation. Seventy non-pneumonic RSG lungs were sampled comprising 44 males and 16 females, 12 of < 1 year, 30 between 1 and 2 years, and 18 > 2 years. Weight (gram), length (cm), and diameter (cm) of each lung lobe, distance from the tracheo-bronchus to the point of trachea bifurcation, and distance between left and right trachea bifurcation were taken using standard methods. The data were compared using Student’s t test and ANOVA at α = 0.05. The right lung contributed the most (61.67%) while the left lung contributed the least in weight (38.32%). Of the 61.67% by the right lung, the caudal lobe contributes 38.9% while the cranial (14.71%), middle (5.83%), and accessory (1.53%) lobes make up the rest. The percentage contribution of the right lung lobes increased with age except for the accessory lobe which decreased. The percentage contribution of the left lung lobes decreased with increasing age except for the middle lobe. The right cranial lobe is longer and wider than the left cranial lobe. The males have higher lung weight and dimensions than females except that the values of the right lung, the caudal lobe of the right lung, and the middle lobe of the left lung were higher in females than in males. In conclusion, this study established the morphometric and percentage contribution of each lung lobe in relation to the age and sex of the RSG. These parameters will aid diagnosis of lung disease and assessment of pulmonary consolidation at postmortem in a poor resource setting.