Assessment of Calcium and Phosphorus Content of Calvaria in One-Humped Camel Fetuses

Sunday Akau Hena, Mamman Legbo Sonfada, Barth Ikechuwu Onyeanusi, Raphael O. C. kene, Josephat E. Onu, Abubakar Abubakar Umar, Sani Abdullahi Shehu

Abstract
The calcium and phosphorus contents of the calvarial bones of one-humped camel fetuses were evaluated in this study. Thirty-two wasted camel fetuses collected from Sokoto central abattoir were used. The bone mineral contents values for the phosphorus of the fetuses at first trimester had a mean value of 0.27±0.01% and calcium mean value of 0.60±0.04% for the frontal, parietal, interparietal, temporal and occipital bones respectively. For the second trimester, the phosphorus had a mean value of 0.59±0.05%, and calcium had a mean value of 0.71±0.11%. At the third trimester, the phosphorus had a mean value of 0.77±0.10%, while the calcium had a mean value of 1.99±0.25%. Thus, calcium and phosphorus values of the frontal bones for each trimester showed least values which were closely followed by the parietal bones, whereas the occipital bones showed the highest value for both calcium and phosphorus at each of the trimesters respectively. This implied that the frontal and parietal bones are least mineralized and thus, such parts of the calvaria are relatively fragile and need careful handling especially when dealing with the neonates; consequently these regions of the skull are considered as ideal stunning points during humane slaughter procedures of camels.

Key words: Assessment, calcium, phosphorus, camel fetuses, calvaria.