Cross-sectional geometry of the metapodial bones in the calf and ox

The purpose of this study was to present a detailed description of the cross-sectional geometry at three levels of the metapodial bones and to assess the bone strength from the bone geometry in calf and ox. For this purpose, 20 metapodial bones from five calves and 40 metapodial bones from ten oxen were used. Sections were made at 25, 50 and 75% of the bone length and scanned. The cortical thickness, endosteal and periosteal diameters, cortical and medullar areas as well as second moment of area and section modulus were obtained from the images with the aid of a computer program. The cortical thickness and area values were higher in the metatarsus than that those in the metacarpus. The smallest cortical area and the thinnest cortical thickness were found at the distal level of metapodial bone in both calf and ox. When compared with the calf, relative increases in cortical area were seen at the proximal and distal levels, and the increases in cortical thickness were pronounced in the medial, lateral and dorsal sides in the metacarpus of the ox. With respect to the second moment of area and the polar moment, significant differences between metacarpus and metatarsus were found at the distal half of the bones in the calf while these differences were at the proximal half in the ox. The results of the current study indicated that there were important differences between the metacarpus and metatarsus as well as between the levels of the same bone with regard to the values of the geometric and strength parameters.