Radiological and Histological Assessment of the Ossification Centers of Hind Limb after Hatching in Pigeon

The aim of this study was to determine the age of physical maturity and evaluation of radiology and histology of hind limb ossification centers in pigeon.
Design: Fundamental study.
Animals: 14 pigeons.
Procedures: These pigeons were cultivated in identical and standard conditions and radiological and histological tests performed every 7 days to 91 days.
Based on the results of radiology and histology, the hind limb skeletal differentiation in pigeons with the appearance of centers of immature cartilages in diaphyses of the femur, tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus at the end of the first week and the fibula bone at the end of the third week began. Growth sequences in the femur, tibiotarsus, fibula, tarsometatarsus and digits were observed during different stages. The maximum growth of these bones was related to the periods of maximum cartilage activity and their bone formation, and the femur holds steady its growth relation to the length of the skeletal body of the hind limb, although at the end of the fifth week its growth slowed down. The histological findings were based on the examination of the proximal extremity of the femur. The tissue samples at one day were lack of bone marrow and the bone marrow begins to form at the end of the first week. The presence of epiphyseal growth plate in samples and its bone formation was confirmed on the basis of radiology early in the fifth week.
Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: According to this study, the best time to complete the development of bone formation and the formation of all parts of the hind limb skeleton of the pigeon is probably 35 days after the hatch.