Comparative morphological and morphometrical analysis of the eyeball in Cattle, Goat and Pig: Identification for forensic diagnosis

The study reports morphometrical and morphological base line data of 18 eyeballs collected from adult cattle, goat, and pig, irrespective of breed before the onset of post-mortem changes along with the surrounding periorbital fat. Morphometrical analysis included measurement of eyeball weight, vertical and horizontal corneal diameters, axial length, transverse diameter, and optic nerve thickness using a digital Vernier caliper. Morphological examination revealed that the eyeball consists of three concentric layers, the tunics. The outer fibrous tunic consisted of the cornea and sclera, with the sclera forming approximately four-fifths of the fibrous coat. The middle vascular tunic comprised the choroid, ciliary body, and iris, while the inner nervous tunic was represented by the retina. In present study we focused on species-specific variations in ocular structures. The tapetum-lucidum was absent in the pig eye. The pupil was oval and horizontally oriented in cattle and goat, whereas it was circular in pig. These findings provide baseline morphological and morphometrical data that may be useful for comparative anatomy, ophthalmic research, and clinical practice in animals.