Gross anatomical studies on the pancreas of gurez sheep (Ovis aries) in different postnatal stages of life

Gurez sheep is the largest native sheep breed of Kashmir and is also the 4^th registered breed of ovine germplasm in India. Livestock, especially the small ruminants are the main economic contributor from the primary sector in the Gurez valley. Keeping in view the fact that no anatomical study has been conducted on the pancreas of Gurez sheep, the present study was undertaken. A total of 30 samples, that included 10 samples from each age group were collected from slaughter houses of the Gurez valley. Pancreas of Gurez sheep was a compact, soft, encapsulated gland located mostly to the right of median plane. It consisted of three irregularly quadrilateral lobes; right (duodenal) lobe, body or connecting lobe and a left (splenic) lobe, of which the right lobe was the largest in all the age groups. The gland was covered largely by the peritoneum and was suspended by the mesentery. The average weight of the gland increased with the advance in age and was 52.40 g, 41.68 g, 22.35 g in adult, young and neonatal Gurez sheep, respectively. Several pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes were present on ventral surface of the body. The pancreatic duct in Gurez sheep joined the bile duct in the right/ duodenal lobe of pancreas.