Bovine Lower Limb - Anatomy & Physiology

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Cattle are artiodactyl unguligrade animals. Unguligrade means that they bear their weight on a horny covering (hoof) that surrounds their distal phalanges, artiodactyl means that they bear weight on an even number of digits. They are virtually identical in their structure in the hindlimb and forelimb. The main differences are in the forelimb we have metacarpals and the metacarpophalangeal joint, the hindlimb equivalents are the metatarsals and the metatarsophalangeal joint. Also in anatomical planes we use the term palmar for forelimb and plantar for hindlimb. These terms are all interchangable in the below article depending on whether you want to talk about the fore or hindlimb.

Bones

Metacarpals and Metatarsals

• The arrangement of the metatarsals are similar to those of the metacarpals.
• Metacarpal III and IV fuse in the fetus to form the large metacarpal bone. The site of fusion is marked by vascular grooves on the dorsal and palmar surfaces of the shaft of the bone. Metacarpal V remains only as a small lateral remnant.
• The distal end has two seperate articular surfaces seperated by the sagittal intertrochlear notch. The articular surfaces have two condyles seperated by a sagittal ridge.
• The dorsal aspect of the proximal end has a tuberosity for muscular attachment.

Phalanges

• The proximal phalanx tends to be triangular with the interdigital surface being flattened. The proximal end is concave with a sagittal groove so it can articulate with the metacarpal bone, the palmar aspect has facets for the sesamoid bones. The distal head has two convex areas seperated by a sagittal concavity.
• The middle phalanx is three sided and 2/3rds the length of the proximal one. The proximal end is made up of two concavities and a sagittal ridge. The distal end resembles that of the proximal phalanx.
• The distal phalanx is pointed, the proximal end has two articular surfaces seperated by a ridge. The solar surface is flattened and has a flexor tubercle for the attachment of the deep digital flexor tendon. The axial surface faicng the other digit is also flattened. The abaxial surface is is rounded and is the parietal surface of the claw.
• Just distal to the metacarpophalangeal joint on the palmar aspect of the limb lie a pair of conical accessory claws. These are covered with horn and often contain dense connective tissue and small nodules of bone.

Joints

Metacarpophalangeal/Fetlock Joint

• Movement - flexion and extension.
• The cow has a pair of fetlock joints involving the metacarpal bone, the two proximal phalanges and two pairs of sesamoid bones. These sesamoids articulate with the proximal palmar edge of the proximal phalanges
• Cattle have a joint capsule for the articulation of each digit with the palmar parts communicating.
• Collateral ligaments - bind the the furrow between the two articulating areas of the metacarpal bone to the proximal phalanx.
• Interdigital intersesamoid ligament - units the axial sesamoids of each digit together.
• Interdigital phalangosesamoid ligaments - a pair of ligaments that cross each other as they connect thesesamoid of one digit to the proximal phalanx of the other.
• Proximal interdigital ligament - connects the proximal halves of the two digits. Not technically part of the fetlock joint, it is absent in sheep.
• Collateral sesamoid ligaments - connect the outer aspect of the sesamoids to the proximal phalanx and there is a distinct branch that attaches to the metacarpal bone.
• Distal sesamoid ligaments - a collection of ligaments that are very marked in the horse. They connect the distal surface of the sesamoids to the plamar aspect of the phalanx. These are:
  • Short ligaments - connect the axial base of the sesamoids to the lateral/medial aspect on the palmar margin of the proximal phalanx. These are the deepest of the ligaments.
  • Cruciate ligaments - paired ligaments from the base of the sesamoids that diagonally cross to attach to the proximal phalanx. It lies superficial to the short ligaments.

Proximal Interphalangeal/Pastern Joint

• Movement - flexion and extension.
• The joint capsule is simple and attaches by thr articular margins of the two phalanges.
• Collateral ligaments - connect the distal end of the proximal phalanx to the proximal end of the middle phalanx. They lie in a vertical direction rather than along the bone axis.

Distal Interphalangeal/Coffin Joint

• Movement - extension, slight flexion.
• A distal sesamoid is closely associated with the distal phalanx, which has a navicular bursa present like in the horse.
• The joint capsule attaches to the articular periphery. There is a dorsal recess under the extensor tendons and a palmar one that runs to about half the height of the middle phalanx.
• Collateral ligaments - connect the distal part of the middle phalanx to the sides of the proximal distal phalanx.
• Dorsal ligament - yellow elastic tissue connecting the proximal dorsal border of the middle phalanx to the extensor process of the distal phalanx.
• Distal sesamoid ligaments' - connect the distal border of the distal sesamoid bone to the flexor surface of the distal phalanx and has axial and abaxial parts.
• Collateral sesamoid ligaments - fibroelastic ligaments that attach the middle phalanx to the proximal border of the navicular bone.
• Distal interdigital ligaments- cruciate ligaments that attach the abaxial aspect of the proximal end of the middle phalanx to the axial surface of the opposing distal phalanx and distal sesamoid.

Musculature

Interosseous/Suspensory ligament

• Function - support of the metacarpophalangeal joints.
• Origin - palmar aspect of the proximal end of the metacarpal bones, distal row of carpal bones and the joint capsule of the carpus.
• Insertion - At the level of distal metacarpal III it splits into two tendons that attach to the sesamoids and continue along the flanks of the proximal phalanx before appearing on the dorsal surface and attaching to the extensor tendon.

Forelimb

Superficial digital flexor

• Function - flexion of the digits
• Origin - medial epicondyle of the humerus
• Insertion - palmar aspect of the middle phalanx and the distal extremity of the distal phalanx

Deep digital flexor

• Function - flexion of the digits
• Origin - medial epicondyle of the humerus, proximal radius and ulna
• Insertion - palmar aspect of distal phalange

Common digital extensor

• Function - extensor of the digits
• Origin - distal extremity of the humerus in and lateral to the coronoid fossa, the lateral tuberosity of the proximal extremity of the radius, the lateral aspect of the shaft of the ulna.
• Insertion - extensor process of the distal phalanx, the dorsal surfaces of the proximal and middle phalanges.

Lateral digital extensor

• Function - extensor of the digits
• Origin - lateral tuberosity of the radius, the shaft of the ulna
• Insertion - proximal phalanx

Hindlimb

Long Digital Extensor

• Origin - extensor fossa of the lateral femoral condyle.
• Insertion - extensor process of the distal phalanx, the dorsal surfaces of the proximal and middle phalanx.

Lateral Digital Extensor

• Origin - lateral ligament of the stifle, the fibula, lateral border of tibia and the interosseous ligament.
• Insertion - It joins to the tendon of the long digital extensor about a third of the way down the metatarsus.

Superficial Digital Flexor

• Origin - Supracondylar tuberosity of the femur.
• Insertion - the calcaneus, eminences on the sides of the proximal part of the middle phalanx, distal extremity of the proximal phalanx behind the collateral ligaments of the pastern.

Deep Digital Flexor

• Origin - lateral tibial condyle, fibula, interosseous ligament.
• Insertion - the solar surface of the distal phalanx.

Vasculature

• Arteries of the Forelimb
• Veins of the Forelimb
• Lymphatics of the Forelimb
• Arteries of the Hindlimb
• Veins of the Hindlimb
• Lymphatics of the Hindlimb

Innervation

Innervation of the Hindlimb