New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Skin biopsy technique results in inaccurate wool follicle density measurements

C. E. MCCLOGHRY

CSIRO
Division of Animal Production
Pastoral Research laboratory
Private Mail Bag, Armidale
NSW 2350, Australia

G. H. BROWN

CSIRO
Biometrics Unit
P. O. Box 52, North Ryde
NSW 2113, Australia

G. C. UPHILL

CSIRO
Division of Animal Production
Pastoral Research laboratory
Private Mail Bag, Armidale
NSW 2350, Australia

Abstract  A rapid method of excising skin biopsies, from skin blebs formed by a subcutaneous injection of anaesthetic, was investigated to determine the effect on wool follicle density measurements. Two biopsies were taken from the midside of 28 sheep using a trephine, one directly over the skin bleb and the second adjacent to it. Biopsy shrinkage as a result of fixation and histological processing was measured. Total follicle densities were determined and adjusted for biopsy shrinkage using a correction factor (area of skin section/area of the trephine). Biopsies taken over blebs had a greater sectional area (c. 9.3%) most likely because of distension of the skin during the collection of the biopsy, in comparison with their paired biopsy. This increase in the area of skin sampled, resulted in inaccurate correction factors and consequently artificially increased (c. 7.3%) follicle density measurements in biopsies sampled over blebs. The results of this study indicate that inaccurate follicle density measurement will occur if skin blebs are biopsied from above sites of subcutaneous anaesthetic injection.

Keywords  wool follicle density measurement; skin biopsy; anaesthesia; sheep

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1997, Vol. 40: 245-247

0028-8233/97/4002-0245 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1997

Short communication

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (220K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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