Study of aortic calcification in cows examined in Wasit Governorate, Iraq

The aim of this work was to determine the occurrence of calcification in the aortic artery of cows at different ages in Wasit Governorate. The aortic tissue of hearts from healthy cows at the ages of 1, 2, 3 and 4 years was collected. Histological sections from these samples were prepared and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and alizarin red, Von Kossa, to determine the deposition of calcium salts. In the 1-year-old group, the wall of the aorta includes the intima, containing one layer of endothelium cells next to the arterial lumen, media with elastic fiber, and adventitia made from connective tissue. Calcium salts at this age had been deposited in tunica media in the form of small white granules. The aortic artery of 2 years group showed the presence of calcium salts as large brown spots in the media layer. Calcification in the aorta of cows at the age of 3 years was larger as large brown clusters. At the age 4 years, calcium salts scattered widely in the middle layer. The results revealed that the calcification increases with the aging animals.