Histomorphometric Study Of Thyroid Gland In Timorensis Deer

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement of the course DVT 55204 – Research Project. This study aims to explore the gross morphology and the histomorphometric characteristics of the thyroid gland of Timorensis deer in Malaysia and assess their adaptability towards environment with high temperaturePhysiologically, the thyroid activity is highly influenced by the temperature which could be assess through histomorphometric study of thyroid follicles. Six (6) samples from Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak were collected from deer farms that performed slaughtering for meat purposes. The samples collected were brought to the laboratory for histology for gross morphology measurement and sample preparation. The histology slides were prepared and stained by using Hematoxylin and Eosin. From the histology slide, morphometric studies were conducted to observe and measure the micro features of the thyroid follicle’s distribution, shape and diameter. The study revealed that the size of thyroid follicles in deer is 2.5 ± 0.46 cm in length and 2 ± 0.14 in width while the size
of follicles recorded as 65.49 ± 8.79 (small), 168.53 ± 13.78 (medium) and 317.42 ± 16.58 (large). The size of the follicle in deer is larger compared to other ruminants reflecting higher activity and adaptability in deer. With the understanding and findings from this study, it provides strong evidence on the ability of the deer to withstand the high local temperature of Malaysia making it the next choice for ruminant agriculture of choice among the farmers in Malaysia, due to its high market value.