Osteometric examination of metapodial bones in sheep (Ovis aries L.) and goat (Capra hircus L.) unearthed from the Upper Anzaf Castle in Eastern Anatolia

Abstract

SUMMARY In this study, the coefficient of variations (CV) of the metapodial bone measurements were compared with the literature values. When arranging the metapodium measurements of sheep with decreasing CV, the largest variation was found in the medio-lateral and dorso-palmar axes of the diaphysis, the lowest variation at the distal end of the metapodium. Based on the metapodial measurements, a shoulder height estimation was made and the calculated data were compared with present regional sheep breeds as well as with data published for other sheep breeds.