Modified flap method for amputation of the horn in buffaloes.

Horns of buffalo are massive, angular and well developed with a wider base as compared to cattle. The thickness of the horn increases towards apex until it becomes solid. The corium is traversed by numerous blood vessels (Singh and Kumar, 2004). The horn is prone to various affections like avulsion, fracture, overgrowth, sepsis, fissures and cancer (Sreenu and Kumar, 2006). Most of these affections do not respond to the routine medical management and demand amputation of the horn (Sreenu and Kumar, 2006). Amputation of horn in adult buffaloes is considered to be a difficult task as compared to cattle (Tank et al., 2006). Additionally, the skin at the base of horn is very thick, which makes primary closure of the wound difficult (Sreenu and Kumar, 2006). The present study on modification of surgical amputation of the horn was carried out in adult buffaloes.The modified surgical method of horn amputation adopted in the present study was considered to be advantageous for primary closure of the surgical wound and hence early healing could be possible.