The broad ligament in cows is the modified peritoneum that attaches its uterus. Here, you will know the exact answer to a question – what is the broad ligament of the uterus in cattle?
Quick answer: the broad ligament in cattle’s uterus is the extensive bilateral peritoneal folds. It attaches the body and horn of the uterus to the abdominal and pelvic walls of the cattle.
Different parts of the cow’s broad ligament attach to various structures and have been named accordingly. So, I will also identify all these parts of the broad ligament from the cattle’s uterus.
Let’s get into the article to know the details of the broad ligament of cattle’s uterus with a diagram.
What is the broad ligament of the uterus in cattle?
The uterus of a cow remains fixed in its position by attaching to the abdominal and pelvic walls. This attachment between the uterus and abdominal and pelvic wall occurs by the peritoneal fold. These are two extensive bilateral folds and are known as the broad ligament of the uterus in cattle or cows.
Table 1 shows the extension of the broad ligament from the cow uterus –
| Extend from | Extend to |
| Either side from the sublumbar region, and Lateral pelvic wall | Dorsal border of the uterine horn, and Lateral margin of the body of the cow’s uterus |
Thus, you might have the proper idea of the cow’s uterus, abdominal wall, and pelvic cavities. The below-mentioned article might help you to know the ideal structure of the cow uterus –
The cow’s broad ligament contains the vessels and nerves for the uterus and ovaries. You will also find connective tissue and a large amount of unstriped muscle fibers. These muscle fibers of the broad ligament are continuous with the wall of the uterus.
Here, the diagram shows the cow uterus and the attachment of the broad ligament. It shows the uterine body and horns attached to the abdominal and pelvic walls with the broad ligament.
Parts and different names of the uterus’s broad ligament
You will find the following parts of the broad ligament in domestic animals –
- Mesovarium – part of the broad ligament that attaches and supports the ovaries,
- Mesosalphinx – it is the comparatively thinner part of the broad ligament that attaches to the uterine tube,
- Mesometrium – this is the part of the broad ligament that attaches to the body of the cow’s uterus,
Here, the cow uterus’s labeled diagram shows the various parts of the broad ligament. It shows the mesovarium part that supports the ovaries of the cow.
Again, the diagram shows the mesosalpinx that supports and attaches various parts of the uterine tube. Finally, the rest part of the cow uterus is attached by the broad ligament, which is known as the mesometrium.
You will get more labeled diagrams on cow’s broad ligament here.
The cow’s broad ligament also shows 2 other ligaments that arise or originated from it –
- Proper ligament of the cow’s ovary and
- Round ligament of the cow’s uterus,
What is the proper ligament of the cow’s ovary?
The cow’s ovary is attached to the tip of the uterine horn by a well-developed ligament. This is the proper ligament of the cow’s ovary.
A band of smooth muscle encloses the two layers of the broad ligament and forms this proper ligament. Another name for the proper ligament of the cow’s ovary is ovarian ligament.
Here, the diagram shows the right and left ovarian ligaments from the cow’s uterus. They are well-developed in cows compared to those of the mare and doe.
Round ligament of a cow uterus
The lateral layer of the cow’s broad ligament gives off another fold. This fold blends with the parietal peritoneum over the deep abdominal inguinal ring. The fold of the lateral layer of the broad ligament is known as the round ligament of a cow uterus.
The anterior extremity of the cow’s round ligament is located above the extremity of the uterine horn. Thus, it forms a large round appendix here on the uterine horn.
Anatomically, the cow’s round ligament contains muscular tissue, nerves, and vessels.
Summary of cattle’s broad ligament
Let’s summarize the anatomical features of the cattle’s broad ligament in Table 2 –
| Cow’s broad ligament | Features of the broad ligament |
| Appearance | Modified, extensive, bilateral peritoneal folds |
| Parts of the broad ligament | 3 parts in cattle – mesovarium, mesosalpinx, and mesometrium |
| Gives off other ligaments | Round ligament of the cow uterus, and Proper ovarian ligament of the cow’s ovary |
| Functions | Hold and fix the position of the uterus, Support various parts of the uterus, |
Cow broad ligament identification and diagram
To understand the broad ligament from the cow’s uterus, you might identify the following –
- Various parts of the cow uterus – ovaries, horns, body, and cervix,
- Broad ligament of the uterus,
- Part of the round ligament of the cow’s uterus,
- Parts of the mesovarium, mesosalpinx, and mesometrium, and
- Proper ligament of the ovaries that passes within broad ligament and reaches to the uterine horn,
All the structures mentioned above of the broad ligament are identified in the cow uterus labeled diagram.
Are there any ligaments in the cow uterus except the broad ligament?
Yes, there are another two ligaments in the cow uterus except the broad ligament. You will find dorsal and ventral intercornual ligaments in the cow uterus.
These two ligaments bind the right and left uterus horns (at their junction). But, the small ruminant-like doe shows only ventral developed intracornual ligament.
What is the function of a broad ligament in cattle?
The main function of the broad ligament in cattle is attaching the uterus to the abdominal and lateral pelvic walls. Thus, the cattle’s uterus remains fixed in its position within abdominal and pelvic cavities.
Again, the various parts of the cow’s broad ligament support the various portions of the uterus. The mesovarium of the broad ligament binds and supports the cow’s ovaries.
Again, the mesosalphinx attaches to the three different parts of the cow’s uterine tube. The mesometrium supports the body of the cow’s uterus and binds them tightly.
The cow’s broad ligament increases greatly in size in various conditions. In that situation, you will find numerous muscular tissue within the structure of the enlarged broad ligament.
Vessels and nerves in cow’s broad ligament
The uterine and uterine branches of the utero-ovarian artery pass within the broad ligament in a flexuous manner. You will also see a branch of an artery within the broad ligament that comes from the internal pudic artery.
There are various veins within the two layers of the cow uterus’s broad ligament. These veins are accompanied by the courses of uterine arteries.
The lymph vessels are numerous in the cow’s broad ligament. Again, the nerves in the broad ligament are derived from the uterine and pelvic plexus.
Conclusion
So, the answer to the question – ‘What is the broad ligament of the uterus in cattle?’ was explained. It is the modified form of the peritoneum that attaches the uterus to the abdominal and pelvic walls.
The broad ligament of the cow extends from the sublumbar and pelvic wall to the uterine horn and body. A round ligament of a cow uterus is a modification of the lateral layer of the broad ligament.
