Comparative evaluation of cutaneous wound healing in castrated and uncastrated black bengal goats

Castration leads to testosterone depletion, which may impact the efficacy of cutaneous wound healing. The present study aims to compare cutaneous wound healing in castrated and uncastrated goats, assessing morphological, hemato-biochemical, and histopathological parameters. Ten apparently healthy goats, who have body weights of 15 to 20 kg and ages ranging from 2 to 3 years, were used in this experiment. A total of 40 full-thickness incised wounds were made by giving a 1-inch-long linear incision on either side of the vertebral column, and studies were conducted in two groups: uncastrated (group A) and castrated (group B). Morphological characters with morphometric data were recorded at different day intervals. On days 3rd, 7th, and 15th post-wound creation, blood and biopsies were taken for hemato-biochemical and histopathological assessment. The wound healing days were monitored for 18 days, and morphological and morphometric data indicated that wound healing occurred faster in the animals of Group B (15 days) compared to those in Group A (18 days), as confirmed by histopathological findings of biopsy samples. The average wound contraction rate in Group B was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that in Group A. During this study, the values of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, total protein, and albumin were altered at different time intervals, but these changes were not statistically significant in both groups. These findings suggest that castration positively influences wound healing efficiency by optimizing the inflammatory phase and promoting faster tissue regeneration.