COST-EFFECTIVE MOUNTING OF A GOAT SKELETON USING LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIALS

Abstract

Goats (Capra hircus), one of the earliest domesticated livestock species, remain central to agriculture, cultural practice, and rural livelihoods worldwide. Beyond their economic and nutritional value, goats are important in veterinary science and zoology, where mounted skeletal specimens serve as essential tools for teaching, research, and museum display. Conventional skeleton mounting techniques, however, rely on costly materials such as stainless-steel rods, acrylic frames, and synthetic adhesives, which pose financial and logistical barriers in low-resource settings. This study developed and tested cost-effective methods for preparing and mounting a caprine skeleton using locally available materials in Nigeria. A mature goat was processed through boiling, scraping, and sun-drying to produce clean bones, which were articulated with copper wires and adhesives, reinforced with ash, and supported by wooden frames for stability. The resulting specimen was anatomically accurate, structurally stable, and suitable for educational and display purposes. These findings demonstrate that resource-driven approaches can substitute for expensive imported methods while maintaining scientific accuracy. By reducing costs and improving accessibility, this method has the potential to strengthen veterinary education, research, and museum curation in Nigeria and other low-resource settings across sub-Saharan Africa.