Blood supply in the tongue of Nellore Bos indicus (Linnaeus, 1758).

Aspects of the vascularization of the tongue of Nellore Bos indicus (Linnaeus, 1758) were evaluated through the vascular injection technique (with latex-type Neoprene 450, Du Pont do Brasil S.A. and Sulvinil coloring, Glassurit), fixed in formaldehyde at 7% and dissected with magnifying glass. The material was collected at Goiás Carnes Freezer Warehouse in Goiania, Goias. It was found that the deep lingual artery penetrated the lower lateral region of the prominence of the dorsal area of the tongue, advancing rostrally between the hyoid bone and the hypoglossal muscle. In the intravisceral initial third, the artery represents the deep, sinuous continuation branch of the lingual artery, in which path the sublingual artery was stressed in the ventral plan. Then, the artery deepened in the interior of the hypoglossal muscles and genioglossal, supplying dorsal branches (from three to nine) for the lingual torus; from one to five dorsal collateral branches for the lingual cavity; and one or two ventral collateral branches. At the lingual apex, the artery undergoes bifurcation supplying collateral, dorsal and ventral branches with anastomoses between the parallel vessels in the same antimere and between branches of lower caliber hierarchy between opposite antemeres. The large presence of microvessels indicates a significant blood supply to the organ. These results, in comparison with those found in literature, suggest a peculiar vascular pattern for this cattle breed of Indian origin.