 As you go through the slides, READ and RE-READ information to help your understanding.  Take notes on IMPORTANT information, functions, and items that meet class objectives. (FYI slides are just that FYI)  When you see a STOP slide, stop and complete the check in.  When you see an unfamiliar word, ASK or look it up.  ASK if you have questions.

 Function of the female reproduction system:  Produce an fertile egg  Produce hormones  Reset the ovulation cycle  Transport the egg and sperm to the site of fertilization  House, protect, and grow a fetus and placenta  Birthing of the fetus

 Estrous vs. Estrus  Estrous: the entire cycle that occur between when the animal goes into heat and ovulation.  Estrus: the period of standing heat. The female is sexually receptive to the male.  Ovulation: Occurs when the egg is released from the follicle to be fertilized.  Oocyte = egg

 Vulva  Vagina  Cervix  Uterus  Oviducts & Infundibulum  Ovaries  Corpus Luteum  Follicles & Eggs Look at this picture & predict structure function

 WHAT:  “Entranceway” of the female reproductive tract  Only part visible from the outside  WHY:  Swells and becomes reddish-pink during estrus ▪ Response due to estrogen  Allows for penetration and insertion to reproductive tract

 WHAT : flattened tube; passage between the cervix and the vulva  WHY :  1. Site of semen deposition during natural insemination  2. Used as passageway for instruments during AI  3. Produces mucus (lubricant) - flushes out irritants and infectious agents  -common site of infection

 Vagina Species Differences: ▪ Only the bull and ram will deposit sperm here ▪ Boar and Stallion deposit sperm in the cervix at the opening of the uterus  Vulva: ▪ Left and Right Labia: 1 st defense against bacteria entering the reproductive tract Left Labia Right Labia Anus

 WHAT: the muscular “valve” or “control gate” between the uterus and the vagina  Made of muscular folds that slow down invading materials  These folds have ‘dead ends’ that trap foreign substances  WHY: Completely closed except during estrus and parturition (birthing) to prevent foreign substances/infection.  Opens during estrus/parturition to allow for young/sperm  During pregnancy, a hard mucus plug “glues” it shut

Forms a VERY tight barrier between itself and the uterus  Species Differences in the Shape of the Cervix:  Cow, Ewe, Nanny: Annular Rings  Sow: Corkscrew Shape  Mare: Longitudinal Folds  Species Differences between Males:  Stallion and Boar will deposit sperm here at the opening of the cervix  Ram and Bull deposit sperm in the vagina

Annular Rings Annular rings

 UTERUS WHAT: Womb  Muscular, capable of “enormous expansion”  Has to support up to 80 kg / 177 lbs of weight  UTERUS WHY: Where fetus grows  Uterine Horns WHAT:  The extensions on either side of the uterus ▪ Curl like ram horns  Uterine Horns WHY: Connect to Oviducts

 Simplex ▪ Uterine body has NO uterine horns ▪ Example: primates and humans  Duplex ▪ Two cervices that form into two uterine bodies and two uterine horns ▪ Example: marsupials and rabbits  Bicornuate ▪ Two uterine horns ▪ Depending on the species will either have poorly developed uterine horns or highly developed horns ▪ Development depends on litter size ▪ Larger the litters the longer and more developed the uterine horns ▪ Smaller the litters the shorter and less developed the uterine horns ▪ Example: ALL Livestock ▪ Sow, Bitch, Queen: Highly Developed Uterine Horns ▪ Cow, Ewe, Mare: Poorly Developed Uterine horns

Uterine Horn Oviduct Cervix Uterine Body

 WHAT: tubes that carry eggs from ovaries to uterus  Kept shut tight except during ovulation and insemination  WHY: Where fertilization occurs  Egg moved from the ovaries down the oviduct by cilia (microscopic hairs)  Motile sperm meet the egg in the upper part of the oviduct  Newly formed zygote stays in the oviduct 3-4 days  This time is needed for the uterus to prepare itself

 WHAT: Latin for “funnel”  The end projection of the oviducts that surrounds, but does not connect to, the ovaries  WHY: “Funnels” eggs from ovaries into oviduct.

 WHAT:  Small walnut-shaped ovals 4-6 cm / 2-3 inches in length  Contain thousands of ova (plural of ovum, or egg cell) ▪ These were created before the birth of the cow ▪ Has a finite supply, as do human females

 WHY:  Produce a mature ovum (oocyte) (egg) every 21 days  Produce/secrete hormones that: ▪ Control growth of egg ▪ Change cow’s behavior (gets her “in the mood”) ▪ Prepare reproductive tract for pregnancy ▪ Start parturition process (birthing) ▪ Prepare mammary glands for lactation

 Follicles – start as cavities (holes) on the ovary  An egg moves to this cavity.  It is surrounded by support cells and nutritive substances  All these things together are the follicle

 The cells that remain in the follicle after the egg is ovulated (expelled into the oviduct) become the corpus luteum (CL)  Corpus luteum translated = yellow body  Produces progesterone, a hormone which sustains the pregnancy (allows pregnancy to “progress”)  Occurs regardless of fertilization

 Female gamete (reproductive cell)  Haploid - half the number of normal chromosomes  Present prior to birth, but maturation occurs at puberty  Multiple eggs develop during a cycle, but only one matures

 Female Reproduction video Female Reproduction video

 What is a hormone?  Definition: a chemical messenger that travels to specific organs and prompts a specific response from the organ  Characteristics of Hormones: ▪ Low amounts are secreted  Important Hormones: (get down each & function) ▪ Estrogen ▪ Progesterone ▪ Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) ▪ Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

 Estrogen - Produced by: Ovary (Follicle) ▪ Regulate reproductive cycling ▪ Behavioral displays during estrus  Progesterone - Produced By: Ovary (Corpus Luteum) ▪ Essential for the maintenance of pregnancy  Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - Produced by: Anterior Pituitary in the brain ▪ Causes follicular growth in the ovary  Luteinizing Hormone (LH) - Produced by: Anterior Pituitary in the brain ▪ Responsible for causing ovulation ▪ Stimulating the Corpus Luteum(Follicle stage) to secrete progesterone

 Estrous: the entire cycle that occur between when the animal goes into heat and ovulation.  Estrus: the period of standing heat. The female is sexually receptive to the male.  Luteal Phase:  Diestrus: ▪ Peak Progesterone Production  Proestrus ▪ Formation of follicles  Follicular Phase:  Estrus ▪ Sexual receptivity ▪ Peak Estrogen secretion  Metestrus ▪ Corpus Luteum Formation P 4 = Progesterone E 2 = Estrogen

 Vulva: swollen due to estrogen, covered in mucus  Vagina: excess mucus production  Cervix: dilates to allow acceptance of semen (otherwise locked shut with hardened mucus to prevent infection)  Oviducts: open to allow ovulation, fertilization  Ovaries: ovulation – release of the follicle (egg and some supporting cells) from the ovary  number of young that a female can produce at one time is determined by how many eggs are released during ovulation  ovulation usually occurs at the end of a heat/estrus MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THESE !

 Closed Cervix – cervix does not open to allow fert.  Retained Placenta – afterbirth stays in cow  Damaged Oviduct (due to excess palpation)  Freemartins – heifer exposed to male hormones  Cystic ovaries – growth/swelling of ovaries  Infection – varies  Anovulation – lack of ovulation  Metritis – inflammation of lining of the uterus

A B CD F E

Female Reproductive System in Poultry The functional parts of the female poultry reproductive tract includes one ovary, an oviduct, and the cloaca.

Female Poultry Reproductive Tract

Mature female poultry have only one functional ovary; the right ovary and oviduct degenerate and cease functioning before the bird reaches sexual maturity. The ovary appears as a cluster of tiny, gray balls that are the oocytes.

At maturity, the ovary contains up to 4,000 tiny oocytes from which ovum may develop over time. An ovum develops by collecting lipid particles from the blood to form the yolk.

The yolk contains fat for energy and some protein and other nutrients needed by the developing embryo, as well as, a small white dot called the blastodisc that contains the genetic information supplied by the female.

When mature, the yolk is released by the follicle and engulfed by the infundibulum. The oviduct is about 25 inches long and consists of five parts: the infundibulum, the magnum, the isthmus, the uterus, and the vagina.

Infundibulum – funnel-like part of the oviduct that receives the yolk and is the site of fertilization. Magnum – second part of the oviduct that secretes the thick white or albumen. Isthmus – third part of the oviduct that adds the two shell membranes.

Uterus – the fourth part of the oviduct that secretes the thin white, the shell, and the shell pigment. Vagina – the last part of the oviduct that holds the egg until it is laid.

From the oviduct, the egg passes to the cloaca and then out of the body through the vent at the time of laying.

In addition to producing ova, the ovary produces the female sex hormone, estrogen, and the hormone androgen. The androgen hormone stimulates comb growth and works with other hormones in egg production.

In poultry, the functions of estrogen include: stimulating the growth of the oviduct, increasing the size of the cloaca during egg laying, modifying feather shape and pigmentation of the female, and increasing the level of fat, phosphorus, and calcium in the blood.

 Length of the estrus cycle is species specific  Cattle 18 – 24 days  Swine 18 – 24 days  Sheep 14 – 20 days  Horses 16 – 30 days  Goats 15 – 24 days  Dogs 3 ½ - 13 months  Cats 14 – 21 days

 Estrus by species  Cattle – 14 hrs  Swine – 2-3 days  Sheep – hrs  Horses – 6 days  Goats – 42 hrs  Dogs – 6-12 days  Cats – 6-7 days

 Stands to be mounted  Frequent urination  General nervousness BE SURE YOU KNOW THIS

 Cattle – 283  Swine – 113  Sheep – 150  Horses – 336  Goats – 151 CONVERT THESE TO MONTHS – BE SURE YOU KNOW THEM!

 Initiated by hormones secreted by the offspring.  Oxytocin from the posterior pituitary gland travels to the muscles of the uterus to cause contractions.  Pressure against the cervix will neurologically message the pituitary.  Fluids from the fetal membranes will lubricate the cervix and vagina for ease of offspring passage.  The final phase of parturition is the expulsion of the fetal membranes or afterbirth.

 Hormone Reference Hormone Reference  Female Organ Reference Female Organ Reference  Waterford PowerPoint Template Waterford PowerPoint Template