1. Female Reproduction

2. Instructions
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.

3. Ensure you are in a position where you can focus/learn in a respectful way. Then begin.

4. Female Reproduction 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

5. Important Terms 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

6. Female Repro Structures
Vulva
Vagina
Cervix
Uterus
Oviducts & Infundibulum
Ovaries
Corpus Luteum
Follicles & Eggs
Look at this picture & predict structure function

8. Map of the Bovine Repro Tract

9. Obtain a diagram of the female reproductive tract from the front table
Obtain a diagram of the female reproductive tract from the front table. Glue it in your notes, as you go through the slides label the LOCATION and FUNCTION of each part.

10. Vulva WHAT: WHY: “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

11. Vagina 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

12. Vulva and Vagina – FYI Vagina Species Differences: Vulva:
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: 1st defense against bacteria entering the reproductive tract
Anus
Left Labia
Right Labia

13. Cervix
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

14. Go to printer area and complete CHECK IN #1

15. Cervix - FYI 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

16. Cervix of a Cow, Ewe, or Nanny
Annular Rings
Annular rings

17. Go to advisement corner and complete CHECK IN #2

18. Uterus & Uterine Horns
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

19. Uterine Horns – FYI – 3 Types
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

20. 3 Types –FYI Photos

21. Livestock Uterine Horns – FYI
Uterine Body
Cervix
Oviduct
Uterine Horn

22. Oviducts (Fallopian Tubes)
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

23. Infundibulum 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.

24. Go to counter by animal lab door and complete CHECK IN #3

25. Ovaries 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

26. Ovaries (cont.)
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

27. Go to wooden classroom table near door and complete CHECK IN #4

28. Follicles 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

29. Corpus luteum
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

30. Egg (ovum) 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

31. Questions? Help a classmate…. If not procede and watch video as a class

32. Female Reproduction Video

33. Discuss – then proceed with notes

34. Hormones 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)

35. Hormones 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

36. 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.
Luteal Phase:
Diestrus:
Peak Progesterone Production
Proestrus
Formation of follicles
Follicular Phase:
Estrus
Sexual receptivity
Peak Estrogen secretion
Metestrus
Corpus Luteum Formation
P4 = Progesterone
E2 = Estrogen

37. How they change during estrus
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 !

38. Review with a partner – parts of female reproductive tract & signs of estrus / estrus changes

39. Anatomical Disorders
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

40. In notes star which you think are the “worst” two

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

42. Female Poultry Reproductive Tract

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. 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.

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

50. 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.

51. 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.

52. Questions? If not proceed

53. The Estrus Cycle - FYI 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

54. Common Signs of Estrus By Females
Stands to be mounted
Frequent urination
General nervousness
BE SURE YOU KNOW THIS

55. Gestation Rates in Days
Cattle – 283
Swine – 113
Sheep – 150
Horses – 336
Goats – 151
CONVERT THESE TO MONTHS – BE SURE YOU KNOW THEM!

56. Parturition or Birth – FYI (We will discuss this more later)
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.

57. Reference Websites used
Hormone Reference
Female Organ Reference
Waterford PowerPoint Template