Female Equine and Bovine Reproductive Organs

Question 1

compare the differences in length of uterine body and uterine horns in the cow and mare

Answer 1

bovine: short body, long horns

equine: horns and body approximately equal length

Question 2

compare the differences in the ovary of the cow and mare; in which species do the follicles and corpora bulge from any surface on the ovary? what is an ovulation fossa?

Answer 2

bovine: follicles and corpora bulge from the surface of the ruminant ovary and can be identified from the surface

equine: follicles and corpora lutea are embedded within the ovary, deep to the THICK tunica alnuginea in the mare, and are NOT easily identified from the surface
-ovulation fossa is the only place from which the mare can ovulate, where the germinal epithelium reaches the surface and thinner tunica albuginea

Question 3

describe the ovarian bursa of the equine and bovine

Answer 3

ovary not tightly enclosed with a distinct ovarian bursa like the bitch, bursa is kinda large and floppy

Question 4

describe the intercornual ligaments in the cow; which one is larger?

Answer 4

dorsal intercornual ligament

ventral intercornual ligament (larger)

both used to retract/pull the uterus into the pelvic cavity during rectal palpation

Question 5

compare the uterus of the bovine and mare

Answer 5

bovine: has permanent endometrial elevation called caruncles

mare: NO caruncles

Question 6

compare the differences in the cervices of the cow and the mare; which species has annular rings/transverse folds AND longitudinal folds in the cervix?

in which species can you pass a catheter or pipette through the cervix, even when not in estrus?

Answer 6

bovine:
1. normal cervix tightly closed except during estrus
2. cervical canal has multiple longitudinal folds and 3-4 thick, rigid folds called annular rings/transverse folds that PREVENT passage of a catheter or pipette through the normal bovine cervix when not in estrus

mare:
1. normal cervix tightly closed except during estrus
2. equine cervical canal has multiple longitudinal folds that can be manually dilated, allowing passage of a catheter or pipette through even when not in estrus

Question 7

which species has a suburethral diverticulum? which species has a transverse fold/hymen covering their external urethral orifice?

Answer 7

bovine: suburethral diverticulum, ventral to the external urethral orifice (sows also have)

mare: transverse fold, vagina starts that this fold

Question 8

which species has a prominent transverse preputial fold? which species has clitoral sinuses that you need to swab to test for a bacterial STD?

Answer 8

equine

transverse preputial fold: covers the clitoral fossa

clitoral sinuses: approximately 3 at the glans of the equine clitoris

Question 9

what additional blood supply do the mare and cow have to their uteruses because of their large fetuses?

Answer 9

they have an additional uterine artery from the external iliac artery (equine) or internal iliac artery (bovine)