Oestrus and oestrus detection Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the signs of a oestrus in the cow

A
  • Swelling of vulva, mucus discharge (may be bloody)
  • Chin pressing
  • Brawling, restless
  • Reduced milk yield
  • Mounts other cows
  • stands to be mounted
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2
Q

Describe the signs of oestrus in the mare

A
  • Vulval oedema and mucoid discharge
  • Elevated tail and lean hindquarters towards stallion
  • Winking of clitoris
  • Flehmen response in stallion
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3
Q

Describe the signs of oestrus in the bitch

A
  • Standing to be mated
  • Deviationof tail
  • Discharge paler in colour
  • Reduction in vulval oedema
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4
Q

Describe the signs of oestrus in the queen

A
  • Increased vocalisation, rubbing and rolling
  • Increased activity and will seek tom
  • Possible slight mucoid vulval discharge
  • Standing to be mated, lordosis
  • Tail erect and deviated to side
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5
Q

In all species, what is the main challenge in management of inseminatio/mating?

A

If oocyte not fertilised within 24 hours of ovulation, will age and will no longer be able to be fertilised

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6
Q

What is the main challenge with timing of insemination/mating in cows?

A
  • Oestrus short and tightly regulated to time of ovulation so can inseminate/mate at oestrus onset
  • However, oestrus detection can be difficult (often middle of the night)
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7
Q

What is the main challenge with insemination/mating in sheep?

A
  • Are mated throughout oestrus by ram usually (runs with flock)
  • But need to ensure ratio is correct
  • Insemination requires laparoscopy so is uncommon
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8
Q

What is the main challenge with insemination/mating in pigs?

A
  • Housed separately, presented for mating
  • Oestrus detection important, tight window of ovulation
  • Not well defined when ovulation occurs following onset of oestrus (2/3rds of way through)
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9
Q

What is the main challenge with insemination/mating in mares?

A
  • Problematic as ovulation occurs 1-2 days before end of oestrus, but oestrus length is variable
  • Return to oestrus also variable
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10
Q

What is the main challenge with insemination/mating in bitches?

A

Oestrus variable, signs relate poorly to time of ovulation

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11
Q

List the main methods for oestrus detection in the cow

A
  • Examine/observe >4 times a day to see behaviour
  • Detection aids: Kamars, pedometers, Estrotect, GPS, elctronic noses
  • Use van Eerdenburg’s scoring
  • Low plasma/milk progesterone
  • Detection of large follicle
  • Fall in body temp, reduction in vaginal pH, crystalisation patterns in vaginal mucus
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12
Q

What is van Eerdenburg’s scoring?

A

Method of adding up behavioural signs to decide when to serve (serve when signs add up to more than 50)

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13
Q

What factors may inhibit oestrus activity in the cow?

A
  • Hard, non-supportive floor
  • Concrete reduces oestrus behaviour
  • High environmental temperature
  • Overcrowding
  • Recent mixing/stress
  • Feeding (food distracts)
  • Lameness
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14
Q

What is the benefit of ovulation synchronisation in the cow?

A

No need for oestrus detection

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15
Q

Describe ewe oestrus signs

A
  • Restless
  • Stands for ram
  • Vulva swollen, mucoid discharge
  • Induces flehmen in the ram
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16
Q

Describe signs of oestrus in the sow

A
  • Vulva swollen and congested prior to oestrus
  • Seeks boar
  • Stands firmly to be mounted
  • Restless with repetitive grunts
  • Pacing and searching
  • Lowered feed intake and loss of appetite
  • Male-like sexual behaviour
  • Increase in vaginal mucus
  • Response to boar pheromones
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17
Q

Describe prooestrus in the bitch

A
  • Very long (9 days)
  • attactive to male but no mating
  • Vulval swelling
  • Presence of serosanguinous discharge
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18
Q

How is oestrus detected in the bitch?

A
  • Clinical assessment
  • Assessment of vaginal epithelial cells (cytology)
  • Assessment of vulval softening
  • Examination of the appearance of the vaginal wall
  • Plasma progesterone concentrations
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19
Q

Describe the most defining characteristic of cytological oestrus in the bitch

A
  • Predominance of superficial cells
  • Most but not all bitches undergo full cornification
  • Smear reveals monotonous pattern composed almost excusively of anucleat superficial cells
20
Q

What effect does progesterone have on oestrus behaviour and during met/dioestrus?

A
  • Inhibits oestrus behaviour
  • Prepares uterus for pregnancy
  • Closes cervix
  • Blocks LH surge
21
Q

What effect does the wave of FSH have on in dioestrus?

A
  • Stimulates development of antral follicles and selection of dominant/ovulatory follicles
  • Increased oestradiol and inhibin leading to decreased FSH and degeneration of subordinate follicles
22
Q

What hormonal changes occur at the end of dioestrus in the non-pregnant animal and what is the effect?

A
  • Release of uterine PGF2a
  • Causes luteolysis
  • Decreases progesterone
  • Increased oestradiol from ovulatory follicle-
  • Stimulates LH surge allowing next ovulation to occur
23
Q

Define anoestrus

A

Without cyclcicity

- Can be normal (dog) and is not the same as silent heat

24
Q

What may cause anoestrus?

A
  • Gestation
  • Lactation/presence of offspring
  • Seasonality
  • Ovarian pathologies
  • Normal in monoestrus breeders
25
Q

What is silent heat?

A

Ovulation with limited signs of oestrus

26
Q

When and why does silent heat often occur?

A
  • Often at first oestrus after seasonal anoestrus/parturition
  • No progesterone prining, no progesterone fall and no sudden release of oestrogen or LH suppression
  • In cows may be due to negative energy balance or breed
27
Q

Describe vaginal cytology of the bitch in anoestrus

A
  • few layers of cell lining vagina
  • Small number of epithelial cells on smear
  • Mostly parabasal or small intermediate cells
  • Other cells may also be present as remnants of previous monoestrus phase
  • Number of cells increases prior to prooestrus
28
Q

Describe vaginal cytology of the bitch in prooestrus

A
  • INcreased number of cell layers of vaginal epithelium
  • Overal thickening of vaginal mucosa
  • Cells present on surface of vagina change in shape and size
  • Variation in staining characteristics
  • Cells larger and more irregular in shape
29
Q

Describe the vaginal cytology of the bitch in oestrus

A
  • Increase in dead cornified cells
  • Easily removed as smear sample taken
  • Mucosa changes from cuboidal to keratinised squamous epithelium
30
Q

What is the cornification index?

A

A quantitative assessment for determining the stage of oestrus cycle a bitch is in based on proportion of keratinised cells in vaginal smea

31
Q

Describe the vaginal cytology of the bitch in metoestrus

A
  • Sloughing of vaginal epithelium
  • Number of cell layers decreases, deeper cells uncovered
  • %age of large, irregularly shaped, anuclear cells decreases
  • Polymorphonuclear leucocytes absent in fertile period but reappear at end of fertilisation period
  • In fertilisation period, vaginal smear dominated by small intermediate cells, cellular debris, bacteria and polymorphonuclear leucocytes
32
Q

What stage of the oestrus cycle will the bitch be in 3 months after the end of oetrus?

A

Anoestrus

33
Q

What stage of the oestrus cycle will a non-mated cow 10 days from last oestrus be in?

A

Dioestrus (luteal phase)

34
Q

What stage of oestrus will the mare in November be in?

A

Seasonal anoestrus

35
Q

What stage of the oestrus cycle will the ewe in September be in after exposure for several weeks to vasectomised ram?

A
  • Onset of cyclicity (could be anywhere in cycle)
36
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous PGs to a bitch in anoestrus?

A

NO effect, no CL to act on

37
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous PGs to a cow in dioestrus

A
  • Come into oestrus
  • Due to luteolysis
  • Can be used to synchronise herd
38
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous PGs to a mare in seasonal anoestrus?

A

No effect, no CL to act on

39
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous PGs to a ewe in early luteal, mid luteal and late luteal phase?

A
  • Early: no effect, first 5 days in luteal CL not responsive to PGF2a
  • Mid: luteolysis and return to oestrus
  • Late: little effect, already producing endogenous PGs
40
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the anoestrus bitch?

A
  • No effect

- Nothing for progesterone to act on (no active HPG acis to inhibit)

41
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the dioestrus cow?

A
  • Extension of luteal phase

- If primary Cl regressed when progesterone removed then will be rapid return to oestrus

42
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the mare in seasonal anoestrus

A

No effect, no gonadotrophins to influence

43
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the ewe in follicular phase?

A

Delay ovulation, withdrawal leads to ovulation and return to oestrus

44
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the ewe in early, mid luteal phase?

A
  • Early: already progesterone in system, coincides with withdrawal of endogenous
  • mid: extension of luteal phase, primary CL likely to regress but may persist after withdrawal
  • Can be used to synchronise the flock
45
Q

What is the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone for 10 days, then withdrawal in the anoestrus ewe?

A

Bring back to cyclicity