Reproduction Flashcards
Animal management systems are based on what?
The female reprodictive system. Whether a female needs to be bred, is pregnant, or is about to give birth.
What is the primary function of males? Do farms keep a lot of males?
To provide spermatozoa for breeding. A lot of farms dont even keep males around!
Give a basic run down of the reproductive cycle. Female side
Estrus, gestation, birth, lactation, weaning, rebreeding.
What structures are involved in female anatomy?
Ovary
Oviduct
Uterus
Cervix
Vagina
Vulva
Describe the ovary
Considered the control center.
Contains thousands of growing follicles
Each follicle contains an ovum or egg.
Receives a rich supply of both blood vessels and nerves.
What is Dr. Flowers rule about organs?
If it is important, there will be a lot of blood supply.
How many eggs are women born with? What about males?
All of them! Males are constantly producing more sperm.
In which ovary can you not see any structures??
A mare! It is closed.
Take a second and reflect on the differences between swine ovary, cow, goat, horse, ect.
Good job!
What do follicles respond to?
Hormones called gonadotropins.
Describe follicles and how they work!
They either die (become atretic) or ovulate and release their eggs.
Most will die before they ovulate.
What does CL stand for?
Corpus Luteum
Describe the corpus luteum
Form from the tissue that remains after a follicle has ovulated.
-Produce a number of hormones associated with pregnancy.
-Progesterone is their primary product.
What does corpora lutea mean in latin?
Yellow body.
What does CA stand for?
Corpus Albicans
Describe the Corpus Albicans.
-Scar tissue left behind after the Corpus luteum dies or regresses.
-It is avascular, non-functional tissue.
What does the CA get its name from?
Being small, hard, and white.
Give a quick run down of ovulation.
Follicule grows, ovulates and releases the ovum, Luteal forms, luteal dies or regresses and forms an albicans.
How do you know if you are looking at a follicle?
They look like blistes.
Describe the Oviduct!
Funnel shaped organ.
In all animals except the horse, the oviduct surrounds the ovary.
Describe the end of the oviduct
Specialized end near ovary is called the fimbria.
The fimbria picks up ovulated eggs.
What is the anterior end of the oviduct called?
Ampulla
What is the posterior end of the oviduct called?
isthmus.
In most animals, what happens in the oviduct?
Fertilization and early embryonic development.
What is the Uterus? Decribe the physicality.
Glandular inner lining surrounded by two layers of muscle.
Very very musculary
Longitudinal and Circular layers.
What is the uterus’ role?
Responsible for maintenance of pregnancy!
What does the uterus do hormonaily?
Releases a hormone that regresses luteal tissue.
Contains a hormone when its time to terminate pregnancy.
Of all of the female reproductive parts, which has the most variation?
The uterus! Shaped a little difference for everyone.
Remember why the horse may have a bigger uterus.
Only one baby. Big baby that needs to be supported.
Take a second to remember what a pig uterus looks like. And a cow.
What does a sow uterus look like? Why??
Very small uterine body but very very large horns. They have litters and young is small. They need a lot of space but not a lot of support.
What is the cervix?
A thick muscular organ.
What does the cervix do?
Its the gateway from the vagina to all of the internal parts. It serves as protection. Isolates the uterus from external enviroment during pregancy.
In what animals is semen deposition happen in the cervix?
Pigs. Cats.
If you see a bladder, what is it normally connected to?
The cervix!
What is the vagina?
Part of the birth canal.
Site of semen deposition in most animals.
How does the vagina help protect the reproductive system?
Acidic secretions kill invading microbes and protect uterus.
Describe the vulva
The outside portion of the female genitalia.
What is the role of the vulva?
Involved with recognition of receptivity and with the production of female pheromones.
What does male anatomy involve?
Testicle
Epididymis
Vas Deferens
Secondary sex glands
Penis (Urethra)
Sheath
Describe the structure of testicles.
A series of tubules (Seminiferous tubles)
Similar to spaghetti in a balloon. (Ew)
What is the role of testicles?
Produce spermatozoa.
Produce hormones like testosterone, androgens, ect…..
How are testicles and ovaries similar??
Both produce hormones and the gametes.
What is the epididymis physically?
A continuation of the tubule in testicle.
It wraps around the testicle, remember?
Why does the epididymis exist?
Specialized for maturation and storage of spermatozoa.
How does the epididymis work?
Immature sperm enter the epididymis.
During their passage through, they become mature.
What is something really important to remember about testicles and the epididymis?
ALL sperm in the testicles are immature and incapable of fertilization!!
If you get sperm directly from the testicle, it will not be viable.
It is in the epididymis that sperm aquire fertilization confidence.
Describe the Vas Deferens
A muscular tube with a small diameter.
What is the role of the Vas Deferens?
Passage for sperm from epididymis to urethra during ejaculation.
Main and only function is transport.
How does a vasectomy work?
The vas deferens is cut. Sperm is still produced, but can not get out.
what are the three secondary sex glands?
Seminal vesicles
Prostate
Bulbourethral glands.
What do these secondary sex glands do??
Produce fluid!
They produce and secrete the liquid portion of semen.
What is important about the liquid of semen?
It supports the function of sperm when it exits the male and while it is in the female.
What are the seminal vesicles always surrounding?
The bladder!
Where is the bulbourethral gland located?
After the seminal vesicles at the very beginning of the penis.
What is semen?
A suspension! (it is sperm cells in seminal fluids)
When is semen created?
When sperm is combined with fluid. That is it!
Is semen in the epididymis?
No! Just concentrated sperm cells. No liquid.
How does sperm become semen?
The testicles and epididymis do not produce semen! Just sperm.
Sperm leaves the epididymis, travels through the vas deferens to the urethra.
Secondary sex glands secrete fluids into urethra that mix with sperm. That creates semen!
Which secondary sex gland creates the most fluid?
The seminal vesicles.
Describe the penis.
The male reproductive organ.
Central canal is the urethra
Specialized to deposit semen in female reproductive tract.
What is the urethra a common exit for?
reproductive and urinary system!
What is the sheath?
Specialized pouch in which the penis remains when not in use.
Protects the penis.
In some animals, what does the lining of the sheath do?
Involved in male pheromone production.
What is the sheath comparative to on the female system?
The vuvla! Both protect and produce pheromones.
Give a run down of the order of a male reproduction system.
Testicle, epididymis, vas deferens, past the bladder to the urethra, seminal vesicles feed in, Prostate gland feeds in, Bulbourethral glands feed in, penis.
