Reproduction Flashcards
What type of oestrous cycle does a cow have?
Polyoestrous
What is a polyoestrous oestrous cycle?
Occurs regularly throughout the year
What hormones are high and low in the follicular phase?
Oestrogen is high, progesterone is low
Describe when the luteal phase begins including hormones involved and duration of cycle.
Begins after ovulation. Corpus luteum develops. High progesterone low oestrogen. Ends with luteolysis. 80% of cycle.
What is the duration of oestrous cycle in cow?
21 days
Which of the following is correct? Ovulation occurs ___ after onset oestrous.
a) 14- 20 hours
b) 24 -30 hours
c) 34-40 hours
b) 24-30 hours
How long does oestrous last in the cow?
18 hours
Do you know the hormones endocrinology of the bovine oestrous cycle?*
See graph on lecture notes
How long does it take for us to be able to see follicles in ultrasound?
7 days (follicles >3mm)
Define luteolysis. What happens with hormones at this stage?
Decomposition/lysis of corpus luteum. Decline in progesterone. Oxytocin.
What hormones and events are associated with parturition initiation?
Fetal cortisol is main trigger. Leads to oestrogen, PGF2 alpha & relaxin release. Oxytocin stimulation (pressure, contractions).
What time is normal for placenta expulsion?
12 hours
How long does it take for the uterus to repair after parturition?
30 days (reduce size, sloughing, re-epithelialisation, bacteria removal)
When is optimum fertility achieved post partum?
60-90 days
What factors determine the fate of preovulatory follicle if it will ovulate or become atretic? *
Decreased LH = atretic (starves)
Surge LH = ovulation then develop into CL.
Which of the following endocrine changes within circulation best describes changes around parturition?
a) Increase cortisol, decline progresterone, increase oestrogen, PGF2alpha & relaxin
b) Increase cortisol, progesterone & oestrogen, decrease PGF2alpha & relaxin
c) Decline in cortisol, progesterone, oestrogen, PGF2alpha & relaxin
d) Increase cortisol, progesterone, oestrogen, PGF2alpha & relaxin
e) Decline in cortisol, oestrogen and increase progesterone, PGF2alpha & relaxin.
a) Increase cortisol Increase oestrogen Decrease progesterone Increase PGF2alpha (E2 stimulated) Increase relaxin
A new wave of follicular development in ruminants begins with recruitment. Which accurately explains the concentrations of hormones in recruitment?
a. ) High FSH, low LH, low oestrogen, low inhibin
b) Low FSH, high LH, low inhibin and oestrogen
c) Low FSH, moderate LH, low inhibin, moderate oestrogen
d) Low FSH, high LH, inhibin and oestrogen
e) High FSH, high LH, high oestrogen, high inhibin
d) High FSH High LH High Oestrogen High inhibin *Remember need high LH to grow. FSH, E2 and inhibin decreases as it grows.
Which day of the oestrous cycle does luteloysis occur?
Day 16-18
How many follicluar waves do you normally expect to see in an oestrous cycle in a cow?
2-4
What is the interval between LH surge and ovulation?
24-28 hr
What is the interval from oestrous to ovulation?
24-32 hr
What is the average oestrous duration in the cow?
10 hours usually
Why would the gestation length of a calf with a malformed small brain be longer?
Smaller adrenal glands (not as much cortisol secretion to stimulate parturition).
Why is heat detection so important?
Economic cost.
Rely on 1 calf per year.
Correct insemination
What is the major sign used to detect oestrous in cow?
Cow standing allowing to be mounted.
List some secondary signs of oestrous behaviour other than being mounted.
Mounting others. Vulval discharge Restlessness Sniffing Licking Chin resting Poor milk let down Rub marks
How would you describe a SAG?
Sexually active group.
Group of cows mounting.
What will the concentrations of P4, E2, LH & FSH be during oestrous?
Low progesterone
High oestrogen
Increase pulses LH
Increases FSH with LH
What are some factors affecting oestrous behaviour?
Number of cows in oestrous Environment Stress Lameness Moving animals Climate
What is silent heat?
Cow in oestrous but not being mounted.
How can we improve heat detection?
ID, record keeping, behaviour, heat detection aids, train staff, nutrition.
What are some advantages & disadvantages of tail paint?
Cheap, easy to apply along the tail.
Needs to be reapplied every 5-7 days.
What is Kamar?
Rump mounted oestrous detection device. (pressure pushes red fluid through)
Adhesive.
Can get false positives (rubbing on branches etc), expensive.
What is Estrus alert?
Scratchie like rump mounted oestrous device.
Falls off, difficult to interpret.
Why would you use a pedometer to detect oestrous?
Walking activity peaks during oestrous.
Very expensive. Walking to the dairy
What does a high level followed by low level of progesterone concentration indicate?
Cow gone from dioestrous into oestrous.
What is a submission rate?
% of cows submitted for AI.
Higher rates = better oestrous detection.
What is the target submission rate?
For year round herds = 73%
Split calving herds = 86%
You are evaluating reproductive performance in seasonal calving dairy herd. 69% cows submission rate. What should the % be? What are some causes of this rate? How would you fix it?
Should have 86% submission rate.
Low submission rate from poor oestrous detection, poor nutrition, non-cycling cows.
Use heat detection aids, progesterone (milk sample), AI feel cervix.
What are some advantages & disadvantages of AI?
Adv: genetics, disease control, choice, safety
Disadv: cost, management, skill, reduce repro performance.
Define conception rate
% oocytes during oestrous that are fertilised.
=no. inseminations causing pregnancy x 100 / no. inseminations
What is in calf rate?
% animals diagnosed pregnant.
eg. 6 week in calf rate - % cows diagnosed pregnant first 6 weeks breeding.
Where do you deposit semen in AI?
Body of uterus
What is impact of fertility inseminating too far past cervix and uterus?
Reduced - all semen deposited only in one horn.
What are some diseases bulls must be free of?
Tuberculosis
Johne’s
Lepto
How many times can you collect semen from a bull per week?
3 times per week
What is the average sperm amount and volume of bull semen?
Volume 4mL
0.5 to 4 billion sperm
How much semen does frozen straws carry?
Depends on if they’re 1/2mL or 1/4mL (most common).
16 straws from one semen sample.
What is the effect of dose of sperm on pregnancy?
Pregnancy rate increases until reaches a threshold.
What is minimum amount of sperm per insemination required?
5-10 x 10^6 live sperm
Double the amount for frozen sperm (assume 50% die)
What is the minimum standard sperm post thawing?
30% sperm alive and 30% of these alive sperm progressively motile.
What is the risk of splitting straws to reduce insemination costs?
You are halving the dose of sperm from 5-10 x 10^6 to whatever dose you get. Also risk sperm settling to bottom - inseminating ejaculatory fluid only.
What is the optimum time for AI?
4-14 hours post onset of oestrous
How do we know when to AI if we don’t have good ONSET of oestrous detection?
Inseminate cows then when oestrous is detected at all.
What temperature should frozen semen be maintained at?
-100 degrees Celsius
What happens if sperm is not kept frozen at -100 degrees C?
Get recystalisation and damage to sperm membranes
How do we thaw frozen samples?
Remove then AI within 15 mins.
Put in water bath 32deg for 30-60sec.
Why do we synchronise oestrous?
Use of AI.
Reduce need for oestrous detection.
Shorten calving to conception interval.
Define an ideal oestrous synchronisation treatment.
High response.
Precise synchrony.
Eliminates behavioural oestrous detection.
Economical.
What do we need to synchronise oestrous? (Think in the cow).
Decline progesterone.
Preovulatory LH surge.
Follicles at similar stages.
Follicles normal fertility.
How do we start synchronisation of oestrous treatment?
Synchronise new wave emergence via induce atresia OR ovulation (depending on follicle).
Atresia - oestrogen & P4
Ovulation - GnRH
What happens when cows are treated with progesterone and oestrogen at the same time?
Atresia of growing follicles.
3-4d later get new wave emergence.
Why would we treat cows with GnRH?
Cause ovulation.
Get CL formation and new wave emergence 1-2 d later.
How do we end synchronisation of oestrous treatment?
Synchronise the decline in progesterone.
Give PGF2 alpha.
How do we ensure synchrony continues once we have synchronised oestrous?
Can synchronise preovulatory LH surge to induce ovulation.
Give oestrogen OR GnRH OR eCG.
What is the risk of giving eCG to induce ovulation?
Increased twinning rate
Why do we restrict dominance of follicle before AI?
Want oocyte at optimum fertility. Do this by giving progesterone to limit length.
How do we ensure optimum progesterone concentrations post ovulation?
Induce ovulation at adequate fertility.
Give eCG.
Put the following in the correct order:
- synchronise P4 decline
- synchronise new wave emergence
- get optimum progesterone concentrations
- ovulate oocyte with optimum fertility
- synchronise preovulatory LH surge
- Synchronise new wave emergence
- Synchronise P4 decline
- Synchronise preovulatory LH surge
- Ovulate oocyte optimum fertility
- Get optimum P4 concentration
What are the 3 different synchronization protocols?
PG programs
Progestns
GnRH based systems
Why administer PG during synchronisation?
Induce luteolysis.
Only works in cows that have CL.
What are some advantages & disadvantages of PG program?
Adv- easy admin, variety, fertility, economical.
Disadv- only CL present, not in non-cycling cows, health issues
What are Closprostenol (Juramate) & Dinoprost (Lutalyse) examples of?
Prostaglandin F2 alpha commercially available.
Why is there variation into oestrous from PGF2alpha admin?
Depends on follicle stage.
When do you give PG when doing a one shot protocol?
5-7 days
How many days interval do you wait to administer PG for PG synchrony program?
14 day interval.
So give PG then wait 14 days then PG the detect oestrous & AI.
What precautions should you take when using PGF2alpha to synchronise oestrous?
Abortion in pregnant cows.
Health/safety issues to humans - respiratory, abortion, asthma.
At what stage of cycle is PGF2alpha most likely to cause luteolysis?
Day 5-18 of cycle
What % of cows in randomly cycling group would you expect to enter oestrous after PGF2alpha injection?
____
When do we use CIDR or Cue-mate devices?
Progesterone based systems used to synchronise oestrous. Increase progesterone conc. acting as artificial CL.
How should we disinfect intrauterine devices?
Autoclave, pressure hose, disinfectant soak (sodium hypoclorite)
How does putting in an intrauterine device then giving PGF2alpha 7-8 days after synchronise oestrous?
Providing constant levels of progesterone while follicle is developing then the PGF2alpha synchronises progesterone decrease leading to oestrous.
What is the best method of oestrous synchrony for anoestrous cows?
Progesterone based systems
Provide an example of protocol using intravaginal progesterone insert.
Give GnRH with intravagina progesterone device then PGF2alpha 7 days later.
How long do you usually use an IVD for?
7 days
Why do we use GnRH based protocols?
Low conception rates, simple, effect non-cycling cows, intermediate cost
Describe the OvSynch protocol?
GnRH then 7 days PGF2alpha then 2 days GnRH then 7 days later AI.
GnRH - induces ovulation
PGF2alpha-luteolysis and dominant follicle grows.
GnRH - ovulation AI 16 hrs later!
Why do two injections of PGF2alpha at the end of Ovsynch make it more successful?
Increase pregnancy rates.
Reduces injection times.
When should you use Ovsynch?
Poor heat detection
Not continuously detecting heat
Anoestrous treatment
What’s the positive of adding a CIDR/Cue-mate to Ovsynch protocol?
Some cows not in appropriate heat time. Stops some cows from entering oestrous so that more cows can be synchronised.
Why do we resynchronise oestrous cycle?
Synchronise retrun to oestrous after AI
What are the 2 treatment philosophies of resynchronising oestrous?
Resynchronise WITHOUT pregnancy testing or WITH pregnancy testing.
Give an example of a resynchrony program.
Give oestradiol benzoate with IVD then after 8 days administer PGF2alpha and can AI.
How do we resynchonise without use of oestradiol?
Use normal synchrony program eg. Ovsynch then resynchronise by giving GnRH (induce ov.) then pregnancy scanthen give GnRH and AI.
What’s the difference between co-synch and ovsynch protocols?
Ovsynch - AI next day after final GnRH administeration.
Co-synch - AI immediately when give GnRH.
Where do cysts of vulva/vagina arise from?
Cysts from remnant of mesonephric ducts.
Don’t affect fertility.
Does a double vulva affect fertility?
No, one is patent.
Is there any clinical significance of a congenital vulvar wattle?
No. Owner way think it’s hermaphrodite.
Define uterine unicornis.
Aplasia of paramesonephric duct. Fertile or infertile.
In general reproductive system cysts are usually only a problem when?
They cause blockage.
What are some reasons for haemorrhage in vaginal discharge?
Normal after oestrous onset.
Abortion/changes in pregnancy.
What conditions can arise from poor vulval conformation?
Pneumovagina
Dystocia (poor labial closure)
How can we fix poor vulval conformation?
Caslick procedure
What is the most common neoplasia affecting the vulva?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What is hydrosalpinx?
Oviduct is distended with fluid
What causes hydrosalpinx?
Blockage
Segmental aplasia
Adhesions
There are tubular structures on the floor of the vagina. What are they and what’s their origin?
Cysts.
Originate from remnant mesonephric ducts.
Unilateral enlarged ovary palpated per rectum 35 days post calving. CL is palpated on left ovary. What are two possible conditions and how would you diagnose?
Granulosa cell tumour
Enlarged CL
What is freemartinism?
Twins placenta fuses and female gets masculinity, hypoplastic repro tract.
When does freemartinism occur in utero?
Day 40 placental fusion of twins.
While pregnancy testing dairy heifers you find a heifer with a difficult to locate repro tract and hypoplastic uterine horns. You suspect freemartinism. How do you confirm diagnosis and what is the cause of this condition?
Diagnose - clinical signs, PCR, history.
Cause - fusion of placenta during twinning of male & female foetuses.
What is anoestrous?
Failure of cows to enter oestrous/detected in oestrous