Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the terms for each male species when entire?
Horse = stallion
Cow = bull
Pig = boar
Sheep = ram
What are the terms for each species when castrated?
Horse = gelding
Cow = steer
Pig = barrow
Sheep = wether
What are the 8 structures of the male reproductive tract?
- 2 testes
- 2 epididymis
- 2 ductus deferens
- scrotum
- accessory sex glands
- urethra
- penis
- prepuce
What is the structure of the testes?
- different position in each species
- contains mass of seminiferous tubules separated by interstitial tissue
- seminiferous tubules are lined with spermatogenic and are sertoli cells
Position of the testes in the bull?
- near the sigmoid flexure of the sigmoid
- scrotum is elongated and pendulous
Position of the testes in the boar?
- caudal to the sigmoid flexure just ventral to the anus described as being perineal
Position of the testes in the horse?
- the long axis of each testis is virtually horizontal
- testes are held close to the abdominal wall
What is the descent of testes?
- usually complete by birth or very soon after
- the testes is guided down into the scrotum via a fibrous cordlike structure called the gubernaculum
What is it called where an animals testes fail to descend?
- cryptorchid
- likely to be heritable and they can develop abdominal tumours so advised to be castrated and retained testical removed
What 4 male structures are in a similar location in each species?
- epididymis
- ductus deferens
- scrotum
- inguinal canal
What are the 4 accessory glands?
- ampullae
- vesicular glands
- prostate gland
- bulbourethral gland
What is the ampullae?
- enlargement of the last part of the ductus deferens
- well developed in the stallion, bull and ram
- not present in the boar
What is the vesicular gland?
- paired glands
- pear shaped and hollow in the stallion
- in the bull, ram and boar are lobulated and of a considerable size
What is the prostate gland?
- unpaired gland which surrounds the urethra and has multiple ducts which empty into the urethra
- produces an alkaline solution that gives semen its characteristics smell
- heart shaped in boar
- h shaped in stallion
What is the bulbourethral gland?
- paired glands on either side of the urethra just cranial to the ischial arch
- these are very large in the boar
Structure of the penis in the stallion?
- musculocavernous penis
- has a predominance of blood sinuses instead of connective tissue
- the stallions penis is flaccid when not erect
Structure of the penis in ruminants and pigs?
- fibroelastic penis
- the trabeculae of the tunica albuginea make up the bulk of the penis which makes the penis firm even when not erect
What is the structure of the glans penis in the bull and ram?
- have a helmet shaped glans
- the external opening of the bull opens into a twisted groove
What is the structure of the glans penis in the boar?
- small
- has a twisted end
What is the urethral process and which species is it present in?
- a free portion for the urethra that project beyond the glans
- the stallion and ram
What is the structure of the prepuce in the stallion?
- double fold so 2 layers surround the penis when it is retracted
What is the structure of the prepuce in the boar?
- has a pouch dorsal to the prenuptial orifice
- the pouch collects urine, secretions and dead cells, which contribute to the distinctive smell of the boar
What are the terms given to each female of the species?
Horse = mare
Cow = cow
Pig = sow
Sheep = ewe
What are the 3 functions of the female reproductive tract?
- produce ova and deliver to the site of fertilisation
- provide an environment for the development and growth of the embryo
- expel the foetus at birth