Section 6: Camelid Flashcards
describe the camelids uterus
bincornuate
left uterine horn slightly longer than the right
how does the uterus appear in the llama in nonpregnancy?
body is short, not clearly differentiated from base of either horn on ultrasonography
on ultrasound examination, what is the camelid ovary similar to?
ovary of the cow
what is the size of the camelid ovary?
25mm by 12mm by 10mm
how large are ovulatory-sized follicles in llamas?
10mm
what is the camelid cervix like?
two or three irregular annular or spiral folds
20-50mm long
external os protrudes into vagina
when is the onset of puberty in the female camelid?
5 months to 2-3 years
from what age does ovarian activity occur in the female camelid?
from around 10 months
what type of breeders are camelids?
nonseasonal, some seasonality seen in wild types
induced/reflex ovulation
what type of ovulators are camelids generally?
mono-ovulatory
when does ovulation occur in the camelid?
24-30 hours post-copulation
can spontaneous ovulations occur in camelids?
sometimes
what induces ovulation in the camelid?
copulation: friction of the hooked glans penis, resulting in inflammatory reaction
release of LH
ovulation-inducing factor in semen
orgling noise
what is the ovulation-inducing factor in camelid semen?
GnRH like substance absorbed from uterus
when does the progesterone rise occur?
day 3-10
when does luteolysis occur after a non-fertile mating?
begins 9 days after
corpus luteum regresses at day 10
can the left horn or right horn affect both ovaries due to the vascular difference?
left horn
what does receptivity to breeding depend on?
low progesterone
estrogen in the absence of progesterone
do camelids have estrous cycles?
no- induced
what is the inter-wave interval of follicular growth?
12 days
what are the stages of follicular growth?
small
growing
mature
regressing
what is the minimum ovulatory size?
7mm
how long do luteinized follicles last?
5 days
delays onset of new dominant follicle for 5-7 days
will a single examination reveal if a follicle is growing, mature, or regressing?
no
what will camelids do if they are not receptive?
spit off
where is the scrotum in the male camelid?
level of ischial arch
how large are the testes of the camelid?
small
where does the prepuce point in camelids?
caudally
what accessory sex glands do male camelids have?
ampulla
prostate
bulbourethral gland
what type of penis do male camelids have?
fibroelastic
cartilaginous tip
where is the stream of urine directed in male camelids?
back between the legs
when may fertile spermatozoa be produced?
10-12 months
when does the penile-preputial attachment detach?
8% by 1 year
70% by 2 years
all by 3 years
what are the options for semen collection of the male camelid?
electroejaculation
specialized artificial vagina using a dummy
aspirate or scoop vagina of female after copulation
where does the male camelid ejaculate the semen?
directly into uterus
penis gradually traverses cervix and enters uterine body/horns
what is the total breeding time of camelids?
10-50 minutes
what is the volume of the camelid semen?
2-10 mls
what are some reproductive problems in male camelids?
testicular hypoplasia
cryptorchidism
hydrocoele
testicular degeneration
orchitis
neoplasia
how often do you tease/breed when doing hand/appointment breeding with camelids?
once every 7 days until “spit off”
start teasing 14 days post-breeding
when does the embryo enter the uterus?
day 5-6
what happens at day 12-14?
apposition and attachment
what is the gestation length of camelids?
335-365 days
11.5 months
where are 95-98% of camelid pregnancies established?
left horn
what maintains pregnancy in the camelid?
corpus luteum
how common are twins in camelids?
rare
how common are dystocias in camelids?
rare
what is unique about the camelid chorioallantois?
amnion lies adjacent to chorion, like cow
water will not break first (allantoic fluid)
what are the signs of parturition in camelids?
minimal:
little change in udder
slight vulvar relaxation
waxing of teats
changes in milk calcium
when does parturition occur in camelids?
between sunrise and midday
what is the length of stage one of parturition in camelids?
less than 6 hours
when is treatment required for retained fetal membranes?
more than 24 hours after fetus expelled
when is involution of the uterus complete by?
3 weeks
when can camelids be bred back?
14-21 days postpartum
how long are lochia (fetal fluids and placental remains) expelled?
7-10 days
what progesterone levels in blood or milk indicate pregnancy?
> 6nmol/L
what is the most common/reliable way to diagnose pregnancy?
ultrasound
when can pregnancy be diagnosed via ultrasound in the camelid?
day 12-14
when is the degree of curl of the uterine horns maximal and minimal?
luteal: maximal
follicular: minimal
how large is the mature corpus luteum in the camelid?
13mm
where can ovulation take place on the camelid ovary?
anywhere on surface
are follicles and the corpus luteum palpable in camelids?
yes: protrude distinctly from surface
from what age does sexual receptivity occur in camelids?
from around 12 months
what is puberty in female camelids dependent on?
attaining 2/3 of adult body weight
are camelids multi-ovulatory or mono-ovulatory?
generally mono-ovulatory
when does progesterone rise after copulation?
day 3-10
what does it mean that the camelid has differential luteolysis?
right horn only affects right ovary
left horn can affect both ovaries due to vascular difference
luteinizing hormone response to copulation depends on ___________________________
follicle size/growth stage
how long do luteinized follicles last (regressing follicles luteinize instead of ovulating)?
5 days: delays onset of new dominant follicle for 5-7 days
what is a negative to aspirating or scooping a vagina for semen?
usually poorer quality
what are the negatives of using electroejaculation for semen collection?
variable quality
variable concentration
requires sedation
what percentage of camelid semen is normal morphology?
> 70%
what is the viscosity of camelid semen and why does this matter?
highly viscous
leads to slow progressive motility
what does the penis do during copulation?
gradually traverses the cervix and enters uterine body/horns
is camelid pregnancy dependent on the corpus luteum throughout pregnancy?
yes
when does maternal recognition of pregnancy occur in the camelid?
day 10 or before
what type of placenta do camelids have?
diffuse/microcotyledonary epitheliochorial
what are some signs of stage one of parturition?
humming
restless
urination
off feed
how long does stage two of labor last?
60-90 minutes
how long does stage three of parturition last?
45 minutes to 3 hours
how can pregnancy be diagnosed in camelids other than ultrasound?
no return to receptivity
progesterone levels
oesterone sulfate
relaxin
