Female Reproduction

TEKS OBJECTIVES
• 130.7 (7) the student • Analyze the function of
explains animal genetics female reproductive
and reproduction. The systems for various
student is expected to: livestock
(A) describe the • Describe the female
reproductive systems of reproductive systems of
various livestock various livestock
FEMALE REPRODUCTION
• Job of the female reproduction system:
● Produce a fertile egg
● Produce hormones
● Reset the ovulation cycle
● Transport the egg and sperm to the site of fertilization
● House, protect, and grow a fetus and placenta
● Birthing of the fetus
IMPORTANT TERMS
• Estrous vs. Estrus
● Estrous: the entire cycle that occur between when the animal
goes into heat and ovulation.
● Estrus: the period of standing heat. The female is sexually
receptive to the male.
• Ovulation: Occurs when the egg is released from the
follicle to be fertilized.
• Oocyte = egg
• Ovarian Fossa: The spot of ovulation in the mare.
• Luteolysis: Dying of the Corpus Luteum
• Foliculogenesis: Process where immature follicles
develop into mature follicles
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT
• The female reproductive tract can be described as: tubular
or a series of tubes
● The tubular organs of the female reproductive tract are:
• Vagina
• Uterus
• Cervix
• Oviducts

• The tract is lined by a

layer called: Muscularis layer
● Function:
• transport sperm and egg to the site of fertilization
• contractions of the tract
• pushing the fetus out of the body during birth
FEMALE REPRODUCTION ORGANS
• Important Organs:
● Vulva and Vagina
• External Genitalia
● Cervix
● Uterus
• Uterine Horns
● Ovary
• Follicle
● Oviduct
VULVA AND VAGINA

• Vagina: Anus

● Location: Connects to the cervix to

external genitalia
● Function: Left Labia
Vulva
• Birth canal
Right Labia
• Place where sperm is deposited
• Site of urination
● Species Differences:
• Only the bull and ram will deposit sperm
here
• Boar and Stallion deposit sperm in the
cervix at the opening of the uterus
• Vulva:
● External tissue of the female
reproductive tract
● Receives the penis during copulation
● Organs:
• Left and Right Labia: 1st defense against
bacteria entering the reproductive tract
CERVIX
• Description:
● Forms a VERY tight barrier between itself and the uterus
● Different shapes for different species
• Location: Between the Vagina and Uterus
• Function:
● Lubrication for sperm transport
● Flushing of the Fetus
● Barrier against bacteria entering the uterus
• Species Differences in the Shape of the Cervix:
● Cow, Ewe, Nanny: Annular Rings
● Sow: Corkscrew Shape
● Mare: Longitudinal Folds
• Species Differences between Males:
● Stallion and Boar will deposit sperm here at the opening of the cervix
● Ram and Bull deposit sperm in the vagina
 CERVIX OF A COW, EWE, OR NANNY

Annular
Rings
Annular
rings
 OVIDUCT
• Location: In between the Ovary and Uterine
Horn
• Function:
● Transport of the ovulated egg and sperm
● Fertilization
● Early embryo development
• Consists of:
● Infundibulum: “Catchers Mit”
• Surrounds the ovary to catch ovulated eggs and
put them in the oviduct
● Ampulla
• Moves the egg and sperm through the oviduct
● Ampullary-Isthmic Junction (AI Junction)
• Site of Fertilization
● Isthmus
• Joins with the Ampulla to the Uterine Horn
● Uterotubal Junction:
• Joins the Oviduct to the Uterine horn
• Species Difference:
● Horse:
• Has a specialized oviduct that only
allows fertilized eggs into the uterus
UTERUS
• Location: Between the Oviduct and the
Cervix
• Function:
● Sperm transport
● Control of follicle growth cycles
● House and grow the embryo
● Expulsion of the fetus
• Consists of:
● Body and two uterine horns
• Types of Uterine Horns
● Simplex
● Duplex
● Bicornuate
UTERINE HORNS
• 3 different types:
● Simplex
• Uterine body has NO uterine horns
• Example: primates and humans
● Duplex
• Two cervices that form into two uterine bodies and two uterine horns
• Example: marsupials and rabbits
UTERINE HORNS (CONT.)
● Bicornuate
• Two uterine horns
• Depending on the species will either have poorly developed uterine horns
or highly developed horns
• Development depends on litter size
• Larger the litters the longer and more developed the uterine horns

• Smaller the litters the shorter and less developed the uterine horns

• Example: ALL Livestock

• Sow, Dog, Cat: Highly Developed Uterine Horns
• Cow, Ewe, Mare: Poorly Developed Uterine horns
UTERINE HORN

Oviduct

Uterine Body
UTERINE HORN

Oviduct

Cervix 1 Cervix 2

Uterine Body

Cervix 1 Cervix 2
 UTERINE HORN
2 Uterine Horns

Uterine
Body

Cervix Oviduct

Uterine Horn
HORMONES
• What is a hormone?
● Definition: a chemical messenger that travels to specific
organs and prompts a specific response from the organ
● Characteristics of Hormones:
• Low amounts are secreted
● Important Hormones:
• Estrogen
• Progesterone
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
HORMONES
• Estrogen
● Produced by: Ovary (Follicle)
● Function:
• Regulate reproductive cycling
• Behavioral displays during estrus
• Progesterone
● Produced By: Ovary (Corpus Luteum)
● Function:
• Essential for the maintenance of pregnancy
• Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
● Produced by: Anterior Pituitary in the brain
● Function:
• Causes follicular growth in the ovary
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
● Produced by: Anterior Pituitary in the brain
● Function:
• Responsible for causing ovulation
• Stimulating the Corpus Luteum(Follicle stage) to secrete progesterone
ESTROUS CYCLE: PHASES
• Follicular Phase:
● Proestrus and Estrus
● Ends at the time of
ovulation
● Peak Estrogen
• Luteal Phase
● Diestrus and Metestrus
● Starts at the beginning of
ovulation
● Peak Progesterone
• Luteolysis: Dying of the P4 = Progesterone
Corpus Luteum E2 = Estrogen
ESTROUS VS. ESTRUS
• Estrous: the entire cycle that occur between when the animal
goes into heat and ovulation.
• Estrus: the period of standing heat. The female is sexually
receptive to the male.
• Luteal Phase: P = Progesterone
4

● Diestrus: E2 = Estrogen

• Peak Progesterone Production

● Metestrus
• Corpus Luteum Formation
• Follicular Phase:
● Estrus
• Sexual receptivity
• Peak Estrogen secretion
● Proestrus
• Formation of follicles
OVARY
• Location: Connected to the oviduct
• Function:
● Storage site of the immature follicles
● Produce the ooctye(egg)
● Produce hormones:
• Estrogen
• Progesterone
• Follicle:
● The follicle is produced in the Ovary
● Houses the egg until ovulation.
• Species Difference:
● Horse:
• The horse will ovulate in the same place every cycle
• The horses ovary has an Ovarian Fossa which is the spot of ovulation in the
mare
FOLLICLE
• Ovulation: Occurs when the egg is released from the
follicle to be fertilized.
• Foliculogenesis: Process where immature follicles
develop into mature follicles
• Follicle Description:
● Every female is born with a certain amount of eggs or
oocytes that are stored in the ovary
● The follicle is produced by the ovary
● Each follicle contains 1 egg or oocyte
● The follicle produces estrogen
FOLLICLE CONTINUED
• Stages of Foliculogenesis:
● Primary Oocyte
● Secondary Oocyte
● Mature Oocyte
● Corpus Hemorragicum
• Ruptured Follicle
• Ovulation
● Corpus Luteum
● Corpus Albicans
• Degenerating Corpus Luteum
FOLLICLE CONTINUED
• Follicle Stages Before Ovulation:
● Primary Follicle:
• Most immature form of a follicle
● Secondary Follicle:
• Matured follicle
• More outer cell layers surrounding the follicle
● Mature or Graafian Follicle
• 1st stage to be capable of ovulation
• 1st stage to be capable of fertilization
FOLLICLE CONTINUED
• Foliculogenesis after Ovulation:
● Corpus Hemorrhagicum
• Known as the “bloody body”
• This is caused by the follicle ovulating (Releasing the egg) causing it
to bleed and look like a “bloody body”
● Corpus Luteum
• Yellow body
• Produces Progesterone
• Progesterone is REQUIRED for pregnancy

● Corpus Albicans
• Scar tissue
• This tissue forms on the ovary after the corpus luteum regresses and
disappears (luteolysis)
MALE REPRODUCTION
TEKS OBJECTIVES
• 130.7 (7) the student • Analyze the function of
explains animal genetics male reproductive
and reproduction. The systems for various
student is expected to: livestock
(A) describe the • Describe the male
reproductive systems of reproductive systems of
various livestock various livestock
MALE REPRODUCTION
• Function:
● Produce and deliver fertile sperm to the female reproductive
tract
● Produce the hormone Testosterone
• Job:
● Fertilize the female egg
IMPORTANT TERMS
• Fibroelastic Penis vs. Vascular Penis
● Fibroelastic:uses the sigmoid flexure and retractor muscle to
become erect
● Vascular: will fill with blood to become erect
• Thermoregulation: regulation of the temperature of the
testes to support fertile sperm production
• Cryptorchidism: when one or neither testes descend
into the scrotum during the fetal stages
• Convoluted: contains many veins
• Castration: procedure to sterilize a male
• Spermatogenesis: formation and growth of sperm
HORMONE
• Testosterone
● Produced by:
• Leydig Cells (found in the testicles)
● Function:
• Promotes spermatogensis
• Promotes secondary sex characteristics
• Example: horn growth or bright colored feathers in male birds
MALE REPRODUCTION
• Important Organs:
● Scrotum
• Tunica Dartos
● Spermatic Cord
• Ductus Deferens/Vas Deferens
• Pampiniform Plexus
• Cremaster Muscle
● Testicles
● Epididymis
● Penis
• Fibroelastic vs. Vascular
SCROTUM

• Houses the testes

• Function: Tunica Dartos
● Protection
● Temperature Regulation
Skin
(thermoregulation)
● Movement of the testes
Epididymis
• Layers:
● Skin
• Sweat Glands located here
• Thermal Receptors
● Tunica Dartos Muscle
• Assists in thermoregulation Testes
SPERMATIC CORD

• Description: highly convoluted

• Function: Pampiniform Plexus
● Suspend the testes in the scrotum
● Provide heat cooling system
• Houses:
● Ductus Deferens/Vas Deferens:
• Move fertile sperm from the tail of the epididymis
to the penis for ejaculation
• This is cut and causes a Vasectomy
● Pampiniform Plexus
• Composed of a testicular artery and veins that cool
the blood before circulating throughout the
scrotum
● Cremaster muscle
• Supports the testes
• Muscle that will pull testes up during a fight or
flight situation
• Holds testes up for a short period of time
TESTICLES

• Function:
● Produce Sperm
● Produce the hormone Testosterone
• Produce 1-25 Billion sperm
• Must be 3-6 degrees cooler than the
body to keep sperm alive
• Takes 45-60 days to produce fertile
sperm
TESTICULAR DESCENT
• In the Fetal stage the testes will descend into the scrotum
● This is important for proper sperm production and
temperature control
• Gubernaculum:
● Pulls the testes through the Inguinal Ring into the scrotum
• Inguinal Ring:
● Ring that is the opening between the body and scrotum
• Cryptorchidism:
● Def: Failure of one or both of the testes to descend through
the inguinal ring into the scrotum
● Unilateral Cryptorchidism: one testis does NOT descend
into the scrotum
• Results in reduced fertile sperm concentration NOT infertile Inguinal Ring

● Bilateral Cryptorchidism: Neither testes descend into the

scrotum
• Results in Sterility/Infertility
EPIDIDYMIS
• Function:
● Sperm Transport
● Sperm Maturation Ductus Deferens

● Storage of Sperm
• 3 Components:
● Head (Caput)
● Body (Corpus)
● Tail (Cauda)
EPIDIDYMIS CONTINUED
• Head (Caput)
● Entry point of produced sperm from
the testes
• Sperm are NOT motile
• Sperm are NOT fertile
• Body (Corpus)
● Maturation of Sperm
• Some expression of motility
• Some expression of fertility
• Tail (Cauda)
● Sperm Storage
• Sperm are motile
• Sperm are fertile
• 5-10 ejaculations are stored
• Sperm can bind to an egg
PENIS
Fibroelastic Penis

• Organ of fertilization of the

female
• 2 Types:
● Fibroelastic Penis
• Sigmoid Flexure (S-curve)
Sigmoid Flexure Retractor Penis
• Rectractor Penis Muscle Muscle

● Vascular Penis
• Species Differences:
● Fibroelastic Penis:
• Boar, Bull, and Ram
● Vascular Penis
• Stallion and Humans Vascular Penis
SPECIES DIFFERENCES
• Bull
● Fibroelastic Penis
• Ram
● Fibroelastic Penis
● Filiform Appendage
• Boar
● Fibroelastic Penis
● Nonpendulous & Inverted testicles (tail of epididymis is above the head of
the epididymis)
● Cork Screw Shape (match for the sows corkscrew cervix)
• Stallion
● Vascular Penis
• Bell Shaped Penis
● NO Sigmoid Flexure
PENIS CONTINUED
Filiform appendage
• Fibroelastic Penis:
● Extends in length by a muscle to penetrate
the female
● Retractor Muscle
• Helps with erection
● Sigmoid Flexure
• ‘S curve’ that holds penis within the body when
not erected or helps extend the penis when
erected
● Examples: Bull, Boar, and Ram
● Species Differences:
• Ram:
• Filiform Appendage: Sprays

sperm within the vagina for better

chance of fertilization
• Boar:
• Corkscrew shaped penis: Matches

the sows corkscrew shaped cervix

PENIS CONTINUED
• Vascular Penis
● Penisfills with blood to become erect
● Does NOT include sigmoid flexure
● Examples:
• Stallion
• Human
STERILIZATION TECHNIQUES

• Castration
● Removal of the testicles
• Vasectomy
● Cutting or severing of the Ductus Deferens
• Shortening of Spermatic cord
● Shortening of the spermatic cord to raise the testicles closer to
the body
• Raising the testicles closer to the body will cause the temperature to
become too hot causing sperm to die or become sterile
THERMOREGULATION
• Thermoregulation is important for the survival of fertile sperm
• Sperm will die if:
● Testes become too hot
• Testes need to be 3-6 degrees cooler than the body
• Heat will damage DNA within the sperm
• Heat will cause lower levels of fertility
● Testes become too cold
● Come in contact with blood
• Ways of thermoregulation
● Thermoreceptors located on the scrotum sends messages to the brain when too hot
or too cold
• Will cause panting to help dissipate heat from the body
● Sweat glands located on the scrotum will allow for cooling
● Tunica Dartos Muscle:
• Muscle layer beneath the skin of the scrotum will expand when too hot and will lift the testes
up towards the body if too cold
THERMOREGULATION CONTINUED
• How Thermoreceptors and sweat glands communicate
with the brain
SPERMATOGENESIS
• Definition: formation of Sperm
● Sperm are formed and grow within Ductus Deferens
the testes
● Within the testes sperm are grown
inside of the seminiferous tubules
within the lobules
• 2 Cell Types: Testes
● Leydig Cells:
• Produce testosterone
• Located outside the seminiferous
tubules
● Sertoli Cells:
• Protect and aid in growing sperm
• Aid in Spermatogenesis

• Located inside the seminiferous

SPERM TRANSPORT
1. Seminiferous Tubules Penis
2. Epididymis
1. Head
2. Body
3. Tail
3. Vas Deferens
4. Penis
5. Into the Female Tract
SPERM ANATOMY
• Head:
● Carries the DNA

• Mid-Section (neck)
● Structure Mid-Section
● Holds the head to the tail
Head

• Tail
● Motor
● Drives the sperm throughout
the male reproductive tract
and female reproductive tract Tail
to the site of fertilization
SPERM MEASUREMENTS
• Sperm is measured by Volume (mL) and Concentration
(x106/mL)
• Species differences:
Species Volume (mL) Concentration (x106/mL)

Ram 1 2000

Bull 10 1000

Stallion 100 500

Boar 200 250

Livestock Production

Announcem
ents:

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