Animal Reproduction

Conditions for Fertilization

■ Anatomy of Male & Female must

be compatible
■ Female must be in Heat
■ Egg must be mature
What is the function of the Male?

■ produce large numbers of live sex cells

(spermatozoa)
■ contribute 1/2 chromosomes
 What are the Male Reproductive
Organs?
■ Testicles - produce spermatozoa & male hormone
Testosterone
■ Scrotom - sack which carries testicles
– functions as a heat regulator
■ Monorchid - one fertile testicle
■ Cryptorchid - both testes remain in body cavity
(sterile)
■ Castration - removal of testicles
– lack sex drive
– gain weight quicker
 What are the Male Reproductive
Organs?

■ Epididymis - tube connects to testes

■ storage of spermatozoa (200
billion at a time)
■ spermatozoa mature as they
migrate through
■ Vas Deferens - tube connects to
epididymus
– if removed, can't reproduce = vasectomy
 What are the Male Reproductive
Organs?

■ Urethra - begins at bladder and continues

through penis
■ Sigmoid Flexure - "S" shape in urethra
allows for extension of penis outside of
body for reproduction
 Accessory Sex Glands

■ prostate
■ two seminal vesicles
■ two cowpers glands
 What is the function of the
Accessory Sex Glands?

■ provide medium for transporting

sperm
■ adds volume
■ provides nutrients
■ cleans & flushes urinary tract
 Artificial Insemination

Class ml/ejaculate Sperm Conc No. Females

Bull 5-6 800-1,200 300-500

Ram 1 800-4,000 40-100

Boar 200-300 25-1,000 15-25

Stallion 50-150 30-800 8-12

 What is the function of the
female?

■ contribute 1/2 chromosomes

■ care for young in uterus and after
birth until weaning
 What are the Female
Reproductive Organs?

■ Vulva - exterior portion of reproductive

tract
■ provides visual signs of heat
■ Vagina - between vulva & cervix
– Cows & Ewes: semen is deposited here
– Mares & Sows: semen is deposited in the cervix
 What are the Female
Reproductive Organs?

■ Cervix - "Mouth of the womb"

■ opening into uterus
■ at birth cervix stretches to allowbaby to
pass (most painful part)
■ during pregnancy cervix becomes blocked
with a mucous plug to prevent infection
 What are the Female
Reproductive Organs?

■ Uterine Horns - two branches of uterus

■ Fallopian Tube - uterine horn becomes a
small tube
– lined with cilia which aid in egg migration
 Ovaries

■ located at end of fallopian tubes

■ possesses large number of eggs in all stages
of development
■ this is all the eggs she will ever have, unlike
the male
■ very few eggs reach maturity
■ if not fertilized, the egg is reabsorbed by the
body
 Reproduction in Males

■ After sexual maturity, sperm production is

continuous
■ Testosterone is responsible for:
– growth, development & activity of accessory
glands
– survival of spermatozoa
– secondary sex characteristics:male voice, sex
drive
 Reproduction in Males

■ Semen - collective term for all fluid

ejaculated
■ sperm and fluid from accessory
glands
 Reproduction in Females

■ Farm animals reach sexual maturity at 4

months (sow) to 24 months (mare), then
❶ Female comes in heat (estrus)
❷ Egg released by ovary
❸ Egg travels down tube until fertilized by
sperm
■ Estrogen - female hormone which regulates
estrus
 What does "in heat" mean?

■ Heat is the time when a female is receptive

to the male and will allow breeding to take
place
■ Heat is actually divided into 4 phases of the
cycle.
 Estrous Cycle:

❶ Proestrus: ovary is about to release an egg

❷ Estrus: female receptivity
❸ Metestrus: uterus prepares for pregnancy
– fertilized egg attaches to uterus
❹ Diestrus: longest period of cycle
– inactive
■ Estrous Cycles stop after conception, and
begin soon after Parturition (birth)
Females also show external signs
of "Heat"

■ aggressive behavior
■ swelling and/or color change of vulva
■ Beef Terms
■ A Mature Male is called a:
Bull
■ A Mature Female is called a:
Cow
■ The act of Giving Birth is called:
Calving
■ Gestation =
283 days
■ A Castrated Male is called a:
Steer
■ An Immature Female is called a:
Heifer
■ What do you call a mature male hog?
Boar
■ What do you call a mature female hog?

Sow
■ What do you call the act of giving birth?

Farrowing
■ What do you call a castrated male hog?

Barrow
■ What do you call an young female hog?

Gilt
■ What is the gestation for hogs?
■ Poultry Terms
■ What do you call a mature male?

Rooster
■ What do you call a mature female?

Hen
■ What do you call a young female?

Pullet
■ What do you call a castrated male?

Capon
■ Chickens Hatch
■ What is the incubation period?
■ What do you call a mature male horse?
Stallion
■ What do you call a mature female horse?

Mare
■ What do you call a castrated male horse?

Gelding
■ What do you call a young horse?

foal or colt
■ What do you call an immature female
horse?
Filly
■ What do you call the act of giving birth for
horses?
Foaling
■ What is the gestation for a horse?

330 days