Week 1

Metestrus (metestral bleeding) and indicates cow has gone through heat and ovulated. NOT THAT THE COW IS PREGNANT

What stage if the bovine estrous cycle is bleeding often seen and what does it indicate?

1 calf/cow/ year. Difficult because the gestation period of bovines is around 280 days so only 85 days to get cow pregnant

What is the breeding goal of dairy/beef programs and why is ti difficult?

Standing to be mounted

What its the primary sign of estrus in bovines?

Attempting to mount other cows, clear mucus discharge (bull string), valvular swelling and hyperemia, bellowing, restlessness, trailing other cows, and resting china on other cows

What are some secondary signs of estrus in bovines?

Estrus detection aid that is placed on the rump of the cow. When the cow stands for 2-3 sec it will change to a red color indicating standing→ estrus

What is a Kamar heat mount detector ?

Estrotect and tailhead paint both will indicate how often a cow is getting mounted. Estrotect is more expensive while paint is more economically accessible

How is estrotect heat detector and tailhead paint different and similar?

Pedometer

What estrus detection aid is used for secondary estrus signs?

A term referring to the highly efficient breeding program where the cows are inseminated close to the start of the breeding season, ensuring calves come out earlier in the calving season and are allowed to grow for a longer period of time.

In bovine reproduction programs, what does “front end loaded” mean?

PGF2a, progestogen, and GnRH based programs

What are the three based programs for bovine estrus synchronization programs?

Begin estrus

What will occur 3-5 days after a PGF2a injection in a sync program in bovine?

A responsive CL

In a 2 shot PGF2a sync program in bovine, what will be present in both responsive and non-responsive cows at the time of the second injection?

Natural prostaglandin product used to induce luteolysis

What is dinoprost (Lutalyse) used in bovine breeding programs?

Luprostenol

Of dinoprost, cloprostenol and lupreostenol, which is the most potent and would require the least amount in PGF2a sync programs?

She will not respond to the injection because there will be no CL to respond to

What is the most likely outcome if you give an anovular cow an injection of PGF2a and why?

Cycling and responsive

PGF2a programs work only in ___?____ animals with a ____?____ CL.

Cycling and non-cycling

Progestagen based programs work in both ___?____ and non-____?____ animals.

Exogenous progest mimics the luteal phase → inhibiting LH secretion and ovulation

What is the mechanism behind progestogen based sync programs?

Melengestrol acetate (MGA) pros- cheap, inc weight gain, feed efficiency, and suppression of estrus. Con- Need to monitor animal feed intake and can lead to inaccuracies → estrus

What is an exogenous progesterone food additive mentioned in class that is FDA approved in cattle to suppress estrus in heifers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of its use?

OvSynch, Selectsynch, and Co-synch programs

What are the three GnRH based programs in cattle?

OvSynch

What is the most common GnRH protocol used in dairy cows?

Day 0: GnRH analogue injection - induce ovulation or luteinization of dominant follicle

Day 7: PGF2a - induce luteolysis and sync estrus of cows in herd

Day 9: GnRH analogue - Trigger ovulation and sync ovulation of cows in herd

Day 10: Fixed timed artificial insemination

In the OvSynch protocol, what occurs at each day and what are each of these events purposes?

Selectsynch and chosen more often due to less handling events

What is the GnRH protocol of choice for beef cattle and why is this chosen more often than other protocols?

Co-synch has only 3 handling events because the second GnRH injection is given same time as fixed artificial insemination. Ovsynch- 10 days. Co-sunch - 9 days

What is the difference between Ovsynch and Co-synch GnRH protocols?

Ram/buck effect and hormonal methods (PGF2a and Progestins)

What are two common methods for synchronization of estrus in small ruminants?

The introduction of a novel ram/buck to a herd of ewes/does, after the ewes have been isolated from sight, sound, and smell of bucks for 4-6 weeks, will cause the flock to begin estrus within 3-4 days

What is the ram/buck effect in small ruminant breeding programs?

Controlled internal drug release - used to control the release of progestins into the female body to halt estrus. Estrus will begin 48 hrs after CIDR removal

What is CIDR and what is it used for in ruminant reproduction programs?

A teaser buck/ram with a marking harness

The signs of estrus can be very subtle in sheep and goats. What example from lecture can be put in place to make a goat/sheep in estrus more visible?

A male goat/sheep that has a vasectomy. Often used in small ruminant breeding programs to find/mark ewes/does that are in estrus and can be used to induce cyclicality

What is a teaser buck/ram and what are they used for?

Back pressure test or riding, immobile stance with erect ears and lordosis, seeking out boars and pink, swollen v*lva

How can one detect estrus in a pig (gilt/sow)?

Boars produce pheromones that can have different effects on gilts or sows. Boars will walk past pigs and do nose to nose contact (10 min daily exposure is required). Time to effect- 2 weeks

What is the boar effect in porcine breeding programs? What and when will it elicit?

Stimulate the onset of puberty

What is the “primer” effect boars can have on gilts?

Facilitate the detection of estrus

What is the “signaler” effect boars can have on gilts and sows?

PGF2a programs because CL are refractory to the effects of PGF2a until day 11-12

What estrus synch program works in ruminants but not in porcine?

A mare that has never foaled before (usually good chance of conception unless older)

What is a “maiden” mare?

Hasn't conceived this breeding season or in past breeding seasons (reduced fertility)

What is a “barren” mare?

Upright, good apposition of the vulvar lips, and have more than 2/3rds - 3/4ths of the vulvar length below the base of the pelvis.

What should a normal vulva look like in a horse?

To ensure the divider is intact between the anus and the v*gina. If not, can lead to infection

Why might a clinician palpate the perineal divider of a mare?

Caslicks surgery

What surgery can be performed to correct an abnormal perineal conformation ?

Transrectal palpation and ultrasound

After evaluation of the perineal conformation, what is the most logical next step in the breeding soundness evaluation?

Leading edge of the uterus (uterine bifurcation)

Unlike the cervix in bovine, what is used as a landmark in transrectal palpation in mares?

Estrus- Low progesterone and high estrogen cause the Cervix to be soft and low muscle tone (wilted rose)

Diestrus- high progesterone tightly closes the cervix and cause it to be firm and have high muscle tone

How can the texture and tone of the cervix be described as in estrus and diestrus of a mare? What hormones controls these changes?

10 and 2 o’clock close to the body wall

Where on the clock analogy are the ovaries located in the horse?

Bladder is lined with goblet cells which produce mucous

Why may the bladder appear isoechoic on an ultrasound of a mare?

Endometritis

Too much edema or edema during diestrus can be a sign of what in a mare?

Pulling the vulva lips apart and normally seeing the pink seal. If the vestibulo-vaginal junction is incompetent, one can hear air rushing in once lips are parted

What is the wind sucker test in mare BSE?

Tail hairs of a horse are sharp and can cause laceration, but can also carry feces or dirt

Why is it important to wrap the tail of a horse during a vaginal exam or before foaling?

A speculum is used to pear inside the vaginal canal with the goal of seeing the cervix and ensuring there is no lacerations present. One may see the intestines if there is a laceration on the cervix

What tool is used to examine the vagina and why may one see the intestines?

Estrus- “wilted rose” on the floor of the vagina, pink and moist

Diestrus- Tighter and relatively dorsal/cranial pale and dry

In a mare, what will the cervix look like when they are in estrus? Diestrus?

During diestrus when the cervix is tightly closed and more easily palpated and manipulated

When is manual/digital examination of the cervix of a mare best done and why?

First for culture and sensitivity. Second for cytology

What is the first and second endometrial swab used for?

Parabasal, intermediate, superficial, and anuclear

What does PISA stand for in vaginal cytology?

Estrus

You perform a vaginal cytology and find mostly cornfied cells. What stage of the estrous cycle is this bitch most likely in ?

Large, dead, superficial squamous epithelial cells with flat, angular borders and shrunken (pyknosis) or absent nucleus (karyolysis)

What does the term cornified mean on vaginal cytology?

At least 10 hpf should be analyzed and count number of neuts. If number is greater than 1 neutrophil /hpf than its indicative of endometritis

How many high powered fields (hpf) should be analyzed on vaginal cytology and how many neutrophils could indicate endometritis?

Urine and air

What are common non-infectious causes to endometritis in mares?

Base of uterine horn

Where should an endometrial biopsy be taken in a mare?

Foreign body retrieval and ablation of endometrial cysts

What are some reasons to perform hysteroscopy in mares?

The migration process can be blocked not allowing the embryo to bounce around the uterus. This can lead to a failure of maternal recognition and termination of pregnancy.

If endometrial cysts are left unnoticed in a mare during embryonic transuterine migration, what can they cause?

Ampulla, prostate, cowpers (bulbourethral) gland and seminal vesicles

What accessory reproductive organs do bulls have?

The first time a bull produces an ejaculate with at least 50 million sperm/mL with at least 10% progressive motility

When is a bullock considered a mature bull?

12 months

When is the average age of puberty in a bull?

60 days. Important to know this because if bull was tested and was not sound for breeding at that time (due to inf or something) its important to know when the next sperm viability test should be done.

How long is the average duration of spermatogenesis and why is that important in BSE of bulls ?

2 months prior

When should BSE be performed on a bull in relation to breeding?

libido and serving capacity

What does a routine bull BSE not evaluate?

Preputial scraping

Where do Trich or vibrio reside on a bull and would need collection from this area to test?

1:35

What is a healthy cow to bull ratio?

Legs, eyes and teeth (aging)

What areas of the bull should be paid close attention to on a BSE other than testicles?

Carpus to hock

There is an imaginary line for where the prepuce should not pass on a bull. What structures does this line extend between?

Total sperm production and bulls with higher SC produce daughters who attain puberty quicker

What two things does large scrotal circumference indicate?

Artificial vagina and electroejaculation

What tools are used in semen collection mentioned in lecture?

Skim milk (horse), milky or creamy, slight chlorine smell, and pH of 6.2-6.8 (acidic)

What is the normal parameters of sperm?

Infection or standing for awhile

Why might a sperm sample have a low pH?

30%

What is the minimum recommended threshold for individual motility of sperm in a bull?

70% morphologically normal

What is the minimum recommended threshold for morphology of sperm?

Pink

What color do dead sperm stain on cytology?

Testicular degeneration

What might spermatogenic cells on cytology indicate when evaluating sperm?

Campylobacter fetus subspecies venerealis infection

What is a common venereal bacterial disease in bulls?

Tritrichomonas foetus

What is a common venereal protozoal disease in bulls?

Streptococcus zooepidemicus

What is the most common bacteria that will can cause endometritis in mares?

To young or a mature bull who had a recent disturbance in spermatogenesis

Why might a bull who didn’t pass his BSE get deferred?

Brucella ovis and cull

What venereal disease is common in rams/bucks and what will happen to them?

Brucella

What disease can cause morphological disturbances to sperm or disrupt spermatogenesis?

Pre-ovulatory luteinization will steadily increase progesterone levels prior to LH surge and subsequent ovulation

In most mammals, progesterone will rise after ovulation. What is different in canines?

Progesterone

What hormone is used as a marker for pregnancy in canines?

2 days

How long after LH surge will a bitch ovulate?

Putting tale to one side after perineum is touched

What does it mean if a bitch is flagging?

Pink/red, moist and swollen and progressively becomes pale pink and develops wrinkles. Estrogen peak causes vascularization and inc cell permeability leading to redness and edema. Dominant cell parabasal to intermediate to superficial

What does the vaginal mucosa appear like in proestrus, what cells dominate and why does this appearance occur?

Pale pink/ white, very wrinkled (“cobblestone”) with angular folds. Vaginal epithelium is very thick and cornified. Dominant cells: anuclear with some superficial

What does the vaginal mucosa appear like in estrus, what cells dominate and why does this appearance occur?

Pink and less swollen and wrinkled. CL produces progesterone which causes decrease in cornification, epithelial thinning, loss of wrinkles. Dominant cell parabasal and intermediate

What does the vaginal mucosa appear like in diestrus, what cells dominate and why does this appearance occur?

Pale pink, smooth, moist with minimal edema/folding. Hormones are low leading to appearance. Dominant cells: parabasal

What does the vaginal mucosa appear like in anestrus, what cells dominate and why does this appearance occur?

Proestrus

What stage of the estrus cycle in canines would RBC be common to find on vaginal cytology along with increasing numbers of cornified cells, while on vaginoscopy one can see vulvular swelling?

Turgid (swollen and firm due to edema)

Describe the uterus appearance in a cow in estrus .

Turgid (swollen and firm due to edema)

Describe the uterus appearance in a cow in estrus.

Flaccid

Describe the uterus of a cow in diestrus.

Tonic due to the uterus of a horse having muscle (still firm)

Describe the uterus of a mare in diestrus and why it has that appearance?

Must be placed within the uterus because there is less sperm and it allows for less obstacles like the cervix

In canine AI options where must chilled/frozen semen be placed and why?

Best to transport after ovulation because transportation can be stressful which will increase cortisol, which will decrease the amount LH → decreasing the likelihood of ovulation

When is the best time to transport the female canine in natural breeding scenarios and why?

Bulbous glandis

What part of the penis gets stuck in the female in canine breeding?

Latex and rubber

What materials are lethal to sperm that are common in vet hospitals?

Elevated to allow gravity to guide sperm toward oviduct and feathering stimulates the vulva and allow for oxytocin release which will increase uterine contractions

Why is it necessary to feather the vulva after AI of a canine while their hindquarters are elevated?