Continuation on

Reproductive System
Prepared by: Cerela S. Looc
AG-CC113 Introduction to Animal Science
BSA 1C
February 7, 2022 (Monday: 5-6pm)
• When to bred or inseminate:
- Mating or insemination must be done at the time that the
ovulation would likely take place, or as close as possible to
the expected ovulation time.
- Too early insemination reduces conception rate due to the loss
of sperm viability
- The best time to inseminate is towards the end of estrus
- The duration of estrus is viable. When observed that the animal
is in heat, inseminate right away.
Cattle and carabao – ovulation takes place about 15-18 hours from the
end of estrus
Rule: estrus duration is carabao lasts from 5-36 hours (18 hours
average )
Swine – estrus duration is about 2-3 days; best to inseminate on the 2nd
or 3rd day of estrus
Mare – estrus duration is about 6-7 days; best to inseminate on the 4th
and 5th day of estrus

Sperm capacitation – the sperm cells reside in the female reproductive

tract before becoming capable of attaching to and penetrating
the ovum; believed to start in the uterus.

Two methods of fertilization

1. External fertilization – both parents expel their gametes into another
medium, such as water, without necessarily coming into contact
with each other.
2. Internal fertilization – the male deposits sperm inside the female
reproductive tract
- with three forms of development, depending on where embryonic
and fetal development takes place within the organism:
• Oviparity – the embryo formed inside the female is deposited outside her
body as an egg. After development, offspring hatch out of the egg and
directly into the environment. All birds and some reptiles are oviparous.
• Ovoviviparity – The embryo develops inside the female body although it
still obtains all nourishment from the egg yok. The young hatches fully
developed and are released from the female’s body. Many reptiles and
some fish undergo ovoviviparity.
• Viviparity – The embryo develops inside the female’s body and the young
obtain the nourishment from the female's blood, rather than egg yolk. The
young emerges fully developed from the female body. Almost all mammals
undergo viviparity.
 Gamete Cattle Horse Sheep Swine
longevity
(hours)
Sperm 30-48 72-120 30-48 34-72
Ovum 20-24 6-8 16-24 8-10
Frequency of ovulation and length of embryonic development and expected
number of progeny per year per breeder female in the various species of farm
animal species.
Species Estrus Incubation/Pregnancy (days) Expected number of young produced
per year
Poultry
Quail * 16-19 100-300
Pigeon * 17 10-20
Chicken * 21 50-300
Mallard duck * 28 50-300
Turkey * 28 50-100
Geese * 30 20-50
Muscovy duck * 36 50-100
Rabbit 15-20 32 10-30
Swine 18-24 114 10-25
Sheep 17 147 1-3
Goat 20-21 148 2.5
Gestation period – as the period of time from conception to birth of
the offspring

Placenta – a fusion of the fetal membranes to the endometrium of the

uterus to permit physiological exchange between fetus and
mother
- a unique feature of early mammalian development as it allows
provision of nutrients from the maternal organism.

Parturition – the physiological process by which the pregnant uterus

delivers the fetus and placenta from the maternal organism;
triggered by the fetus
• Signs of approaching parturition
1. Changes in the pelvic ligament
2. Enlargement and edema of the vulva
3. Mammary activity – obvious enlargement of the mammary gland
occurs in all farm species
4. The presence of milk in the mammary gland – a strong indication

The onset of milk secretion follows parturition. When the fetus is born,
the mammary gland is also ready to produce milk.
• Body Temperature Regulation
Body temperature - the resulting balance of heat production and heat
dissipation
- its stability is a prerequisite for high productivity in animals

2 group based on the ability to regulate body temperature with respect

to their environment:
1. Warm blooded – Homeotherms; body temperature is largely
independent of that of the environment
2. Cold-blooded – poikilotherm; body temperature varies directly with
that of the environment
• Process of heat dissipation:
1. Conduction - involves direct contact of the animal with a part of its
environment
2. Convection – heat is transferred to or from the animal by the movement
of the heated air particles; posture of the animal and other conditions
affecting surface area affect heat convection
3. Radiation – transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves; no material
medium or physical contact
4. Vaporization – the most important process by which animals lose heat to
maintain a constant body temperature; heat loss from the skin and
respiratory surfaces

Thermal neutrality – body temperature is normal without much regulation;

the environmental temperature at which the heat loss is equal to the
minimum heat production.
Thank you…