Animal Physiology

and Reproduction
Essential Standard 8.00
Understand animal reproduction

Objective 8.01
Understand animal reproduction and parturition
 Reproductive Management
Terminology
• Castration
• Removing the testicles of male animals to prevent breeding

• Colostrum
• The first milk produced after a mammal gives birth that contains
antibodies needed for immunity

• Estrus
• The time a female animal is receptive to be bred (also called heat)

• Estrus Cycle
• The length of a female’s cycle from one estrus to the next
 Reproductive Management
Terminology
• Gestation
• The time an animal is pregnant

• Puberty
• Age at which animals reach sexual maturity and begin coming
into heat

• Lactation
• The period of time that milk is secreted by the mammary glands

• Parturition
• The act of giving birth by female mammals
 Reproductive Management
Terminology

• Ovulation
• The release of the egg cell from the ovary

• Fertilization
• The union of the sperm and the egg cells
 Reproductive Traits
Average Average Average
Species Age Range of Length of Length of Length of
Puberty Estrus Cycle Estrus Gestation

Cow 6-8 months 21 days 16-18 hours 283 days

Swine 4-7 months 21 days 3 days 114 days

Sheep 4-8 months 22 days 30 hours 148 days

Goat 1st autumn 22 days 2.5 days 151 days

Parts and Functions
of the Female
Livestock
Reproductive System
Female Tract
 Ovaries
• Function
• Produce ova called eggs

• Description
• Two oval shaped organs located near the
end of the reproductive tract inside the
body cavity
Female Reproductive System
Female Reproductive System
The ovaries have three major functions:
• Gamete production
• Secrete estrogen (hormone)
• absence of muscle development
• development of mammary glands
• development of reproductive systems and external genitalia
• fat deposition on hips and stomach (source of energy)
• triggering of heat
• Form the corpus luteum
Oviducts
• Function
• Carry the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus
• Also called the fallopian tubes

• Description
• Small tubes that are near but not attached to
ovaries
• Have small funnel-shaped end near the ovary
Female Reproductive System
Infundibulum
• Function
• Picks up eggs at ovulation and directs
eggs into the oviduct

• Description
• Funnel-shaped end of each oviduct near
the ovary
Uterus
• Function
• Womb
• Place where fetus grows and develops

• Description
• Organ with two branched horn-shaped
attachments called uterine horns
• Will have a baby inside if animal is pregnant
Female Reproductive System
Cervix
• Function
• Serves as a passageway for sperm to travel from the
vagina to the uterus
• Seats the uterus during pregnancy to prevent
pathogens from affecting fetus

• Description
• Thick walled structure made up of folds and rings of
muscular tissue
• Located at the neck of uterus
• Separates the uterus from the vagina
Cervix
Vagina
• Function
• Receives the male penis and sperm at breeding
• Serves as a passageway for the baby to pass through at birth
• Serves as a passageway for urine to be expelled

• Description
• Connects the vulva to the cervix
Vulva
• Function
• External opening to female reproductive
and urinary systems

• Description
• External opening made up of folds of
skin
Female Reproductive System
Reproductive Functions (Female)
Ovulation Rates
Ovulation Rates by Species
Cow- 1 egg per estrus
Ewe- 1 to 3 eggs per estrus
Sow- 10 to 20 eggs per estrus
Mare- 1 egg per estrus
Hen- Approx. 28 eggs per month
Reproductive Terminology

Species Act Offspring

Cows calving calf
Ewes lambing lamb
Sows farrowing pig
Hens hatching chick
Mares foaling foal
Goats kidding kid
Questions?
 Livestock and
Poultry Male
Reproductive Parts
Scrotum
• Function
• Holds and protects testicles

• Description
• Saclike part outside livestock that
holds testicles
Testes (Testicles)
• Function
• Produce sperm and male sex
hormone

• Description
• Two oval meaty structures inside
scrotum in livestock and inside
body cavity of poultry on each
side of backbone.
Epididymis
• Function
• Stores sperm while they mature

• Description
• Long coiler tube connected to teach
testicle
Vas Deferens
• Function
• Serves as a passageway for sperm to
travel from the epididymis to the
urethra

• Description
• Tube that connects the epididymis to
urethra
Seminal Vesicles
• Function
• Produce a fluid that protects and
transports sperm

• Description
• A gland that opens into urethra
Prostrate Gland
• Function
• Produces a fluid that is mixed with
the seminal fluid

• Description
• Gland near the urethra and the
bladder
Cowper’s Gland
• Function
• Produces a fluid that moves down the
urethra ahead of the seminal fluid
• It cleans and neutralizes the urethra to
protect the sperm

• Description
• A gland near the urethra
Penis
• Function
• Deposits semen in female animals
• Papila serves this function in poultry

• Description
• Rod like tissue covered by sheath
Sheath
• Function
• Protects penis from injury

• Description
• Skin that covers the penis
Reproduction in Poultry
Poultry Reproductive Systems
• Major difference:
• Embryo of livestock develop inside the female’s body while
the embryo of poultry develops inside the egg.

• Papilla
• Organ in male poultry’s cloaca wall that puts the sperm in
the hen’s reproductive tract.

• Chickens (domestic birds) only have the left ovary and oviduct
functional when mature(producing eggs)

• The right ovary and oviduct do not function.

 Other Key Points
• Egg-function is reproduction but it is eaten as food by
humans and wild animals.

• Domestic chickens lay an egg every 24-48 hours

regardless if sperm are not present.

• Commercially sold eggs are not fertilized.

• Incubation time for chicken eggs is 21 days.

• Turkeys and ducks eggs incubation is 28 days.

Parts and Functions
of the Poultry
Reproductive System
Ovary
Poultry only have one functioning ovary as
compared to livestock animals

• Function
• Produces ova and hormones
• The yolk of an egg is an ovum

• Description
• Attached cluster of yellow, round, egg yolks
Infundibulum
• Function
• The place where fertilization takes
place

• Description
• Funnel shaped structure located just
below the ovary
• It is the start of the oviducts
Reproduction in Poultry
The poultry oviduct (tube-like structure) has five parts:
1) Vagina
– Holds the egg until laid
2) Uterus (shell gland)
– Secretes the thin, white shell and shell pigment
3) Isthmus
– Adds the two shell membranes
4) Magnum
– Secretes the albumen
5) Infundibulum
– Where fertilization takes place
Cloaca
• Function
• Location where the papilla of the male
bird deposits semen
• Egg also passes through this part

• Description
• Located between the vent and base of
oviduct
Vent
• Function
• Expel egg, liquid and solid waste

• Description
• Outside opening to the poultry
reproductive tract
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6j13-9Pexw
Parturition of
Animals
Basic Facts
• If an ovum of the female animal is fertilized and the
animal becomes pregnant, the embryo begins to grow
and develop.

• After a period of embryological development, the

developing animal is referred to as a fetus.

• During gestation, the fetus develops in the uterus.

• At the end of the gestation period, parturition begins.

 Normal Presentation of the
Fetus at Birth
Front feet first with legs slightly offset from each other to allow
for shoulders to pass through the birth canal

Nose tucked between front legs

Shoulders

Body or middle of animal

Hips

Back legs and feet

Other Important Information
Any presentation (at birth) that
does not have the order
provided is abnormal and could
cause problems as severe as
death of the newborn animal
and/or animal.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1wqSZkPDo0
 Parturition Process
• Begins when increased estrogen causes the uterus muscles to
contract

• First water bag appears, enlarges, and breaks open

• Soon afterwards, the second water bag containing the fetus

breaks open and the presentation of the calf begins

• Several hours later, the placenta and other members

(afterbirth) are expelled

• If afterbirth is not expelled, the animal will become sick.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRT4to6frrU
Questions?