Topic D-4: Explaining Current Technologies of Animal Reproduction

Agriscience 332 Animal Science 8818-C Pregnancy Diagnosis TEKS: (c)(4)(D)

Topic Goal: The student shall be provided the opportunity to explain current technologies in animal reproduction as a means of explaining animal genetics and reproduction.

Topic Objectives: After completing the topic, the student will be able to: 1. discuss palpation equipment and identify the reproductive anatomy involved in palpation; and 2. determine various stages of pregnancy relative to palpation procedures.

CLASS NOTES

To maintain a successful cow-calf operation, it is necessary for the producer to have a high-percentage calf ______each year that offsets the maintenance ______for all cows. A technique called ______helps the producer determine which cows are not bred. The producer can ______the non-pregnant cows from the herd and ______unnecessary costs that decrease returns to the enterprise. Pregnancy ______is an important tool to measure the success of ______management of a cattle herd.

______palpation is probably the most commonly used method for pregnancy diagnosis. Palpation is the procedure of ______the reproductive tract. Although the technique of ______is relatively simple, the use of ______records greatly increases the accuracy of the diagnosis and speeds up the palpation process. Knowledge of when a cow was ______gives the producer some ideas as to the ______of pregnancy, but only if the cow conceived. Most producers consider rectal palpation to be the ______and most ______method to diagnose pregnancy in cattle.

EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR PALPATION

The following ______is needed to safely palpate a cow.  Protective ______for palpator - because the palpator must insert the hand and arm into the cow’s ______, it is necessary to cover those body parts. Disposable ______sleeves are used for that purpose. It is also recommended that the palpator wear protective clothing, such as ______-______and ______boots.

- 1 -  Lubricant - a ______is applied to the covered ______and ______to facilitate entry into the cow’s rectum. Commercial ______lubricants are available at farm and ranch supply stores. A mild liquid ______can also be used as a lubricant, because it provides a ______covering over the arm and does not ______the cow’s rectal cavity as do some detergents.

 ______- the cow should be identified and ______properly before palpation begins. A holding chute will allow the cow to ______on the ground in a normal position to prevent any unnecessary physical ______.

A ______or ______in front of the cow will prevent her ______movement. A ______or ______should be inserted through the chute behind the cow’s legs and approximately four inches above the hocks to prevent the cow from ______and keep the palpator from being ______. An entrance ______alongside the chute should open to the inside of the chute to close off other ______behind the cow being palpated.

The cow’s ______should not be placed in a stanchion or head gate, as this tends to excite the cow. If the chute’s floor is ______or ______, then cleats or cross-slats should be constructed to prevent the cow from ______.

THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND PALPATION

Determining pregnancy in cattle is not particularly difficult, but it requires ______, ______, and a thorough ______of the cow’s reproductive system. To accurately determine pregnancy, the palpator inserts the ______into the cow’s ______, located the reproductive tract through the rectal wall, and determines whether pregnancy exists by examining the ______of the tract.

Because palpation is performed by sense of ______, the palpator must know the ______of the cow’s reproductive organs and how those organs ______at different stages of pregnancy.

Vulva - the ______portion of the female reproductive tract. Although of no importance in palpation, the vulva is an indicator of the latter ______of pregnancy, at which time the vulva is ______and more ______.

- 2 - Vagina - located just inside the vulva, the ______may be the first organ felt during palpation because it is directly ______the rectum. The vagina is ______-walled and may feel like a soft, spongy ______, if the palpator is able to feel it at all.

Cervix - located at the upper end of the ______, extending towards the uterus. The cervix is an important “______” in palpation and is usually easy to locate because of its ______, gristly feel.

Uterus - lies directly in front of the ______. The body of the ______is connected to the two uterine ______, which give it a characteristic “_____” shape in cattle. The fertilized ______implants itself in the wall of ______horn. The palpator can follow the two horns by beginning at the upper end of the ______and feeling the horns to their respective ends. A horn is ______at the lower end and ______in size toward the upper end. Location and feel of the uterine horns depend upon the stage of ______and the cow’s ______.

Oviducts - (fallopian tubes) located at the upper ends of the uterine ______, the ______connect the uterine horns to the ______.

Ovaries - suspended in the body cavity by ______attached to the top of the abdominal cavity, the ______are near the ends of the ______tubes on each side of the body cavity. In a normal cow, an ovary is ½ inch wide, ¾ inch deep, and 1 inch long. When palpated the ovary feels ______. The egg develops in a ______on the ovary wall. A follicle feels similar to a fluid-filled ______.

Pelvis - a ______cradle for the reproductive system, the ______is stationary and makes an excellent “landmark” for the palpator to establish ______and ______in palpation. The palpator can feel the ______by pressing down through the ______wall. As pregnancy advances, the ______and ______move down over the pelvic ______and into the body ______.

Embryonic Vesicle - a thin ______filled with fluid and the ______; the embryonic vesicle serves to ______the embryo and ______it until it - 3 - attaches and becomes a ______. The embryonic ______forms around the fertilized ______after it has moved into the uterine ______. The embryonic vesicle causes an ______area in the horn.

Cotyledons - soft, ______-like nodules on the ______membrane that attach to the ______lining the ______during fetal development.

Caruncles - flattened, oval, raised ______that line the wall of the ______and serve as connecting points for the ______membrane. After connecting to the ______, the caruncles serve as a ______and ______exchange site between the ______and its ______.

Broad Ligaments - elastic-like ligaments that support the ______, ______, and other ______of the female reproductive tract, as well as, arteries, veins, and nerves. The ______ligaments allow the reproductive tract to ______, adjusting to the increase of ______and ______of the reproductive organs during pregnancy.

Uterine Artery - the main ______supply to the uterus. The ______supplies each horn and is the main blood supply from the ______to the developing ______.

PALPATING

Rectal ______should be performed with ______to avoid damaging the ______and the cow’s ______. Palpation may be done with ______hand. One ______may be used to grasp the cow’s ______to use as leverage to push the other ______into the ______. The covered, ______hand should be shaped into a ______by bringing the fingers ______together. The wedge-shape of the hand helps in the initial thrust into the ______.

- 4 - As the ______goes through the cow’s rectum, the hand should be formed into a ______to push aside ______material and straighten the ______of the rectum. Beginning palpators find it helpful to ______the fecal matter from the cow’s ______, as this increases the sense of ______. The cow will naturally ______against the palpator’s hand. The palpator should allow the ______contractions to subside, and then continue ______the hand through the rectum.

Feeling through the rectal ______is similar to feeling through a layer of thin ______. The thickness varies slightly with ______cows and varies greatly among ______. The ______breeds, such as Simmental, Limousin, Chianina, and Maine Anjou, usually have ______rectal walls than do smaller breeds.

The larger body ______of the heavier breeds also presents ______in locating the reproductive tract after the palpator’s hand passes the ______ridge. In addition to breed, the cow’s ______, ______, and overall ______influence the ease of palpation.

The palpator should locate a point of ______immediately after entering the rectum. The ______is an important internal landmark for palpators. Locating the ______facilitates finding the other ______to be palpated.

The pelvic ______is another helpful internal landmark. If the cow is not ______, the reproductive tract normally will lie just to the ______of the ridge. In older cows, the uterine horns of the ______tract many ______slightly over the pelvic ridge. As pregnancy ______, the cervix and uterus move ______the ridge and into the body ______, thus requiring the palpator to feel past the ______and downward. - 5 - DETERMINING STAGE OF PREGNANCY

30-Day Pregnancy Determining pregnancy at this ______stage takes a great amount of ______and practice. Good breeding ______provide a guide to the palpator at this stage. In ______-day pregnancy, the uterus will be filled with ______and feel slightly thinner. One horn will be ______a little more than the other. By running each horn between the fingers, the enlargement in one ______can be felt. This enlargement in the horn is the ______vesicle. The ______vesicle is nearly ¾” in diameter and is filled with fluid.

In most cases, on the side of the ______(uterine horn) that the vesicle is found, a corpus ______on the ______will also be found. The corpus luteum will be a hard, teat-like ______on the surface of the ovary. At this stage of ______, the reproductive tract will still lie on the ______of the ______.

45-Day Pregnancy The ______attaches to the uterine ______on approximately the 38th day of pregnancy. From this time on, it is called a ______. In this stage, the fetus is nearly 1” ______and is surrounded by somewhat ______-shaped vesicle that measures 1” to 1 ½” in length. The uterine ______containing the fetus is ______and ______walled. Vesicle ______begin to attach themselves to the ______on the uterine wall.

The palpator must be careful and not ______the ______about in the uterus. Excessive ______at this time could break the attachments (cotyledons to caruncles) and cause the ______of the fetus.

60-Day Pregnancy The uterus has now ______until one horn is approximately the size of a ______and measures 8” to 10” long. The ______of the fetus and other contents has ______the uterus

- 6 - over the pelvic ridge into the body ______. The ______measures 2 ½” in length and the embryonic ______is still prominent.

The best method of feeling the fetus at this stage is to gently ______the uterus with your ______. This causes the fetus to ______back and forth and ______against the embryonic vesicle and uterine wall. The palpator can ______the bumping.

In the ______-day pregnancy stage, the ______is still in the pelvic cradle and the ______suspend rather ______in relation to the uterus. The corpus ______will again be found on the ovary corresponding to the ______uterine horn.

90-Day Pregnancy The ______in this stage is considerably ______because of increased ______and fetal ______. The fetus in now nearly 6 ½” long and is located on the ______of the body cavity. The ______may have pulled itself over the pelvic ______and into the body cavity. The stretched ______has pulled the ______down. The ovaries may be ______on either side of the uterus.

Because of the ______position of the uterus, palpating the ______in this stage may be ______. The palpator may have to consider other ______to confirm pregnancy, such as palpation of the uterine ______. This artery is located in the forward fold of the ______that supports the uterus. At this stage, the ______artery is 1/8” to 3/16” in diameter and has a characteristic “______” pulsation as the ______moves through it. It can be felt by pressing it against the ______forward side of the pelvis. Care must be taken not to confuse it with the ______artery, which lies in the muscle of the ______. To confirm the presence of the ______artery, attempt to move it from side to side. The ______artery cannot be ______and does not have the “whirring” ______of the uterine artery.

- 7 - Perhaps the ______indication of pregnancy at this time (in the absence of the ______) is the presence of the ______on the uterus. They may be felt as flattened, egg-shaped ______on the uterus. A cotyledon feels slightly ______than the uterus and measures ¾” to 1” across.

120-Day Pregnancy The ______in this stage is 10” to 12 “ long and is still on the ______of the body cavity. The ______of the fetus is nearly the size of a ______and may be the first portion of the ______that the palpator touches. Because the fetus is ______in this stage, it is normally ______to locate.

Each ______is 1” to 1 ½” in length and the uterine ______has increased in size (1/4” diameter).

150-Day Pregnancy The main ______from this stage until birth is in the increase in the ______of the fetus. At ______days, the fetus is the size of a large ______(approximately 16” long).

The uterine ______is ¼” to 3/8” in diameter and each ______is 2” to 2 ½” in diameter.

Palpation of the ______may still be ______because of its low position in the body ______.

180-Day Pregnancy At this stage, the fetus is still ______in the body cavity. The uterine artery is 3/8” to ½” in diameter and the cotyledons are ______. From ______days until ______, the fetus can be made to ______by ______its feet, legs, or nose.

Seven-Month and Longer Pregnancy

- 8 - At ______days of age, the fetus is 24” to 38” long. The ______artery is ½” to ¾” in diameter.

From ______months until ______, the fetus may be ______felt because of its increasing ______.

OTHER METHODS OF PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS

In addition to ______palpation, other methods may be used to ______pregnancy in cows.  Ultrasound - detection of ______through the use of ______may be beneficial during the later ______of pregnancy (day 30 or later). Organs of the reproductive ______, as well as a developing ______, can be ______using ultrasound technology. When using ultrasound, a ______is passed over the cow’s ______wall or into the ______to transmit two-dimensional ______to a monitor that can be viewed by a technician.  Biochemical Tests - On-farm ______kits are available to producers to pregnancy-check their cows. Some kits are easy to ______and give the producer immediate ______. A ______progesterone test allows a producer to test the level of ______in a milk sample. A ______change in the sample indicates the pregnant or non-pregnant ______of a cow.

SUMMARY

Pregnancy ______by ______is an important tool to measure the success of ______management of a cattle herd. Determining pregnancy in cattle requires ______, ______, and a thorough ______of the cow’s reproductive system to determine the stages of ______at ______-day intervals.