1. Natural Animal Reproduction

2. What is Reproduction?

3. Animal Reproduction Basics
The process by which offspring are produced.
Offspring are of same species & have similar traits
Not essential for an organism to live but is essential if a species is to stay in existence

4. Animal Reproduction Basics
Insemination
Placing of the sperm in the reproductive tract of the female.
Natural Insemination
The process of the male depositing semen (fluid containing sperm) in the reproductive tract of the female.
Occurs during copulation or mating
Copulation
The sexual union of a male and female animal

5. Animal Reproduction Basics
Artificial Insemination
Involves a technician collecting semen from a male and placing it in the reproductive tract of a female

6. What are some Benefits of AI?

7. Animal Reproduction Basics
Breeding
Is promoting animal reproduction so the desired offspring result.
Reproductive Efficiency
The timely and prolific replacement of a species.
This is the difference between success and failure in animal production.

8. Estrous Estrous Cycle Anestrus The time between periods of estrus
Estrous cycle of female mammals has four periods
Cyclical expect during gestation or pregnancy (cattle or swine)
Some animals are seasonal breeds and may go through periods of anestrus
Anestrus
The absence of cycling
Often related to the number of hours of light in a day
Examples: Sheep, cats, goats and horses

9. Four Periods of the Estrous Cycle
Estrus
Also known as heat
Period when the female is receptive to the male and will stand for mating
Length varies between species
Triggered by the hormone estrogen
Changes that take place during estrus
Restlessness
Mucus discharge
Swollen vulva
Standing to be ridden by other animals
Ovulation takes place during estrus for most species
Ovulation-when a mature ovum is released by the ovary

10. Four Periods of the Estrous Cycle
Metestrus
Ovulation occurs during metestrus in cattle and goats.
The luteinizing hormone triggers the corpus lutea to develop from follicular tissue that remains after the release of the ova

11. Four Periods of the Estrous Cycle
Diestrus
Period in the cycle in which the system assumes pregnancy.
Fully functional corpus luteum releases high levels of progesterone.
Progesterone-hormone that maintains pregnancy
Uterus is prepared for pregnancy

12. Four Periods of the Estrous Cycle
Proestrus
Begins with the regression of the corpus luteum and a drop in the hormone progesterone
Changes in behavior may occur as estrus approaches

13. What is fertilization?

14. Fertilization The union of a sperm and an egg.
The “roadmap” for fertilization is different between mammals based upon their reproductive tract.
Process begins by male mammal depositing sperm in female mammal’s reproductive tract during mating.

15. Fertilization Continued
After sperm is deposited, sperm gradually travels through the female’s reproductive tract until it reaches the infundibulum (where ovum rest during ovulation)
Sperm cell pierces an egg cell if present
Only one sperm cell may fertilize an egg cell
Crucial to time the presence of eggs cells and live sperm cells in a mammal.
After an egg cell is released in a female mammal’s reproductive tract it has less than 12 hours to become fertilized by a sperm cell.
Sperm cells cannot survive a long duration in a female mammal’s reproductive tract.

16. What is a gestation period?

17. Gestation After fertilization occurs gestation begins Gestation
The period of time in which an animal is pregnant
Gestation periods vary between species

18. Gestation Process
After fertilization occurs gestation continues as a series of cell divisions as the new animal (embryo) moves towards the uterus within 3-4 days.
Embryo engages in rapid growth cycle called differentiation
Develops major organs in the embryo
After differentiation the new animals is known as a fetus

19. Gestation Process Continued
At this point fetus is surrounded by watery fluid enclosed in membranes
Grows slowly in the uterus
Fetus has an umbilical cord that is connected from its navel to the placenta, which lie along the wall of the uterus.
Umbilical cord connection:
Blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to fetus
Exit waste products
The head, nervous system and blood vessels develop first
Majority of the growth of the fetus occurs in the last stage of the gestation period.

20. Parturition
The process of a pregnant organism or animal giving birth to fetus
Akalabor
Three steps of Parturition
Start of uterine contractions and the reproductive organs prepare for the birthing process.
Birth canal begins to open
Female ‘s muscles begin to relax as fetus prepares to pass
Fetus begins to align with the canal and the mother’s respiratory rate increases
Abdominal muscular contractions occur and mother starts to pass the fetus.
Fluid is released from the uterine body as lubricant.
Stage concludes with the birth of the fetus.
Expulsion of the placenta
Mother's straining ends and she begins to relax
Placenta detaches from the uterine wall and fetal membranes are released.

21. Parturition
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