ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

NAME: NONA MAE G. DELA CRUZ

LAB SECTION: DVM 3-2 | LAB A

Exercise

5 Reproductive Morphophysiology

To understand the different husbandry practices being done to improve small

ruminant reproduction, learning the anatomy of both male and female reproductive
system is important. Male reproductive system is composed of the testicles, epididymis,
ductus deferens and accessory sex glands. The female reproductive system consists of
two ovaries, uterine/fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina and vulva.

I. Objectives
 Determine the general anatomy of the male and female reproductive tracts.
 Identify the reproductive parameters of goats.
 Enumerate the signs of estrus and impending parturition in goats as well as the
possible causes of reproductive failure.

II. Methodology
 Look for and read reference books or any reputable sources/materials for the topic
at hand.
 Place your answers in the spaces provided below.
 Cite your references properly in each question and summarize them at the
‘References’ section.
 Convert this Word document file into PDF, and submit the laboratory exercise
through Google Classroom on the prescribed deadline.

1. Provide the reproductive parameters of sheep and goat.

Parameter Sheep Goat
Estrus period (days) 1 – 1 ½ days (36 hrs) ½ - 1 day (12-24 hrs)
Estrous cycle (days) 16-17 days 18-23 days
Ovulation time 25-30 hrs after the 30-36 hrs after the onset of
onset of estrus estrus
Gestation length (days) 147 days 150 days
Kidding interval (days) 145-155 days 145-155 days

Reference/s:
 Breeding and reproduction.pdf. (2019). Breeding and reproduction.pdf. Google Docs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh_qdD_acW-FlX8yKRFhkbZG5i__vMky/view

19 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University
 ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

 Jamie Lynn Stewart. (2021, August 6). Pregnancy in Goats. MSD Veterinary Manual; MSD
Veterinary Manual. https://www.msdvetmanual.com/management-and-
nutrition/management-of-reproduction-goats/pregnancy-in-
goats#:~:text=Gestation%20length%20in%20goats%20is,and%20quadruplets%20are
%20not%20uncommon.

20 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University
 ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

2. Label the illustration below with the different parts of the reproductive system of
sheep and goat that are enlisted in the following tables. You may refer to the
videos provided for this module as your guide in identifying the parts.

21 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University
 ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

Reference/s:
 Breeding and reproduction.pdf. (2019). Breeding and reproduction.pdf. Google Docs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh_qdD_acW-FlX8yKRFhkbZG5i__vMky/view

22 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University
 ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

3. How will you know that a doe is in heat? Is approaching kidding?

You will know that a doe is in heat if she shows these signs:
o Bleating
o Reddening of the vulva
o Restlessness
o Frequent urination and tail wagging
o Mounting other goats regardless of sex
o Allowing other goats to mount her, especially if it’s a buck (standing heat)

The signs of approaching kidding are listed below:

o The udders are enlarge two months before kidding.
o Doe becomes nervous and bleats low.
o Right flank and both rumps are hollow.
o A slight mucous discharge may appear several days before kidding,
followed by an opaque and slightly yellow discharge.
o Paws her bedding around.
o Becomes more restless, lies down and gets up

Reference/s:
 Breeding and reproduction.pdf. (2019). Breeding and reproduction.pdf. Google Docs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh_qdD_acW-FlX8yKRFhkbZG5i__vMky/view

4. Apart from infectious diseases, what are the causes of reproductive failure in
goats?

Aside from the numerous infectious disease, there are some causes of
reproductive failure in goat. These problems cause an economic loss in the world.
Inadequate management, lack of new techniques, poverty, and nutritional deficiencies
are some of the reasons why the reproductive of small ruminants are causing to fail.
Including the thermal stress, it may cause the decrease of the intensity of sexual
behavior and the failure of animal to maintain a pregnancy and mating. It may also
causes a reduction in fetal growth. The decrease in estrogen level concentration is one
of the result in thermal stress. In terms of nutritional deficiencies, obviously, it will affect
the goats because of the limited feeding resources can cause a decrease in reproductive
performance.
Here are some of the additional causes of reproductive failures of does:
o Infertile sperm from the buck
o Abnormal egg or ovum
o Hormone malfunction
o Obesity
o Very hot weather
o Malnutrition
o Injury
However, all these reproductive problems should be resolved by positive

23 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University
 ZOOT 3135 - Small Ruminant Production and Herd Health Management

improvements in nutritional, photoperiod & infectious causes to compensate these

losses. (S. Ali et al., 2019)

Reference/s:
 Breeding and reproduction.pdf. (2019). Breeding and reproduction.pdf. Google Docs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh_qdD_acW-FlX8yKRFhkbZG5i__vMky/view
 https://www.largeanimalreview.com/index.php/lar/article/download/63/51/#:~:text=Rep
roductive%20problems%20mainly%20arise%20due,also%20by%20environmental%20st
ress%20conditions.

III. References

 Breeding and reproduction.pdf. (2019). Breeding and reproduction.pdf. Google

Docs. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xh_qdD_acW-
FlX8yKRFhkbZG5i__vMky/view
 https://www.largeanimalreview.com/index.php/lar/article/download/63/51/#:~:te
xt=Reproductive%20problems%20mainly%20arise%20due,also%20by%20enviro
nmental%20stress%20conditions.
 Jamie Lynn Stewart. (2021, August 6). Pregnancy in Goats. MSD Veterinary
Manual; MSD Veterinary Manual. https://www.msdvetmanual.com/management-
and-nutrition/management-of-reproduction-goats/pregnancy-in-
goats#:~:text=Gestation%20length%20in%20goats%20is,and%20quadruplets%
20are%20not%20uncommon.

24 | Department of Animal Management

College of Veterinary Science and Medicine
Central Luzon State University