Mating Flashcards
mating
union of male and female gametes
- requires a mating behaviour
- accomplishes delivery of sperm containing semen to a mature ova or egg
- mating occurs at peak if female fertility
- reinforce social bonds, status and pleasure
internal fertilization
- sperm enter vagina
- sex act
- sexual intercourse
- coitus
- copulation
mating behaviour
- when suitable partners are found, species-specific courtship behaviours can be initiated
- males of domestic species that naturally herd utilize considerable time detecting estrus within the group
- estrus females of many species produce and secrete pheromones for attracting males ( males smell the perineal region of females to detect odour)
- female pheromones can induce the flehman reaction in bulls, rams, stallions camels)
- raised head posture and elevation of the upper lip
male sex act
- straightening and hardening of the penis for entry into the vagina = erection
- ## forceful expulsion of semen into the urethra and out of the penis = ejaculation
sexual response cycle
- excitement phase: erection and heightened sexual awareness ( in primates at the least)
- plateau phase: intensification of above response but also including increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and muscle tension
- orgasmic phase: ejaculation and stimulation of neural signals in pleasure centre of the brain
- resolution phase : genitalia and body systems return to a pre arousal state
erection
- in species with considerable erectile tissue in penis
- body of the penis has three columns of spongelike vascular spaces along length of organ
- very little blood in these spaces in non-aroused state ( due to arterioles normally providing blood being constricted and venous drainage maximized
- in sexual arousal, arterioles dilate, erectile tissue fills with blood and erection occurs ( reductions in venous outflow enhance erection and blood filling of vascular spaces compresses veins thereby decreasing that outflow
erectile reflex
- spinal reflex triggered by mechanoreceptors in the glans penis
- increased parasympathetic vasodilator activity to the penile arterioles mediated by nitric oxide
- erectile dysfunction in humans is treated by drugs that stimulate nitric oxide production
- local vascular repsonse of increased arterial inflow and mechanicallt reduced venous outflow are initiated by erection generating centre
- found in sacral region of spinal cord
- parasympathetic vasodilation causes relaxtion of penile arteriar smooth muscle by production of nitric oxide
- induces soluble guanylate cyclase in smooth muscle cells to produce cyclic guanosine monophosphate which induces relaxation
- parasympathetic control in penile arterioles is unique in vessels
- both decreased sympathetic activity and increased parasympathetic activity accomplished more rapid and greater vasodilation
ejaculation
spinal reflex - same stimuli that cause erection but only when excitation intensifies to critical peak
- two phases
emission: sympathetic impulses causes sequential contraction of smooth muscle in the prostate, reproductive ducts and seminal vesicles
- devilers semen into the urethra
expulsion: filling of the urethra with semon triggering nerve impulses that activates skeletal muscles at the base of the penis
- contraction increases pressure within the penis, forcibly expelling the semen out of the penis
orgasm
- pelvic and penile muscle contractions as well as systemic responses that culminate the sex act - driven by oxytocin release
- accompanied by intense pleasure in humans
resolutions
- sympathetic vasoconstrictor impulses increase to slow blood inflow in penis - erection decreases
- muscle tone normalizes and cardiovascular and respiratory systems return to pre arousal activty
female sex act
- excitement, platue, orgasm and resolution
- tactile stimulation of clitoris and surrounding perineal area ( pelvic floor around genitalia) is especially powerful - same spinal reflex
- parasympathetic induced vasodilation of arterioles throughout the vagina and external genetialia; erection of the clitoris
- fluid entering the vaginal lumen from congested vaginal capillaries in the primary lubricant
plateau phase in females
- increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and muscular tension
orgasm in females
- sympathetic impulses trigger rythmic contraction of the pelvic muscles
- produces oxytocin
assisted reproduction technologies
- reproduction animals is an energy-intensive process
- with respect to domestic species: energy inpuf for food production from animals sources is decreased by increasing the # of offspring per unit of time the breedinf female can produce in the herd
- reproductive technologies can direct the strategies used to select animals genetically for traits that benefit production
- imporved ART could help meet the challenges anticipated with increased worl population
- ART can assist in the saving of ever increasingly rare wild species
Artificial insemination
- most frequently used ART
- most impact on livestock production ( predominant in dairy cows)
- dependent on semen collection, assessment and cryopreservation from male
- electroejaculation and artificial vaginal/phantom methods most common for obtaining semen from male
- dependent on ensuring appropriate numbers if capable sperm are deposited in the female reproductive tract and at the appropriate time close enough to ovulation to aid fertilization
improvements in sperm storage
- advances in AI use due to
- extenders - reagents to extend protection/life of semen
- improved methods for storage of sperm in liquid and frozen forms
- distribution increased geographically and temporally
- in cattle pregnancy using AI with frozen semen now are similar to those with matural mating
- sub optimal pregnancy rates still in pigs and small ruminants but advances likely to change this soon
extenders
- iso osmotic (equal osmotic pressures
- good buffers ( pH 6.8-7)
- dilution shock protection (protein )
- cold shock protection (22-4C (egg yolk)) (4 to 196 C cryoprotectants)
- energy substrate (fructose)
- bacterial contamination (antibiotics)
cryopreservation
- once semen mixed with extenders, semen is placed in straws
- cooled to 4C
- frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen
- can be stored for decades
identifying estrus in females
- effectiveness has varied in the past
- development of estrous synchronization programs has helped a lot
- regulating luteolysis, follicular growth, ovulation means in some situations management of estrus detection is not required now
- now have timed AI schemes
why has effectiveness of identifying estrus in species varied in the past
- lack of overt symptoms of estrus in the ew ( in the absence of male)
- prolonged estrus in the mare
- lack of physical access to females when extensively managed such as in beef cattle and sheep
where should semen be deposited
- for optimal AI, semen is directly deposited into the uterus
- relatively simple in cattle and horses due to size of female ( rectal palpation of reproductive tract to aid placing of AI pipette through cervix
- advances have helped increase use in smaller animals
sexed semen sorting
- development of flow cytometry techniques in 1980s allow separation in 1980s allow separation of X from Y bearing sperm
- based on DNA content, introduced to US for cattle AI on widescale in 2005
- approaching 90% success rate
what are some problems with sexed semen sorting
- sperm damaged and yield
- loss of sperm during sorting
- lower fertility rates
- cost of flow cytometer system
who generally uses sexed semen
- dairy is the biggest user
25% Australian dairy farmers
50% in UK
10-25% in canada depending on breed - beef has started to use it more