ESTRUS CYCLE ,

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION,
EMBRYO TRANSFER

Dr. R.NAVANEETHAN, M.V.Sc,

Asst. Professor (Animal Husbandry)
IMAYAM
KANNANUR
 ESTRUS CYCLE
• The estrous cycle starts from puberty, it is regular cycle
occurs once in 21 ± 3 days throughout the reproductive
phase in case of cattle
• A heifer attains puberty by 8-12 months period.
• During the cycle a mature ovum is liberated from the ovary,
the cervix become receptive to the spermatozoa, the female
exhibits behavioural adjustment and attraction to receive the
male.
Puberty
• This is the stage at which animal becomes sexually mature
and the secondary sexual characteristics become visible.
Estrus cycle is divided into
1. Proestrum (2 days)
2. Oestrum (1day) Follicular phase

3. Metoestrum (4 days)
4. Diestrum (14 days) Luteal phase

Proestrum (2 days):
 Growth of Graffian Follicle (GF)- ‘oestrogen’.
 It causes changes in uterus, blood supply. This makes the
animal is coming in heat.
Estrum (1day)

 This is the period of sexual desire.

 During which the female is ready to receive male.
 ‘Graffian Follicle’ will ripe or very turgid.
 This period is brought to an end by the rupture of the
follicle (or) ovulation.
 Vulva becomes swollen.
 Vulva and Vagina are congested
Metoestrum (4 days):

• Implantation of the embryo takes place and Corpus Luteum

(CL) will be formed.
• Prevents the growth of graffian follicle thereby arrests
oestrus cycle.
Diestrum (14 days):

 If the animal has not conceived involution of uterus take

place.
 Longest part of estrus cycle.
 Implantation of embryo and secretion of uterine milk takes
place, which is used for the nourishment of the embryo
prior to implantation.
 In case of absence of pregnancy, the animal returns to
normal and thus the cycle continues.
 Estrous cycle days in different species
 Cow-21days(18-24)
 Ewe-16 ½ days (14-20)
 Doe-21 days(15-24)
 Swine-21 days(18-24)
 Mare -21 days(19-21)
 Pig has two type of heat
1)Post partum heat (2-3 days after parturition)
no follicular development and no ovulation, so infertile heat
2)Post weaning heat(after 56 days weaning with in 2 -3 days)
Follicular development, estrus and real fertile heat
 Mare (Foaling heat)
 After 7 days animal comes to heat-Foal heat
 Better fertility rate
 So next foaling takes place within year
Absence of Estrus cycle
Pregnancy
Diseases of reproductive problem
Un favorable seasons
Under developed genitalia
Nutritional deficiency
Type of Estrus cycle in other species
• Cattle ,sow, mare–poly estrus
• Ewe and doe-seasonal poly estrus
Estrus
Estrus is the period in which the animal exhibits sex
desire.
This period lost for 12 to 18 hours.
The estrus or heat is followed by ovulation which
normally occurs 12-16 hours after the end of estrus.
Estrus period in other animals
Ewe= 1-2 days
Mare= 4-5 days
Sow= 2-3 days
SIGNS OF HEAT(CATTLE)

• Excited condition.
• Restlessness and nervousness.
• Bellowing frequently.
• Reduce the intake of feed.
• The animals which are in heat will lick other animals and
smelling other animals.
• Try to mount other animals
• Frequent urination
• Homosexuality character like mounting over the other
cow or accepting other cow to mount over
• Standing quietly while being mounted by other bull –
standing heat
• Clear mucous discharge will be seen from the vulva
• Swelling of the vulva will be seen.
• The tail will be in raised position.
• Milk production will be slightly decreased.
 SIGNS OF HEAT(other species )
Sheep
• Estrum is quiet normally so cannot detected by absence of ram
• Rub the neck, rapidly shaking the tail, female seek out the male,
difficulty to do A.I in sheep
Doe
• Restless, tries to associate with bucks, bleating
Sow
• Restless(Proestrum),brooding (Estrum),typical grunting sound,
• Sows will seek or stand still to mount by boar (Riding test)
Mare
• Mucus membrane of the vulva(congested, shiny)
• Winking of clitoris (regular erections of clitoris)
• Behavioural changes (stallion to smell and bite her, mare shows
extending of hind legs and keeping the tail sideways )
 Breeding time

species Breeding time

Cattle • End of estrus(8 hours after onset

of heat)
• Morning-evening
Ewe and Doe • 12 hours after onset of heat
Swine • Second post weaning heat(in
relation to parturition)
• Second day of heat(In relation
to estrus cycle)
 Artificial Insemination (AI)
 Artificial insemination is the technique in
which semen with living sperms is collected
from the male and introduced into female
reproductive tract at proper time with the help
of instruments rather than natural service

 The first artificial insemination was

performed on dogs in 1780 by the Italian
scientist, Lazanno Spalbanzani.
 TYPE OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI)

• Intra uterine insemination(IUI)

• Intra cervical insemination(ICI ) OR Intra
Vaginal insemination(IVI)
 PROCEDURE
• Restraining of animal(free from stress, excitement)
• Ensure the cow for estrus – physical examination
• keep in ready Insemination device with loaded semen straw
• Clean the vulva region like dung straw materials
• Lubricate the hand and detect the heat by palapating the reproductive
tract
• Introduce the AI gun(30-40° angle )into the vulva region and deposit
the semen into the cervix region
Precautions
• Avoid the AI gun passing into urethral opening
• Check the pregnancy before AI
• Avoid rough handling of reproductive tract and should pass the AI gun
beyond the reproductive tract
• Better do AI with qualified veterinarian and Expert
• Avoid the rough handling /moving animal after AI
ADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION:
 No need of maintenance of breeding bull for a herd; hence the
cost of maintenance of breeding bull is saved.
 Prevents the spread of certain diseases
 Semen of a desired sire can be used even after the death of that
particular sire.
 Collected semen can be taken to the urban areas or rural areas
for insemination.
 Helpful to inseminate the animals that are refuse to stands or
accept the male at the time of oestrum.
 Helps in maintaining the accurate breeding and calving records.
 Increases the rate of conception.
 Helps in better record keeping.
Disadvantages of A.I:

• Requires well-trained operations and special

equipment.
• Requires more time than natural services.
• Needs the knowledge of the structure and function of
reproduction on the part of operator.
• Improper cleaning of instruments and in sanitary
conditions may lead to lower fertility.
• If the bull is not properly tested, the spreading of
genital diseases will be increased.
• Market for bulls will be reduced
 EMBRYO TRANSFER
• Embryo transfer was first performed and recorded by
Walter Heape in 1890.
• He transferred two Angora rabbit embryos into Belgian
doe. She went on to produce a mixed litter of Belgian and
Angora bunnies.
• Embryo transfer in food animals began in the 1930s with
sheep and goats, but it was not until the 1950s that
successful embryo transfers were reported in cattle and pigs
by Jim Rowson at Cambridge, England.
Advantages
• Increased number of offsprings
• Obtain offspring from old or injured animals
• Increased farm income through embryo sales
• Exportation and importation of embryos is easier
than with live animals
Disadvanatages
• Cost and success rate high compare to AI
• Cost and maintenance of recipient females-high
• Best technician required
• Possible spread of diseases from recipients
 Components of ET program
Donor (Animal that donates embryos)
Have good reproductive performance and progeny
performance
Have regular estrus cycles
Select 60-90 days of post calving
Recipient (Animal that receives embryo from
donor)
Good healthy, body condition, vaccinated for all the
reproductive diseases
Animal should have completed two estrous cycles
 PROCEDURE
Selection of donor cow
Superovulation of the donor cow
Superovulation is the release of multiple eggs at a single
estrus.
Hormone preparation, which is given intramuscularly or
subcutaneously, with follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH) activity.
Insemination of the cow (12, 24, and 36 hours after the
onset of standing heat. )
 Flushing the embryos
To collect the embryos non surgically, a small
synthetic rubber Foly catheter is inserted
through the cervix of the donor cow
A special medium is flushed into and out of the
uterus to harvest the embryos seven or eight
days after estrus.
This collection procedure is relatively simple
and can be completed in 30 minutes or less
without harm to the cow.
 Evaluation of the embryos
• As the individual embryos are located using the microscope,
they are evaluated for their quality for success if transferred to
a recipient female.
The major criteria for evaluation include:
 Regularity of shape of the embryo
 Compactness of the blastomeres (the dividing cells within the
boundaries of the embryo)
 Variation in cell size
 Color and texture of the cytoplasm (the fluid within the cell
wall)
 Overall diameter of the embryo
Selection and preparation of recipient females

• Proper recipient herd management is

critical to embryo transfer success.
• They must be on a proper plane of
nutrition
• These cows also must be on a sound herd
health program.
 Transfer of the embryos
• The transfer of the embryo into the recipient cow first
requires “loading” of the embryo into a 1/4-ml
insemination straw.
Types
• Same day transfer of embryo (Success rate= 70-80%)
• Transfer of frozen embryo (Success rate= 50-60%)

Pregnancy Diagnosis after 3 Months by rectal

examination
Calf Birth at 280 days
 Gestation period
• Mare-336 days
• Cow-280 days
• Ewe-148 days
• Doe-150 days
• Sow-114days
• Camel-391 days