Abstract

ERALES-VILLAMIL, JA; ORTEGA-PACHECO, A; RODRIGUEZ-BUENFIL, JC  and  SEGURA-CORREA, JC. Status and abnormalities of the reproductive organ of cows sacrificed in the abattoir of Uman, Yucatan. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2, pp.111-116. ISSN 0186-2979.

The objectives of this study were to determine the reproductive status of 196 cows sacrificed in an abattoir, to describe their pregnancy characteristics and, to estimate the frequency of abnormalities of the bovine reproductive tract. The study was carried out from September to November of 1995 in an abattoir in Uman, Yucatan, Mexico. The approximate age of the cows was determined by the teeth, and classified as young (18 to 36 months), adult (37 to 108 months) and old (greater than 108 months). Information was analyzed using descriptive statistic and Chi-square tests. Once hundred and thirty (66.3%) out of 196 reproductive tracts examined were pregnant. Forty three (65.2%) of the empty cows had evidences of ovarian activity and 23 (34.8%) did not. Seven of the pregnant reproductive tracts and 22 of the empty tracts had some type of abnormalities. The most frequent abnormality was the presence of parovarian cysts. Ten, 4.3 and 0% of the young, adult and old cows, respectively, had abnormalities in the reproductive tracts. Thirty percent of the females were in their first trimester, 60% in the second and 10% in the last trimester of pregnancy. Seventy nine (60.8%) fetus were in the right uterine horn and 51 (39.2%) in the left horn (p < 0.05). Nine pregnancies showed evidences of embryo migration. Fifty-five percent of the fetus (n = 119), in which sex could be determined, were males and the rest females (p > 0.05). Of the 43 empty reproductive tracts from cycling cows 27 (62.8%) presented ovulatory sings in the right ovary and 16 (37.2%) in the left ovary (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the percentage of pregnant cows sacrificed was high and the number of abnormalities in the uterus was low. Parovarian cysts were the most frequent abnormality.

Keywords : Abnormalities; reproductive tract; abattoir; bovines.

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