anatomical structures of sheep cervix and its influence on the transcervical passage of an inseminating catheter into the uterine lumen

ABSTRACT

A total of 103 Barbari sheep cervices were used to conduct this work. The cervices were allocated into two main series obtained from an abattoir during the breeding season. The first series was 43 of adult ewe cervices, while the second was a series of 60 cervices obtained from ewe lambs. The tract of both series was further subdivided into luteal and follicular phases based on ovarian structure. The morphology of the cervical external os was classified as slit, papilla, duckbill, flap or rose. An inseminating pipette was inserted into the cervical lumen and the depth of penetration was recorded. The cervix was opened longitudinally, its length and number of cervical rings and its arrangement were recorded. Theresults revealed that there was a significant [P < 0.01] effect of age on the length of the cervix. Similarly, the length of cervix was significantly [P < 0.001] related to the number of cervical rings but not to the stage of the oestrous cycle. The maximum depth of cervical penetration of an inseminating catheter was affected by cervical grade and the stage of the oestrous cycle. The distribution of os types differed with age, with rose types were more common in adult ewes, and papilla os types were more common in ewe lambs. In conclusion, the success of transcervical artificial insemination [TCAI] in ewes is highly dependent on the anatomy of the cervical lumen and the stage of the oestrous cycle