The incidence of ovarian activity, pregnancy and bovine genital abnormalities shown by an abattoir survey

Abstract

All female genital tracts removed during the slaughtering process in a West Country abattoir were collected on two days a week from February 1974 to May 1974 inclusive and thereafter collections were made on one day each week from June 1974 until September 1975 inclusive. A total of 8071 tracts was examined; 1885 (23-36 per cent) of these were pregnant. The stage of pregnancy and the number and location of the fetuses is recorded. Cyclic activity in the non-pregnant tracts was assessed by the presence of a current corpus luteum on one or both ovaries and the number and location of these are reported. Any macroscopic abnormalities of ovaries, Fallopian tubes and uteri were recorded, 804 (9-96 per cent) of the tracts were affected. The most commonly encountered abnormality was cystic ovaries and 307 (3-80 per cent) of the genitalia showed this condition.