Reproductive System in Poultry Anatomy

Reproductive System

• The female reproductive system consists of the ovary, oviduct, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva.
• The ovary is the site of ova maturation and secretes estrogen.
• The ovum or egg yolk sac contains a lot of liquid.
• In hens, only the left ovary is active.
• Avians lay eggs every 24-26 hours, and their nutritional composition depends on the chicken's diet.
• No mating is required for egg production.

Tubular Structure and Function

• The fallopian tube connects to the uterine horn.
• The egg shell is formed in 20 hours, and color is added to the egg.
• The cervix is the neck of the uterus, and it protects the uterus from foreign materials.
• During pregnancy, the cervix secretes mucus to seal the uterus.
• The vagina is a tube that connects the cervix to the vulva and receives the penis.
• It serves as a passageway for the fetus.

Digestive System Structure and Function

• The digestive system provides proper feeds to animals.
• Digestion involves mechanical breakdown and enzymatic action.
• The parts of the digestive system include the mouth, bucal cavity, pharynx, esophagus, crop, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
• The mouth and bucal cavity are responsible for prehension, mastication, and insalivation.
• The pharynx is a common passage for feed and air.
• The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the stomach to the mouth.
• The crop is an invagination of the esophagus and serves as a temporary food storage.
• The stomach is the site of feed storage, grinding, and mixing of food.
• The small intestine is the site of further digestion, and the large intestine is responsible for water absorption.

Accessory Glands and Their Functions

• The salivary gland provides mucus to aid in swallowing.
• Some animals have ptyalin in their salivary gland.
• The pancreas produces digestive enzymes for the small intestine.
• The liver secretes bile for the emulsification of fat.

Types of Animal Stomach Structure

• Monogastric/simple-stomach animals have a one-compartment stomach (e.g., pigs).
• Herbivorous monogastric animals have a functional cecum (e.g., horses, rabbits).
• Modified simple-stomach animals have a gizzard for mixing and grinding feed, a crop for temporary storage, and a proventriculus for secreting gastric enzymes.
• Ruminant/compound-stomach animals have a four-compartment stomach (e.g., cattle, carabao, sheep, goats).

Excurrent Ducts and Accessory Sex Glands

• The epididymis is a long, convoluted tube that connects the vasa efferentia to the testis.
• It is the site of maturation of spermatozoa before ejaculation.
• The ductus deferens is a muscular tube that propels spermatozoa from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct.
• The urethra is a canal that passes semen and urine.
• The ampulla is an enlarged ductus deferens that temporarily stores sperm until ejaculation.
• The seminal vesicle produces fructose as a vehicle for sperm transport.
• The prostate gland surrounds the urethra and produces a viscous secretion that gives semen its odor.
• Cowper's gland is a small paired gland that produces a secretion that helps in sperm transport.