The Visual Guide to
Porcine Reproduction
Male Reproductive System: Breeding Soundness Evaluation
Manual Semen Collection.
The extended penis is deflected with the gloved hand and manual pressure is applied to the glans penis. A sow in estrus is used as the mount animal.
Larsen RE (1981)
Manual Semen Collection.
The extended penis is deflected with the gloved hand and manual pressure is applied to the glans penis. A sow in estrus is used as the mount animal.
Evans LE (2009)
Manual Semen Collection.
The extended penis is deflected with the gloved hand and manual pressure is applied to the glans penis. A sow in estrus is used as the mount animal.
Shipley C (2006)
Manual Semen Collection.
Hair on the sheath is trimmed prior to a sow in estrus being used as the mount animal.
Shipley C (2006)
Manual Semen Collection.
The extended penis is deflected with the gloved hand and directed into the artificial vagina.
Shipley C (2006)
Fresh Semen Sample.
The fresh semen is collected in a sterile bag. Average volume of the ejaculate is 240 ml.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 1.
Anesthesia of the boar by injection of a sedative into the ear vein.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 2.
Insertion of the rectal probe which transfers ring electrodes into the rectum.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 3.
Insertion of the rectal probe which transfers ring electrodes into the rectum.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 4.
Rheostat control box to apply pulsatile stimuli for semen collection.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 6.
Reaching into the prepuce with a vulsellum forceps to grasp the tip of the boar's penis and to extend the penis.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 7.
Grasping the glans penis of the boar with a full grip to apply pressure to the glans and facilitate ejaculation and direct the penis into a receptacle.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 8.
Directing the tip of the boar's penis to the collection bottle.
Shipley C (2006)
Process of Electroejaculation 9.
Insertion of the tip of the boar's penis into the sterile collection bottle.
Shipley C (2006)
Manual Semen Collection.
Deflecting the penis for collection of the semen.
Shipley C (2006)
Dummy.
A dummy, or phantom sow, can be used as a mount (after some training).
Evans LE (2009)
Manual Pressure on Glans Penis.
Pressure on the glans penis elicits ejaculation.
Shipley C (2006)
Use of a Dummy.
Use of a dummy, or phantom sow, requires some training.
Shipley C (2006)
Mounting the Phantom.
Boar mounting the phantom sow. Penis is deflected and firm pressure placed on the glans.
Shipley C (2006)
Deflection of the Penis.
As the boar mounts the sow in heat, or a dummy, the penis is deflected with a gloved hand and pressure is applied to the glans penis to stimulate ejaculation. The semen is collected in a temperature controlled sterile receptacle.
Evans LE (2009)
Electroejaculation Under Anesthesia.
Electroejaculation of the boar under general anesthesia.
Evans LE (2009)
General Anesthesia.
Sodium thiopental is administered intravenously via an ear vein to induce a light general anesthesia.
Evans LE (2009)
Rectal Probe.
Rectal probe for electroejaculation in the boar. This probe differs from the one used in ruminants, which has longitudinal ventral electrodes, rather than circumferential, circular ones as shown here. Lubrication is applied prior to insertion.
Evans LE (2009)
Electroejaculation.
Normal penis erected and extended with the aid of the probe of the electroejaculator.
Evans LE (2009)
Extraction of the Penis.
With the boar under general anesthesia, the penis is extracted and extended with the aid of a long Bozeman forceps.
Evans LE (2009)
Extraction of the Penis.
With the boar under general anesthesia, the penis is extracted and extended with the aid of a long Bozeman forceps.
Evans LE (2009)
Diagram of Extraction of the Penis.
With the boar under general anesthesia the penis is extracted and extended with the aid of a long Bozeman forceps. The dorsal preputial diverticulum is shown in the diagram. The tip of the penis is shown here as it is still normally retracted (caudally) in the prepuce.
Evans LE (2009)
Inherited Erectile Dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction can be inherited. Nine of 28 boars produced by AI from an affected sire bred to his daughters, had erectile dysfunction.
Evans LE (2009)
Penis Deflected.
As the boar mounts, the extended penis can readily be deflected to the side or even backwards, without discomfort to the boar.
Larsen RE (1981)
Pressure on the Glans Penis.
Digital pressure on the glans penis is applied with the gloved fingers, and the ejaculate is collected in a warm container.
Larsen RE (1981)
Digital Pressure on the Glans.
Steady firm pressure is applied to the penis to simulate pressure by the folds of the cervix, on the glans. This imitates cervical pressure on the glans penis during copulation.
Larsen RE (1981)
Catching the Ejaculate.
The ejaculate is collected in a warm container at 39 degrees Celsius.
Larsen RE (1981)
Gel Fraction.
Gel fraction from the bulbo-urethral glands (Cowper's glands) found on the floor after breeding.
Smith MC (2011)
Bloody Semen.
Blood tinged ejaculate due to external injuries to the penis or to urethral trauma.
Evans LE (2009)
Examination by Microscope.
A drop of semen is placed on a slide and covered with a cover-slip. Examination is under low power for motility and under high dry power for morphology.
Shipley C (2006)
Semen Morphology: Normal Spermatozoa.
Normal spermatozoa with distinct acrosomal caps.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Normal Sperm.
Normal spermatozoa under low power magnification. Viewed with 40X lens and 10X eye piece. 400 magnification without consideration of the camera.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Bent Tails.
Abnormal spermatozoa: bent tail and one detached normal head on left compared with one normal sperm on the right.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Bent Tail.
Bent tail and a distinct acrosomal cap.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Protoplasmic Droplet.
The two spermatozoa at the bottom each show a distal protoplasmic droplet.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Protoplasmic Droplet.
Upper left: abnormal shaped head. Center: proximal protoplasmic droplet. On the right: normal spermatozoon.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Protoplasmic Droplets.
Several spermatozoa with proximal protoplasmic droplets.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Abnormal Head.
Spermatozoon with an abnormal head in the center of the stained smear.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Acrosomal Caps.
Several proximal protoplasmic droplets. Note normal acrosomal caps and one with a acrosomal cyst.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Spheroid.
Stained spheroid. These are spermatocytes associated with spermaogenic arrest.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Spheroids.
Spheroids can appear as multinucleated giant cells in semen associated with gonadal hypoplasia. They are much larger than neutrophils.
Evans LE (2009)
Semen Morphology: Winter Infertilty.
Multiple morphological abnormalities including spheroids. Low power.
Evans LE (2009)
Winter Infertilty.
Boar with winter infertility, one of 50 housed out of doors in Northern Iowa. Most boars had infertile semen and soft, small testicles. No frost bite per se. The problem was associated with stress and positioning the testicles up tight against the body. Several hundred boars exhibited this problem. Most regained fertility in 3 to 4 months.
Evans LE (2009)
Spermatozoa.
Morphological examples: the spermatozoon in the lower left corner has a bent tail, the one right next to it on the right has a distal protoplastic droplet, the one in the upper right corner has a coiled tail the one center bottom has a proximal protoplasmic droplet.
Shipley C (2006)
Protoplasmic Droplets.
Lower left spermatozoon has a proximal protoplasmic droplet. The lower right spermatozoon has distal protoplasmic droplet, which is common in boars, and as such is considered normal.
Shipley C (2006)
Abnormal Midpieces.
Off-center attachment of the midpiece of boar spermatozoa.
Shipley C (2006)
Double Midpiece of Spermatozoa.
Double midpiece of boar spermatozoa.
Shipley C (2006)
Spermatozoa and Neutrophils.
Neutrophils in the presence of normal spermatozoa.
Shipley C (2006)
Proximal Protoplasmic Droplet.
Proximal protoplasmic droplet on boar sperm.
Shipley C (2006)
Distal Protoplasmic Droplet on Boar Sperm.
Distal protoplasmic droplet. Common in swine. Considered normal by some practitioners.
Shipley C (2006)
Boar Spermatozoa with Bent Tail.
Sperm with bent tail is visible in the upper left hand corner.
Shipley C (2006)
Post-legged Boar.
Post-legged, straight hocked boar. Boar refused to mount and mate due to joint pain.
Evans LE (2009)
Post-legged Boar - Lateral View.
Excessively straight hocks lead to pain and refusal to mount.
Shipley C (2006)
Osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis in a fast growing boar that showed reluctance to move and mount.
Evans LE (2009)
Spondylosis.
Spondylosis in a boar that showed reluctance to move and mount.
Evans LE (2009)