Observations on the corpora albicantia in the ovaries of normal and infertile dairy cows

Abstract

The ovaries from 251 cattle with known histories were dissected, and this work was linked with clinical and histopathological studies. In almost 20% of the cattle, resorption of corpora albicantia appeared to have taken place, beginning usually, after the fourth pregnancy. In 10% of cattle more corpora albicantia were found than corresponded with the normal pregnancies. Most such cases appeared to be associated with unrecognized ‘temporary pregnancies’, but normal pregnancy associated with two corpora lutea, as in the camel, may occur, though rarely. A scheme with correction factors, for allocating random samples to age categories, has been prepared. In 110 cattle, or 44%, miniature as well as full-sized corpora albicantia were recovered. Evidence from their histories is brought forward that the miniature corpora correspond to ‘temporary pregnancies’ of perhaps 2–5 months duration. This is cross-checked and confirmed, both from the histories of 112 cows yielding no miniature corpora, and also by correlation with the histopathological findings from the genitalia.