Status and abnormalities of the reproductive organ of cows sacrificed in the abattoir of Uman, Yucatan

RESUMEN. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar el estado reproductivo de 196 vacas sacri cadas en unrastro, describir las caracteristicas de las vacas gestantes y estimar la frecuencia de alteraciones del tracto reproductorbovino. El estudio se realizo de septiembre a noviembre de 1995 en el rastro de Uman, Yucatan, Mexico. La edadaproximada de las vacas se determino a traves de la dentadura y fueron clasi cadas en jovenes (18 a 36 meses), adultas(37 a 108 meses) y viejas (mayores a 108 meses). La informacion se analizo mediante estadistica descriptiva y pruebasde Chi cuadrada. Ciento treinta (66.3%) de los 196 tractos reproductores examinados presentaron gravidez. Cuarenta ytres (65.2%) vacas vacias presentaron evidencia de actividad ovarica y 23 (34.8%) no. Siete de los tractos reproductoresgestantes y 22 de los tractos vacios tuvieron algun tipo de anormalia. La alteracion mas frecuente fue la presencia dequistes paraovaricos. El 10, 4.3 y 0% de las vacas jovenes, adultas y viejas respectivamente, presentaron anomalias enlos tractos reproductores. El 30% de las hembras se encontraron en el primer trimestre, 60% en el segundo y 10% enel ultimo trimestre de gestacion. Setenta y nueve (60.8%) fetos estuvieron en el cuerno uterino derecho y 51 (39.2%)en el izquierdo (p 0.05). De los 43 tractos vacios devacas que estaban ciclando, 27 (62.8%) presentaron ovulacion en el ovario derecho y 16 (37.2%) en el ovario izquierdo(p > 0.05). En conclusion, el porcentaje de vacas gestantes sacri cadas fue alto y el numero de anormalidades en losuteros fue bajo. Los quistes paraovaricos fueron la alteracion mas comun.Palabras clave : Alteraciones, tracto reproductivo, rastro, bovinos.ABSTRACT. The objectives of this study were to determine the reproductive status of 196 cows sacri ced in anabattoir, to describe their pregnancy characteristics and, to estimate the frequency of abnormalities of the bovinereproductive tract. The study was carried out from September to November of 1995 in an abattoir in Uman, Yucatan,Mexico. The approximate age of the cows was determined by the teeth, and classi ed as young (18 to 36 months),adult (37 to 108 months) and old (greater than 108 months). Information was analyzed using descriptive statisticand Chi-square tests. Once hundred and thirty (66.3%) out of 196 reproductive tracts examined were pregnant. Fortythree (65.2%) of the empty cows had evidences of ovarian activity and 23 (34.8%) did not. Seven of the pregnantreproductive tracts and 22 of the empty tracts had some type of abnormalities. The most frequent abnormality wasthe presence of parovarian cysts. Ten, 4.3 and 0% of the young, adult and old cows, respectively, had abnormalitiesin the reproductive tracts. Thirty percent of the females were in their rst trimester, 60% in the second and 10% inthe last trimester of pregnancy. Seventy nine (60.8%) fetus were in the right uterine horn and 51 (39.2%) in the lefthorn (p 0.05). Of the 43 empty reproductive tracts fromcycling cows 27 (62.8%) presented ovulatory sings in the right ovary and 16 (37.2%) in the left ovary (p > 0.05). Inconclusion, the percentage of pregnant cows sacri ced was high and the number of abnormalities in the uterus waslow. Parovarian cysts were the most frequent abnormality.Key words : Abnormalities, reproductive tract, abattoir, bovines.