LORI.caprine

Caprine neonatal genitals

Keywords: caprine, goat, uterus, testes, neonate, testis, ovary

Caprine neonates taken from a doe euthanized  at term. The first thought that may enter one's mind should these be bovine triplets, is that of freemartinism. However freemartinism is rare in goats. With perhaps 2 to 11 percent  triplets in various  breeds of goats, freemartins would be disastrous for the species.  The main trust of this entry then, is the absence of freemartinism in the two female kids co-triplet with this male and in that absence, normal genital anatomy in all three triplets.

Figure 1. Image size:1072 x 841px

As for all domestic ruminants, the testes have descended into the scrotum before birth in goats. Cryptorchidism is rare in goats. Therefore the situation shown here is normal.

Figure 2. Internal genitalia of a male caprine neonate. Note the testis within the scrotum and the diminished gubernaculum. Image size:1432 x 868px

Figure 3.  Internal genitalia of a female caprine neonate.  Note that the uterus is normally developed. If this animal had been a freemartin, development of the uterus (mullerian in origin) would have been suppressed by mullerian inhibiting hormone from sertoli cells in the male co-triplet. Also note the presence of the umbilical arteries on either side of the bladder (which continues as the urachus). These vessels  become the round ligaments of the bladder in the postnatal animal. Image size: 1362 x 880px

Selected references:

Amann, R.P. and Veeramachaneni D.N.R. 2007 Cryptorchidism in common eutherian mammals
Reproduction 133:541–561

Padula A.M. 2005 The freemartin syndrome: an update. Anim. Reprod. Sci.87:93–109