Understanding Animal
Reproduction
Objective 1: Describe the Importance of Animal Reproduction
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Reproduction: the process by
which animals produce
offspring.
•
One of the basic
characteristics of a
species.
•
Only animals within the
same species can produce
a fertile offspring.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Occasionally animals of a different species, but within
the same family, can reproduce.
•
However, their offspring is sterile. Do you remember
how chromosomes effect this?
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These offspring are often referred to as "hybrid
animals".
Examples of "Hybrid Animals"
Mule, Beefalo, Zebroid, Cama, Liger
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Offspring will have similar traits to their parents.
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Why is this?
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Parents are selected and mated to achieve certain goals.
•
•
High milk production, large litters, meaty carcasses, etc.
The new animals are raised for the products they produce.
•
Eggs, meat, milk, wool, and breeding
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Sexual Reproduction: the
union of the sperm and egg
cells.
•
Two parents are required.
•
Asexual reproduction only
requires 1 parent
•
The offspring is
genetically identical to
that single parent.
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Examples are singlecelled organisms and
cloning.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Sperm: the sex cell of the male animal.
•
•
Sperm are produced in the testes.
Egg or Ovum: the sex cell of the female animal
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Eggs are produced in the ovaries.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Fertilization: the process by
which the union of a sperm
and an egg occurs.
•
Also known as conception.
•
Takes place in the female's
reproductive tract for most
animals.
•
Occurs outside of the body
in fish.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Insemination: the process of placing sperm in the
reproductive tract of the female.
•
Natural Insemination: a male of a species mates with a
female of the same species.
•
Copulation: the mating process in which sperm is placed
into the reproductive tract of a female by a male of the
same species.
•
In order for copulation to occur, the female must be
receptive to the male during a time during the estrus cycle
called Heat.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Artificial Insemination: (AI)
the placing of semen in the
female reproductive tract
using equipment designed for
the purpose.
•
AI is often used in dairy and
beef cows, horses, swine,
and others.
•
We will talk about the process
of AI later.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Embryo: a fertilized egg.
•
Once an egg is fertilized it attaches to the uterine wall
which provides it with nourishment.
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Gestation: the state of pregnancy that occurs after
fertilization and last through parturition or birth.
•
Fetus: a developed embryo
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The fetus will develop until parturition, when it will be
able to live outside of the mother.
Objective 1: Describe the
Importance of Animal Reproduction
•
Parturition: the act of giving
birth, which is the final stage
of the reproductive process.