Developmental abnormalities of female sexual organs in swine. A post-mortem examination of the genital tract in 1,000 gilts.

One thousand reproductive organs from gilts were collected during the period March-August at a slaughterhouse in central Sweden. The organs were inspected in respect of congenital defects and certain reproductive physiological data. The results are recorded in Tables 1–6. Figs. 1–7 show some types of malformations. The total frequency of malformations was 22.1 %, of which 14 % cysts in mesosalpinx and 4.1 % partial duplication of the vagina. The remainder consisted of general developmental defects and of local defects in the tubular genital tract. Malformations with presumed effect on fertility were found in 4.5 % of all organs examined, of which 0.8 % presumably caused permanent sterility and 3.7 % lowered fertility (small litters). Hydrometra was found in 33 cases, 2 of which in sexually mature gilts. The left ovary contained more corpora lutea than the right, and the mean weight of the left ovary was greater than that of the right, both in sexually mature and prepuberal gilts. Of 202 sexually mature gilts examined 16.9 % had cystic corpora lutea in their ovaries as a rule 2–4 in each ovary.