Earlier we found that the puerperal period of ewes lambing in February was finished by day 34 post partum.The aim of this paper was to study the puerperal changes in ewes that lambed in September. Structural changes in the endometrium of the caruncular region were studied in 12 Slovak Merino ewes that lambed in September. The animals were killed on days 7, 17, 25 and 34 post partum. Samples were taken from the caruncular region of their uterine horns. The tissue samples were fixed, dehydrated and embedded in paraffin, and 7-10 mm sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Microscopic analysis was performed using a projection microscope. Simultaneously the collected material was stained with toluidine-blue, and examined on the semi-thin sections. The epithelium above the caruncles was entirely destroyed on day 7. Damaged mitochondria and dilated cisterns of the endoplasmic reticulum were found in the electron micrographs. On day 17, the epithelium covered gradually a sizeable caruncle. The glandular epithelium was considerably degenerated. The caruncle was markedly reduced on day 25, and the endometrium was covered with epithelium. The endometrium was totally covered with epithelium, and cellular ultrastructure was no more damaged on day 34 post partum. The study of micromorphology of endometrial structure in caruncular area revealed that also in ewes that lambed in September, the puerperium is finished by day 34 post partum. Its course and timing did not differ from that seen in ewes lambing in February. The results extend the knowledge of the puerperal changes in different season of the year. Caruncular region, endometrium, ewe, histological structures, post partum, season of the year One of the factors that may unfavourably affect fertility is the course of the involutional and reparatory processes of the uterus in the postpartal period. At the onset of postpartal reproductive activity it is necessary to take into account the breed, the season of the year, nutrition, and the length of suckling (Kudláã 1985; DoleÏel 1989). The macroscopic changes occurring during involution of the sheep uterus were reported by Foote and Call (1969); Crowder et al. (1982); Botha (1976); Van Wyk et al. (1972); Krajniãáková (1990); Greyling and Van Niekerk (1991) in goat, and Massányi (1996) in rabbits. A comprehensive histological study of the sheep uterus post partum was carried out by Uren (1935); and Van Wyk et al. (1972) who found that the involution process of the uterus was completed by day 28 post partum. Botha (1976) reported that both the season and lactation influence epithelisation of the caruncles. The author observed sheep that lambed during the out-of-mating season (August) to have epithelisation in the caruncular region finished on day 34 post partum whereas those that lambed in the lambing season (March) on day 30 post partum.

The aim of this work was to characterize the structural changes in the surface epithelium and endometrial glands as well as oviduct mucosa in goats after parturition using the light and transmission electron microscopy. Fifteen Slovak short-haired goats were used. They were killed on days 3, 21, 36, and 40 after parturition. The evaluation of semithin sections from day 3 postpartum revealed impaired epithelial cells. Lymphocytes and neutrophil granulocytes were present in the lumen of uterine glands. Ciliated cells and sporadic secretory cells that were released into the oviduct lumen were found on semithin sections from the ampullary part of oviducts (day 3 postpartum). Cells in the cytoplasm contained mitochondria and cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. Impaired cells with a vacuolised cytoplasm were present on ultrathin sections from the caruncular region of endometrium on day 21 postpartum. Uterine glands were in the stage of proliferation. Ultrathin sections from day 21 postpartum showed that ciliated cells were present and secretory cells with secretory granules increased in the epithelium of oviduct ampulla. The surface epithelium on day 36 was continuous, simple columnar; in some locations pseudostratified columnar. No signs of morphological damage of cells were found. On the free border of ciliated cells of the oviduct mucosa on day 36, the presence of numerous kinocilia was observed. Glandular cells contained a great amount of dense secretory granules in the cytoplasm (day 36 postpartum). The microscopic and submicroscopic appearance of the uterus and oviduct on day 40 postpartum was similar to that on day 36 of the period observed. The results obtained can be used in synchronization or induction of estrus in the intensification of reproduction and increasing the reproductive turnover in goat husbandry. , uterus, oviduct, puerperium, light and electron microscopy Goat

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The quality and quantity of morphological and functional changes in ovarian tertiary follicles during their growth and development waves after synchronisation of oestrus and superovulation treatment is described. Within 48 and 120 h after injection of 125 µg cloprostenol simultaneous amplification of healthy non-atretic tertiary follicles as well as those recruited and selected as dominant on the ovarian surface was observed. The mean size of the largest growing dominant, i.e., ovulatory follicle significantly increased in ewes 24 and 48 h after cloprostenol administration compared not only to controls but also to experimental groups at 72 and 120 h after luteolytic treatment. Eleven (73.3%) goats and 45 (88.24%) ewes were found to respond to superovulatory treatment. Significant differences (P < 0.01) in ovulation response were noted between FSH (9.6 ± 3.8) and PMSG (4.6 ± 1.1 ) preparations in ewes. After superovulatory treatment the oestradiol-17β levels in follicular fluid of the selected dominant follicles increased significantly as compared to the large atretic follicles (P < 0.001). Oestrus synchronisation in ewes was carried out by cloprostenol induction of the new follicular wave. These results suggest that luteolysis has a key role both in the process of recruitment and in the induction of selection during folliculogenesis in ewes. Evaluation of the superovulatory response in ewes and goats demonstrates that FSH-and PMSG-based preparations affect follicles after recruitment in the process of selection.