Laurea Magistrale a Ciclo Unico in Medicina Veterinaria

Knowledge of the main pathologies of the female and male reproductive system of different animal species of veterinary interest; ability to undertake a correct diagnostic process, starting from the animal history and from the gynecological and andrological clinical visit. Knowledge related to the management of reproduction, to the criteria for selecting breeders, to the techniques of manipulation of the reproductive cycle and of assisted reproduction, all in animals of veterinary interest. Knowledge of the technique of seminal collection in different animal species and ability to evaluate the quality of a semen sample. Knowledge related to the manipulation of gametes and the production of embryos.

The following competences of the portfolio con be acquired:

PA_1.17_7: The student recognizes the phase of the cycle and ovarian pathologies based on the ovaries (cow)  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

PA_1.17_9: The student can describe the artificial insemination technique, and set all tools necessary to perform it (cow)  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

PA_1.17_11: The student identifies cervix, uterine horns and the ovaries by trans-rectal palpation (cow)  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

PA_1.17_12: The student recognizes uterus and ovaries when looking a trans-rectal ultrasound (cow)  Practicals VET0028/ VET0031 Rounds Traineeship N

PA_1.17_13: The student describes the correct therapeutic/managerial approach to uterine (metritis, endometritis, pyometra) and ovarian (cyst, anoestrus) pathologies (cow)  Practicals VET0028/ VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

PA_1.17_14: The student describes the correct use of synchronization protocols in a farm (cow)   Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

PA_1.17_15: The student is able to perform the artificial insemination in a sow  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds N

PA_1.17_16: The student identifies the signs of estrus in a sow  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds N

PA_1.17_17: The student is able to perform an ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis in a sow  Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds N

EQ_1.17_8: The student recognizes the phase of the cycle   Practicals VET0028/ VET0031 Rounds S

EQ_1.17_9: The student locates the cervix, and passes the cervix with an insemination catheter   Practicals VET0028/ VET0031 Rounds S

EQ_1.21_6: The student properly assesses semen quality and is able to manage semen for transport   Practicals VET0028/ VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

EQ_1.21_7: The student is able to correctly manage correctly semen for artificial insemination   Practicals VET0028/VET0031 Rounds Traineeship S

CA_1.17_10: The student collects a sample for a vaginal cytology and interprets the results of the analysis   Practicals VET0028 Rounds S

1. Review of Female Anatomy and Physiology
2. Reproductive Hormonology: protein and glycoprotein hormones, steroids, fatty acids.
3. Follicle and oocyte
4. Corpus luteum
5. Puberty and Seasonality
6. The cycles in different animal species
7. Review of Male Anatomy and Physiology
8. Male Hormonology: protein and glycoprotein hormones, steroids, fatty acids.
9. The spermatozoon
10. Mating in different species
11. The gametic junction
12. Management of breeders
13. Semen production in different species. Dilution and freezing
14. The seminal examination
15. Legislation in animal reproduction
16. Heat and Artificial Insemination
17. Spontaneous cycles and induced cycles
18. The management of reproduction in the bovine species
19. Superovulation and ‘embryo-transfer’: classification and freezing of embryos.
20. The embryo. Pregnancy signals.
21. Embryonic reabsorption and abortion
22. Ovarian and salpingeal pathologies.
23. Follicle pathologies. Pathologies of the corpus luteum
24. Vaginal and uterine pathologies (metritis and endometritis)
25. Pathologies of the male reproductive system.
26. Notes on gynecological and andrological ultrasound
27. Production of embryos in vitro. Vitrification of embryos.
28. Nuclear transfer or cloning

During the lectures, the teachers cover the topics included in the course program. The course is enriched by seminars, in which specific topics are addressed with a practical approach, often with the presence of veterinary practitioners. The practical activities represent the complement of specific theoretical topics covered in the lectures: they consist of recognizing physiological and pathological conditions of the reproductive tract of domestic animals or of reproductive organs collected at slaughterhouses or during surgery. Training Mannequins are also used that allow the simulation of the obstetric/gynecological visit in large animals. The approach on the mannequin is followed by that on a live animal. Practical activities in seminology consist in semen collection technique and artificial insemination. 

Lessons: 36 hrs

Practicals: 22 hrs

Round: 26 hrs

Preliminary written test, with voting, with 20 multiple-choice questions, to have access to the oral exam: each correct question is worth 1.5 points, no answer 0 points, wrong - 0.5 points. You need to reach a score of 18 to access the oral exam. The time allowed for the test is 30 minutes. Oral exam on the topics in the program. The student must demonstrate that he has acquired the knowledges and skills provided to him in the lectures and practical activities, and that he can adopt the specific scientific terminology. Overall, the judgment will consider the degree of knowledge reached, the ability to address a topic of the program or a diagnostic question, the appropriateness of the language and communication skills. The final grade is given by the average of the grades of the two parts of the exam.

It is emphasized that the practical activity has a very limited educational value if the student does not attend the lectures.