Reproduction is the instinct of every organism to reproduce. The ethical characteristic of individual living things is that their lifespan is limited, and at some point they will grow old and then die due to a factor, be it parasites, predators or so on. Because it needs a new development to replace the reputation that has been lost. Thus the survival of the individual is shown in part to fulfill the reproductive capacity which is absolute for the survival of the species. Male reproductive organs in general can function as a place to produce sperm (testes).
 |
| Male Sex Organs |
The testes themselves are factories that produce two kinds of products, namely male sex cells (spermatozoa) and hormones (testosterone). The testes themselves consist of blind tubes, called seminiferous tubules, which open into the epididymis. The walls of the tubules are lined by a layer of spherical sex cells called spermatogonia. Among the spermatogonia lining the walls of the seminiferous tubules are slender cells, which alternate with the spermatogonia and lead into the lumen. These cells are Sertoli cells that produce testosterone.
The male sex organs consist of primary, secondary, external and accessory glands. These organs have different shapes, sizes and functions. To know this requires further study.
Read more: Reproductive Performance of Cattle
Primary Sex Organs
Testicles
The primary sex organs in male animals are the testes or commonly called orchis or didymos, called primary sex organs because they are essential, namely producing sperm, and producing the male sex hormone, namely testosterone.
 |
Primary Sex Organs |
In mammals, the testes descend considerably, whereas in most species they end in the scrotum. The testes will be damaged when the temperature is the same as body temperature. Animals that do not experience the descent of the testes into the scrotum or that have cryptorchid, spermatogenesis (sperm formation) will not occur. The results showed that it was solely due to the influence of temperature. Because when cryptorchid testes are artificially cooled, spermatogenesis continues.
The testes are divided imperfectly by the mediastinum, a circumscribed septum. Strands of connective tissue run from the center of the testis on the longitudinal axis and are continuous with the dividing membrane. The testicular segments contain numerous tortuous seminiferous tubules, loose tissue and scattered interstitial cells.
The testes are located in the prepubic area, wrapped in the scrotal pouch and suspended by the funiculus spermaticus which contains elements carried by the testes in their displacement from the abdominal cavity through the ingual canal into the scrotum. while in adult cattle it reaches 12-16 cm in length and 6-8 cm in diameter. Each testicle weighs 300-500 grams depending on the age, weight, and breed of the cow
The bull's testes are elliptical, located in the scrotal sac and hanging from the chorda spermaticus with the anterior part of the testes lower or in a ventral position. In adult animals, the testes are 10-12½ cm long, 5-6.25 cm wide and weigh 500 grams. The testes are covered by a thin, elastic band of connective tissue called the tunica albuginea. When palpated this membrane feels firm and strong. While the total length of the tubules in adult bulls is estimated at 4.5 km, and each tubule is less than 200 microns in diameter, and about 80% of the weight of the testes of a normal bull consists of tubules.
The outer layer of the testes is the tunica albuginea testis, which is a white, elastic connective tissue membrane. A large number of blood vessels are found just below the surface of this layer. The functional layer of the testis, the parenchyma, lies beneath the tunica albuginea. The parenchyma is yellowish in color, divided by imperfect septa into segments. Parenchyma has small tubes inside which are called seminiferous tubules (singular), seminiferous tubules (plural). The seminiferous tubules originate from the primary sex cord which contains germ cells, spermatogonia, and feeding cells, namely Sertoli cells. Sertoli cells are larger in size with fewer numbers than spermatogonia
There are two types of testes, namely:
- As a place that produces male sex hormones, namely androgens (testosterone). The intersituial cells of Leydig under the influence of ICSH produce the male sex hormone, namely testosterone (androgen) which is present in the connective tissue between the seminiferous tubules.
- As a producer of male gametes called spermatozoa. Spermatozoa are produced in the seminiferous tubules under the influence of FSH. The tubules are very tortuous in older males spermatogonia grow into primary spermatocytes, which after the first meiotic division grow into haploid secondary spermatocytes then haploid secondary spermatocytes grow into spermatids which after undergoing a series of transformations called spermiogenesis, then grow into sperm cells which consists of a head, a middle part (body) and a tail.
Read more: Livestock Health Management
Secondary Sex Organs
Vas Deferens
The vas deferens (ductus deferens) is a muscular tube that during ejaculation pushes spermatozoa from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct in the prostatic urethra. The vas deferens leaving the tail of the Epididymis travels through the inguinal canal which is part of the spermatic cord and in the internal inguinal ring twists backwards, separating the blood vessels and nerves from the cord.
The two vas deferens then approach the urethra, unite and then to the dorso caudal bladder, and in a fold of peritoneum called the urogenital fold (genital fold) which can be likened to the broad ligament in the female. The vas deferens transports sperm from the tail of the Epididymis to the urethra. The walls contain smooth muscles that are important in the mechanization of the transport of semen during ejaculation.
The diameter reaches 2 mm and the consistency is like a yellowish rope. Near the body of the epididymis, the vas deferens becomes straight and, together with blood and lymph vessels and nerve fibers, forms the funiculus spermaticus which passes through the ingual canal into the abdominal cavity.
The ampulla in cattle is 10 to 14 cm long, with a diameter of 2 to 2.5 cm. Ampulla is absent in dogs, small pigs and cats. The vas deferens functions to transport sperm from the tail of the epididymis to the urethra. The walls contain smooth muscles that are important in the mechanization of the transport of semen during ejaculation. It can reach 2 mm in diameter, 5-10 cm long and has a string-like consistency near the tail of the Epididymis, the vas deferens is tortuous and runs parallel to the body of the Epididymis.
Near the head of the epididymis, the vas deferens becomes straight and, together with blood and lymph vessels and nerve fibers, forms the funiculus spermaticus which passes through the inguinal canal into the abdominal cavity. The two vas deferens, which lie side by side above the bladder, gradually thicken and enlarge to form the ampullae of the ductus deferenti.
Epididymis
The epididymis is an elongated structure that is tightly attached to the testes. The epididymis contains the ductus Epididymis which is very tortuous, and reaches a length of more than 40 meters in adult males and about 60 meters in pigs and 80 meters in horses.
The epididymis can be divided into a head, body, and tail. The head (caput epididymis) forms a basic, slightly cup-shaped projection that begins at the proximal end of the testis. Generally, the Epididymis is U-shaped, varies in size and covers 1/3 of the testis. Through the serosa, the Epididymal ducts are arranged in lobules and contain the ductus efferentes testis with 13 to 15 epididymal ducts near the proximal end of the testis, the head of the Epididymis being flattened and continuous with the body (corpus Epididymis) which is slender and runs distally along the posterior edge of the testis.
At the distal end of the testis, the body becomes the cauda epididymis, which in adult cattle is about the size of a thumb and swings slightly in position. Near the ligamentum testis, the duct of the epididymis becomes rougher in folding around the ligament, continuing proximally as the ductus deferens. The head of the epididymis, looks flat at the apex of the testis, there are 12-15 small ducts, the vasa efferentia which merge into one channel. The corpus epididymis extends from the apex down along the longitudinal axis of the testis, is a single tube that is continuous with the cauda epididymis.
The total length of the epididymis is estimated at 34 meters in pigs and horses. The lumen of the cauda epididymis is wider than the lumen of the corpus epididymis. The structures of the epididymis and other external tracts, the vas deferens and the urethra are similar to those of the female reproductive tract. The tunica serosa is external, followed by smooth fleshy muscle in the middle and the innermost layer is the epithelium.
The mammalian epididymis is a dynamic accessory sex organ, depending on testicular androgens to maintain an epithelial differentiation status. Macroscopically, the Epididymis consists of a head, body, and tail covered by a thick, dense, irregular connective tissue that is covered by a visceral layer of tunica vaginalis. In male horses, the tunica albuginea has a few smooth muscle cells scattered in it.
There are four functions of the Epididymis, namely as follows;
- Transportation
Transport is the mass flow of spermatozoa from the rete testis into the ductus efferents by fluid pressure and the spermatozoa in the testes multiply accordingly. The movement of spermatozoa is assisted by ciliary movement and peristalsis of the musculature in the wall of the ductus epididymis.
- Concentration
Concentration is the place in the ductus Epididymis testicular fluid which is the medium for the mass of spermatozoa, the water is absorbed by the epididymis wall epithelium. Arriving at the tail the sperm concentration becomes very high.
- Maturation
Maturation is the ripening or maturation of spermatozoa. This ripening may be due to the secretion of epithelial cells in the ductus epididymis.
- Heap
Read more: Sustainable Livestock Production
External Sex Organs
Scrotum
The scrotum is a pouch of skin whose size, shape and location match the testicles it contains. The skin of the scrotum is thin, tender and relatively hairless. A layer of fibroelastic tissue mixed with smooth muscle fibers, called the tunica dartos, is on the inside of the skin and in cold weather the muscle fibers of the dartos contract and help maintain position against the abdominal wall. The tunica dartos crosses the median plane between the two testes helping to form the scrotal septum which divides the scrotum into two lateral portions of each testicle.
 |
Scrotum |
The main function of the scrotum is to provide the testes with an environment that is 1 to 8°C cooler than the body cavity temperature. This function can be carried out due to regulation by the dual muscular system that pulls the testicles closer to the body wall to heat the testes or let the testicles move away from the body wall to be cooler. In other words, the function of the scrotum is to regulate the temperature of the testes and the epidermis so that they are not too low with body temperature (thermoregulatory testes).
Penis
The penis of an adult male is 91.4 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter. The penis is cylindrical in shape and thins slightly from the base of the penis to the free end. The tip of the penis has very little tension tissue, except for the base; so the penis enlarges slightly during erection and becomes more tense. When the penis is relaxed or not stretched, the bull's penis is solid and hard. Behind the scrotum of the penis, it forms an S-like curve, called the sigmoid flexure. When the penis is stretched the letter S will become straight which causes the penis to reach a length of 91.4 cm.
The penis has two main functions, namely spraying semen into the female reproductive organs and as a place for urine to come out. The penis is covered by a dense, white fibrous tunica called the tunica albuginea. The penis can be divided into three parts, namely the base that is attached to the fascia or strong ligament and is called a penile crush (body part) where the body part where the arms are folded in a circular shape resembling the letter S is called the sigmoid flexure and the tip of the penis is called the glans penis, which is equipped with two parts. kinds of equipment, namely the refractor muscle of the penis which can relax and contract and the corpus convernosum of the penis to tense the penis.
The glands of the penis in cattle are 7.5-12.5 cm long and slightly pointed; whereas the glans penis in goats resembles a filiform protrusion 4-5 cm long, with the glans penis 5-7.5 cm long. The penis in adult bulls reaches ± 100 cm in length measured from the root to the tip of the glans penis. Cow penis in a state of erection and penile compression protruding from the prepuce along the 25-60 cm. In goats the penis is 35 cm long with a well-developed sigmoid flexure. The diameter is relatively small 1.5-2 cm. The cylindrical shape of the penis is slightly thinned from the base of the penis to the free end.
Cow penis is included in the fibro-elastic type and is somewhat stiff even though it is not erect. Most of the body of the penis in a non-erect state is in the shape of the letter S (flexura sigmoidea) which is located on the dorsal caudal scrotum.
Prepuce
The word prepuce or preputeum has the same meaning as the sheath is an ivaginato of skin that completely wraps around the free end of the penis. The embryonic development of this organ is the same as that of the labia minira in female cattle. The prepuce can be divided into two parts, namely the prepenile, the outer fold and the penile, the inner fold. Around the prepuse orifice is overgrown by long and coarse hair. At the time of storage of semen in the artificial insemination program, it is necessary to shave this hair, to keep the semen from being contaminated by dirt that is likely to stick to the hair.
The prepuce is a fold of skin around the free end of the penis. The outer surface is a rather distinctive skin, while the inner surface resembles a mucous membrane consisting of a preputial layer and a penile layer that covers the surface of the free extremity of the penis. The foreskin is a double fold, so that two concentric layers surround the penis when the penis is retracted. Pig preputium has a diverticulum (sac) on the dorsal side of the preputial orifice. The sac accumulates urine, secretions and dead cells which gives the adult pig its characteristic odor.
The prepuce is located slightly behind the umbilicus and is usually surrounded by long hairs. The prepuce, where the free tip of the penis lies, is 37.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter. The prepuce is lined with squamous epithelial cells of varying height. At the time of erection the penis is usually elongated but not more than 25 to 30 cm past the mouth of the prepuce and will reach complete elongation only when the cow reaches the highest point of copulation activity.
Read more: Cattle Farm