CONGENITAL-ABNORMALITIES OF THE OVINE PARAMESONEPHRIC DUCTS

A 15 month survey of ovine reproductive tracts was undertaken in slaug hterhouses in southwest England. A total of 33506 tracts were examined ; 23536 from lambs and 9970 from adults. In total, 3.4% of tracts were pregnant and 3.3% exhibited abnormalities. Twenty cases of uterus uni cornis, six of uterus didelphys and 11 of segmental aplasia were encou ntered, such that partial aplasia of the paramesonephric ducts account ed for 3.3% of all abnormalities. Although developmental abnormalities of the ovine female genital system are relatively uncommon, a substan tial proportion of these can be accounted for by development defects o f the paramesonephric ducts.