Ovarian and behavioral cyclicity were studied during 3-5 estrous cycles in a group of 10 multiparous, Nubian does. Changes in ovarian morphology throughout the estrous cycle were identified and photographed laparoscopically. Forty-eight estrous cycles were observed during the study and of these, 21 were abnormally short in duration (mean +/- SEM, 6.5 +/- 0.5 days). Mean duration of the estrous cycle for the 27 normal length cycles was 21.5 +/- 0.8 days. Eighteen/21 (86%) of the short cycles and 6/27 (22%) of the normal cycles were initiated during early breeding season (between September 1st and October 15th). There were no differences (P greater than 0.05) in the duration of estrus for the short (mean, 2.9 +/- 0.3 days) and normal (mean, 2.8 +/- 0.8 days) cycle groups. A total of 6/11 (55%) of the short duration cycles examined laparoscopically appeared to be anovulatory, but ovulation was observed in all normal cycles examined. The number of corpora lutea (CL) observed during normal length and short estrous cycles was 3.1 +/- 0.2 and 2.2 +/- 0.2, respectively (P less than 0.01). The cumulative percentage of does that showed morphological evidence of ovulation by the first, second and fifth day after the onset of estrus was 30%, 60% and 100%, respectively. Based on distinct differences in morphology and development, 2 types of CL were identified. The maximum visible diameter of Type I and Type II CL was 9.4 +/- 0.6 mm and 5.1 +/- 0.5 mm, respectively. These data document ovarian morphology throughout the normal and abnormal duration estrous cycle of the goat and indicate that 1) short estrous cycles observed early in the breeding season are associated with prematurely regressing CL or anovulation and 2) the ovary produces 2 morphologically distinct types of CL which differ not only in size and appearance, but also potentially in postovulatory function and longevity.

Ovarian morphology and behavioral relationships were studied in a group of nine miniature pigs with a characteristically small litter size (-5) and an average coefficient of inbreeding of 0.39. The first day of standing estrus was designed as day 0, Laparoscopy was used to evaluate and photograph ovarian activity on days 1, 5, 11, 17, and day 2 of the subsequent estrous cycle. Mean (+/-SEM) duration of estrus and the estrous cycle was 3.1 +/- 0.2 and 22.6 +/- 0.3 days, respectively. An average of 9.0 +/- 0.4 vesicular follicles developed/estrous period and 96% of the follicles showed morphologic evidence of ovulation resulting in a mean of 8.6 +/- 0.3 corpora lutea (CL) per animal. There was no significant correlation between the degree of inbreeding and number of vesicular follicles (r = 0.27) or CL (r = 0.28) developing/cycle within the experimental group. Mature preovulatory follicle and CL size ranged from 6-12 mm and 8-12 mm in diameter, respectively, and 22.5% of the newly formed CL contained distinct postovulatory stigmata. These data indicated that 1) temporal relationships of sexual behavior and gross ovarian morphology in the miniature pig were similar to descriptions previously reported for the standard pig, and 2) the reduced litter sized characteristic to this particular strain is, at least in part, due to decreased number of vesicular follicles developing during the estrous cycle.