Cow ovary anatomy

Cow ovary anatomy describes its location, shape, and size, as well as its surfaces, borders, and extremities. However, cows have two ovaries, which are considered endocrine and cytogenic organs.

Here, I will describe the anatomy of the cow’s ovary with a hand-drawn diagram and real pictures.

Quick answer: Cow ovary anatomy refers to describes 2 surfaces, 2 borders, and 2 extremities, along with its relationship with surrounding organs.

The cow’s right and left ovaries differ slightly in size. However, the external and internal gross anatomical features are similar in both ovaries.

What are the ovaries of a cow?

Figure 1 shows the hand-drawn presentation of the cow’s right and left ovaries. These are the small oval bodies (glands) on each side of the cow’s uterine tubes.

Although ovaries are oval, they become pointed at the uterine end. Table 1 presents the average measurements and weight of the cow’s ovaries.

Location of the bovine/cow’s ovaries

Figure 2 shows the location of the cow’s right and left ovaries. Both ovaries are symmetrically positioned between the cow’s abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Among the various body cavities, the cow’s abdominal cavity is larger. However, the cow’s pelvic cavity is smallest and possesses the pelvic inlet, outlet, dorsal, and ventral boundaries.

Location: The cow’s ovaries are located near or slightly above the middle of the lateral margin of the pelvic inlet. However, they remain just cranial to the corresponding cow’s external iliac arteries.

This is the ideal location of the ovaries under normal physiological conditions in a cow. However, the location may vary slightly due to different factors and physiological conditions (Getty, 1970).  

Attachment of the bovine’s ovaries

Figure 3 highlights the attachment of the cow’s ovaries to the surrounding structures. It shows that the ovaries attach to the sublumbar region through the cranial part of the broad ligament of the uterus.  

However, this attachment of the broad ligament to the ovary is known as the mesovarium. Here, the mesovarium is considered a modification of the cow’s broad ligament.

Cow ovary anatomy

Figure 4 shows an overview of the gross anatomical features of the cow’s ovary. This may help you memorize the features and write them accurately on your exam paper.

However, I made this figure on the cow’s ovary anatomy with a combination of a hand-drawn diagram and real images.

From the figure, you should already understand what to describe about the cow’s ovary anatomy. For descriptive purposes, each cow’s ovary has two surfaces, two borders, and two extremities.

Thus, the following are the topics that you should cover under the ovary anatomy –

• Location of the ovary along with its shape and size
• Surfaces of the ovary: It contains lateral and medial surfaces.
• Borders of the ovary: It has attached (mesovarial) and free borders.
• Extremities of the ovary: It possesses the cranial extremity (tubal) and caudal extremity (uterine).

Here, I will describe the surfaces, borders, and extremities of the cow’s ovary with a hand-drawn diagram and real pictures.

Surfaces of the bovine’s ovary

In Figure 5, I highlighted the lateral and medial surfaces of the cow/bovine ovary. Here, both the lateral and medial surfaces of the cow’s ovary are smooth and rounded.

Again, the lateral surface of the cow’s ovary presents follicles of various sizes. These follicles remain at different stages of development (Figure 6).

In Figure 6, I have identified a Graafian follicle, which has a rounded body. Among the various follicles, you will clearly identify these Graafian, or mature, follicles on the lateral surfaces of the cow’s ovary.

However, these Graafian follicles remain scattered at the periphery of the surface.

You will also find remnants of ruptured follicles in the cow’s ovary. They can form the corpus luteum in the cow’s ovary.

However, the regressed and ruptured follicles of the cow’s ovary form scar tissue. These features are clearly visible under microscopic examination of the cow’s ovary.

Borders of the ovary

Figure 7 presents the attached and free borders of the cow’s ovary. You should be able to identify the attached and free borders from the real samples.

I can help you to identify these borders perfectly with the help of the hand-drawn diagram and real samples –

Attached border: Figure 7 shows that one border of the cow’s ovary is enclosed by the broad ligament (mesovarium). This is the attached border of the cow’s ovary.

Free border: However, Figure 7 also shows a border of the cow’s ovary that has no attachment. This is the free border of the cow’s ovary.

You already know that the part of the broad ligament that attaches to the cow’s ovary is the mesovarium. Thus, the attached border is also known as the mesovarium border of the bovine ovary.

Vessels and nerves reach the cow’s ovary through the mesovarium to this border. However, this border is convex in the cow/bovine’s ovary.

The free border of the cow’s ovary is also convex. However, it has a small notch in the middle portion. The ovarian vessels and nerves also enter into the ovary through this notch.

Extremities of the cow’s ovary

Figure 8 highlights the tubal and uterine extremities of the cow’s ovary. It also shows the unique differentiating features between the tubal and uterine extremities of the cow’s ovary.

Tubal extremity: Here, the tubal or cranial extremity of the cow’s ovary is rounded. It is related to the fimbriated extremity of the cow’s uterine tube (fallopian tube).

Uterine extremity: Again, the uterine or caudal extremity of the cow’s ovary is also rounded but narrow. However, it is connected to the horn of the cow’s uterus by the ovarian ligament (identified in the figure).

The ovarian ligament of the cow’s ovary is also called the proper ligament of the ovary. However, it is a band of smooth muscle enclosed between the layers of the cow’s broad ligament.

Vessels and nerves of the bovine’s ovaries

Arteries: The arteries of the bovine’s ovaries derive from the ovarina artery. However, this ovarina artery is a branch of the cow’s abdominal aorta.

These ovarian arteries are larger and more flexuous in the bovine (cow) ovary. They reach the attached border of the ovaries by passing between the layers of the cow’s mesovarium.

Veins: The veins of the cow/bovine ovaries are numerous and also larger. However, they form a plexus within the ovarian medulla.

Nerves: The nerves of the cow’s ovary derive from the sympathetic system through the renal and aortic plexuses. They also accompany the arterial branches.

FAQ’s on the cow’s ovary anatomy

Conclusion

Thus, the cow ovary anatomy describes its location and features of the various surfaces, borders, and extremities. Here, the medial surface of the cow’s ovary presents ovarian follicles at different stages of development.

However, the attached border of the cow’s ovary is attached to the broad ligament and forms the mesovarium. Again, the tubal extremity faces towards the uterine tube, whereas the uterine extremity faces the horn of the uterus.

References

• Borisenkov, and Vakhnina,2004. Morphological Analysis of Ovaries in Cows and other animals. Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology 40, 92–97 (2004).  
• Ghosh, R. K.: Primary veterinary anatomy, 2nd Edn.Current Books International, Kolkata.
• Hermanson et al., Miller and Evan’s Anatomy of the Dog, 5^th Edn. Elsevier.
• Getty, R. Sission and Grossman’s The Anatomy of the Domestic Animals, 5^th Ed. W. B. Saunders and Co., Philadelphia (USA).
• McLeod, W. N.: Bovine anatomy, 2^nd Edn. Burgess Publishing Co., Minneapolis.
• Rowen D. Frandson, W. Lee Wilke, and A. Dee: Anatomy and physiology of farm animals, 4^th edn.Wiley-Blackwell, USA.
• Natalya A, et al. 2023. Structure of ovaries of cattle. Veterinariya Zootekhniya i Biotekhnologiya 11(120):13-19.  
• Nickel, R., Schummer, A. and Seiferle, E.: The anatomy of domestic animals, 1^st Edn. Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin.
• Dyce, K. M., W. O. Sack, and CSG Wensing: Textbook of Veterinary Anatomy, Lea & Febiger. Philadelphia
• Alward K, et al. 2023. Follicle count with fertility in cattle. JDS Communications; 4, 132-137.

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