Exfoliative vaginal cytology during the oestrous cycle of West African dwarf goats

Abstract

The pattern of vaginal cell exfoliation during the oestrous cycle period was studied in cycling and non-descript West African dwarf (WAD) goats. The exfoliated epithelial cells were categorised into parabasal, intermediate and superficial and their relative occurrences were used to determine the reproductive status of the cycling and non-descript does. The mean cell counts of the epithelial and leucocyte cells were also compared between the days of cycle. Leucocyte and epithelial cells were present in the vaginal smears of the WAD does throughout the cycle. Cell counts increased sharply on days 1 and 2 after standing oestrus. From day 4 of the cycle, the counts fell back to the levels at oestrus and daily variations thereafter were not striking enough to distinguish between the different stages of the cycle. In the non-descript does, the intermediate cell dominated the majority of the smears, which is the typical pattern of cell exfoliation in anoestrus and peri-pubertal does. In the smears from cycling does, however, superficial cells were more frequently observed and they appeared to be associated with the proestrus, oestrus and early metoestrus phases of the cycle. These results indicate that the pattern of exfoliation of vaginal cells could be used to determine the reproductive condition and by extension the ovarian functioning of the WAD goats.