title: Uterine contractions and fertility following clitoral massage of dairy cattle in estrus.
abstract: Lactating and nonlactating Holstein cows received 30 s of gentle clitoral massage to determine its effect on uterine contractility and oxytocin concentrations in blood. Clitoral stimulation caused an immediate single uterine contraction, and this could be repeated at 2.5-min intervals. Oxytocin concentrations did not change during intensive blood sampling following clitoral massage. Thus, the uterine response is interpreted as neurally mediated. Eighteen full-time inseminators were allotted to two groups, balanced so that each day half were inseminating control and half treated animals (5 s of clitoral massage following insemination). The 56-day nonreturns for 2090 controls were 74.3% versus 74.0% for 2049 animals receiving clitoral massage. Heifers were more fertile than cows (81.9% versus 70.6% nonreturns), but there was no indication that clitoral massage altered the nonreturn rate in either age group. Also, the time of day animals were inseminated did not affect nonreturn rate.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002987:Clitoris / Q000502:physiology*; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary; D007774:Lactation; D008405:Massage / Q000662:veterinary; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin