The Inheritance of Functional Causes of Reproductive Inefficiency: A Review,

Abstract

The variation in the use of terms relating to reproductive inefficiency is suggested. General data are given to support the thought that inheritance affects reproductive efficiency. Inherited characters affecting fertility in the female are white heifer disease, freemartin condition, adolescent infertility, ovarian hypoplasia, gonadless, incompletely developed uterine horns, uncharacterized infertility in Jerseys and Holstein-Friesians, tubular genitalia and adiposity surrounding the genitalia. In the male, fertility is affected by testicular hypoplasia, impotentia coeundi, umbilical hernia, intersex, returned tails, semen quality and failure of spermatogenesis. Because of their influence on the overall reproductive efficiency, a description of 26 lethals are included and arranged according to the type of tissue primarily affected. Included are 142 references.