Male Genital Organs of the Ox

The scrotum is situated somewhat further forward than in the horse. It is long, pendulous, and has a well-marked neck. The skin here is usually flesh-colored, but in some breeds is more or less pigmented; it is sparsely covered with short hairs. Just in front of it are four (sometimes only two) rudimentary teats.

The testicles are relatively larger than those of the horse, and have an elongated, oval outline. The long axis is vertical. The inner surface is somewhat flattened.

A testicle of an adult bull measures on the average about four or five inches (10 to 12 cm.) in length, exclusive of the epididymis; with the latter the length is about six inches (15 cm.). The width is about two and a half to three inches (ca. 6 to 8 cm.), and the antero-posterior diameter about the same. The weight is about nine or ten ounces (ca. 250 to 300 grams).

The tunica albuginea is thin. The parenchyma is yellowish in color. The mediastinum testis descends from the anterior part of the upper extremity deeply into the gland as an axial strand about 5 mm. in thickness. The vasa efferentia leave at the upper end of the mediastinum.

The epididymis is very closely attached to the testicle. The head is long; it curves over the upper extremity and nearly half-way down the anterior border of the testicle. The body is very narrow, and lies along the outer part of the posterior border of the testicle, to which it is attached by a narrow peritoneal fold. The tail is large and is closely attached to the lower extremity of the testicle.

The spermatic cord and the tunica vaginalis are much longer than in the horse; the extra-inguinal part of the cord is about eight to ten inches (20 to 25 cm.) in length. The cremaster externus is well developed, and almost completely incloses the tunic to the nook of the scrotum; it does not extend so far down as in the horse, but is inserted about at the level of the upper pole of the testicle. The vaginal ring is relatively very small, and is about four inches (ca. 10 cm.) from the linea alba. The cremaster internus is feeble.

The spermatic cords emerge through the outer angles of the external inguinal rings, and curve downward and inward to the neck of the scrotum. The external rings are about four inches (ca. 10 cm.) long, and are two and a half to three inches (6 to 8 cm.) apart. In animals in good condition there is a large mass of fat above the neck of the scrotum, between the spermatic cords. The mesorchium extends to the bottom of the tunica vaginalis forming a narrow fold (ca. 1 cm. wide) which attaches the epididymis to the posterior part of the tunic.

The inguinal canal presents several special features in the bull. The internal ring is very long. Its anterior border, formed by the edge of the internal oblique, is decidedly concave and is tendinous in its inner part. The long axis of the external ring is directed outward, forward, and downward. The spermatic cord lies in its outer part, the external pudic vessels in its middle. A muscular band about an inch wide, detached from the internal oblique muscle, crosses the outer side of the vaginal ring.

The vas deferens is small in caliber. The urogenital fold is narrow, so that the vasa are closer together in it than in the horse. On reaching the posterior part of the bladder they are in apposition for a distance of about four inches (10 cm.), flanked and overlapped by the vesiculæ seminales. They form ampullæ about four or five inches (10 to 12 cm.) long and half an inch (1.2 to 1.5 cm.) wide, the mucous lining of which is plicated. They then pass under the body of the prostate and unite with the ducts of the vesiculæ seminales to form the ejaculatory ducts. The latter have slit-like openings on either side of the colliculus seminalis.

The vesiculæ seminales are not bladder-like sacs, as in the horse, but are compact glandular organs with a lobulated surface. In the adult they measure about four or five inches (ca. 10 to 12 cm.) in length, two inches (5 cm.) in width in their largest part, and an inch or more (ca. 3 cm.) in thickness. The dorsal surface of each faces upward and inward and is partially covered with peritoneum. The ventral surface faces in the opposite direction and is non-peritoneal. Each may be regarded as consisting of a very thick-walled, sacculated tube, bent on itself in a tortuous manner. This tube, if straightened out, would be about ten inches (25 cm.) in length. They are commonly unsymmetrical in size and shape. Short branches are often given off from the chief tube. The excretory duct or neck joins the outer side of the vas deferens at an acute angle to form the ejaculatory duct.

The structure of the vesicula is masked by a thick capsule of fibrous tissue and unstriped muscle, which maintains it in its bent condition and also sends trabeculæ between the alveoli. There is a central canal into which the secretion formed in the alveoli passes. The cavities (central canal and alveoli) are lined with columnar epithelium. On account of this structure the term glandulæ vesiculares is preferred by some anatomists.

The prostate is pale yellow in color, and consists of two parts. The body (Corpus prostatæ) is a mass which stretches across the dorsal surface of the neck of the bladder and the origin of the urethra. It measures about an inch and a half (ca. 3.5 to 4 cm.) transversely, and about half an inch (ca. 1 to 1.5 cm.) in width and thickness. The pars disseminata surrounds the pelvic part of the urethra; dorsally it forms a layer about half an inch (ca. 10 to 12 mm.) thick, but ventrally it is quite thin. It is concealed by the urethral (Wilson’s) muscle; hence it often escapes notice, but is very evident on cross-section (fig. 402). The prostatic ducts open into the urethra in rows between two folds of the mucous membrane which proceed backward from the colliculus seminalis.

The uterus masculinus appears to be absent frequently. Ellenberger states that it opens between the ejaculatory ducts, while Martin says that it usually has two orifices at the colliculus, but that it often unites with the vasa deferentia.

The bulbo-urethral (Cowper’s) glands are somewhat smaller than in the stallion. They are liable to escape notice, since they are covered by a thick layer of dense fibrous tissue and also partially by the bulbo-cavernosus muscle. Each has a single duct which opens into the urethra under cover of a fold of the mucous membrane.

The penis is cylindrical, and is longer and of very much smaller diameter than in the horse. Just behind the scrotum it forms an S-shaped curve, the sigmoid flexure; thus about one foot is folded up when the penis is fully retracted. The flexure is effaced during erection. The glans penis is about three inches (ca. 8 cm.) in length. It is flattened dorso-ventrally, and its extremity is pointed and twisted. The external urethral orifice is situated at the end of a groove formed by this twist; it is only large enough to admit a probe of medium size. Even in the non-erect state the penis is remarkably dense and firm. The tunica albuginea is very thick, and incloses the urethra. In the first part, as far as the first curve, there is a thick median septum penis. Beyond this there is a central axial rod of dense fibrous tissue from which numerous strong trabeculæ radiate. The erectile tissue is small in amount, so that the organ undergoes very little enlargement in erection.

The length of the penis in the adult is about three feet (ca. 90 cm.). The crura are flattened laterally. The suspensory ligaments are attached to the ventral ridge on the symphysis. The body is somewhat flattened dorso-ventrally beyond the first curve. The extremity of the glans is unsymmetrical, the urethral orifice being situated ventro-laterally. The glans contains little erectile tissue, and hence undergoes little enlargement in erection.

The bulbo-cavernosus muscle presents several remarkable features. It is for the greater part an inch or more (ca. 3 cm.) in thickness, but its length is only six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm.). It is covered by a strong aponeurosis, and is divided by a median raphé into two lateral halves except at its origin. It diminishes in size from behind forward, and its anterior extremity is pointed.

The ischio-cavernosus muscle resembles in general that of the horse, but is flattened laterally. It is covered by a close aponeurosis.

The retractor penis muscle resembles that of the horse in origin. Its two parts are about an inch (ca. 2 to 5 cm.) apart on the root of the penis, where they lie in a groove on either side of the bulbo-cavernosus. They then come close together and pass on either side of the ventral curve of the sigmoid flexure. Further forward they lie along the ventral aspect of the penis, and end about five or six inches (ca. 12 to 15 cm.) behind the glans.

The prepuce is very long and narrow. Its orifice is about two inches (ca. 5 cm.) behind the umbilicus; it is only large enough to admit a finger readily, and is surrounded by long hairs. The cavity of the sheath is about fifteen inches (35 to 40 cm.) long, and a little over an inch (ca. 3 cm.) in diameter. The lining membrane forms longitudinal folds; it is covered with squamous stratified epithelium, and has coiled tubular glands. The penile layer is glandless, and is reddish in color. It presents lymph nodules in its posterior part.

There are two pairs of preputial muscles which are derivatives of the panniculus carnosus. The anterior pair, the protractors of the prepuce (Mm. præputiales craniales), are two flat bands, two inches or more (5 to 6 cm.) in width, which arise close together in the xiphoid region, about eight inches (20 cm.) in front of the preputial orifice. Traced backward they diverge, leaving the umbilicus and an area about one and a half inches wide free, and then unite behind the preputial orifice. They draw the prepuce forward. The posterior pair, the retractors of the prepuce (Mm. præputiales caudales), arise in the inguinal region and converge on the anterior part of the prepuce. They draw the prepuce backward.

These muscles are subject to a good deal of variation. The retractor may be absent. Many fibers come in from the panniculus on either side, dip under the protractor, and are inserted into the skin just behind the preputial opening. The homologue of the protractor is present in the cow.

The urethra in its pelvic part is about five inches (12 cm.) long, and is of relatively small and uniform caliber. The urethral (Wilson’s) muscle incloses the tube ventrally and laterally; it is very thick, crescentic in cross-section, and is covered by an aponeurosis. Dorsally, the aponeurosis is thick and the muscle absent. Inside of these the pars disseminata of the prostate surrounds the urethra as far back as the bulbo-urethral glands. The colliculus seminalis is short, but prominent; from it the urethral crest extends forward to the trigonum vesicæ. The extrapelvic part has an enlargement, the bulb, at its origin; it then gradually diminishes in diameter, and is relatively very small at its termination. Other features have been mentioned in preceding paragraphs.

In the ram the urethra lies in a groove on the ventral surface of the corpus cavernosum. Its terminal part projects commonly 3 to 4 cm. beyond the glans penis, forming a twisted processus urethræ.