Abstract
Ovaries from total 192 slaughtered cows(154 Korean native cows and 38 Holstein cows) were collected during the slaughtering process in Kimhae, Changyoung and Yangsan abattoirs in Kyungnam province from January 2001 to January 2002. In order to investigate incidence of the ovarian cysts, anatomical, histological observations were performed and also TUNEL methods and PCNA antibody by immunogistochemical methods for diagnostic accuracy of cysts in a few ovaries were applied. Apoptotic positive cells by TUNEL method appeared not or a few in cystic walls but appeared more number in normal large follicular walls and the proliferative positive cells by PCNA antibody appeared numerous in normal large follicular walls but not or a few in cystic walls. The incident rates of ovarian cysts were 19.5% in Korean native cows and 18.4% in Holstein cows. The incident rates of ovarian cysts in Holstein cows were lower than that of Koran native cows. The incident rates of follicular cysts and luteal cysts in Korean native cows were 11.7% and 7.8% respectively. The incident rates of follicular cysts and luteal cysts in Holstein cows were 10.5% and 7.9%, respectively. Higher incidence proportions of ovarian cysts according to seasons in Korean native cows were ordered as spring (29.8%), autumn (21.4%) winter (14.3%) and summer (6.7%). Rates of cows with single cyst and multiple cysts were 63.3%(19 heads /30 heads) and 36.7%(11 heads/30 heads) in 30 cystic Korean native cows, respectively. Cystic cows with corpus luteums were 50.0%(15 heads) in 30 Korean native cows and 42.9%(3 heads) in 7 dairy cows, respectively. Among 15 cystic Korean native cows with corpus luteums, rates of cows with single corpus luteum were 66.7%(10 heads) and rates of multiple corpus luteum were 33.3%(5 heads ), respectively. The average diameter of cysts and corpus luteums in cystic ovaries were 21.0$\times$17.1 mm and 18.1$\times$13.8 mm in 30 Korean native cows and 20.6$\times$17.7 mm and 19.3 $\times$ 14.9 mm in 7 Holstein cows, respectively. So the average sizes of cysts in cystic ovaries were larger than those of corpus luteums.
