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Objective: Comparing cytological findings of the uterus and cervix mucusae in two methods (swab and aspiration) in cows
during oestrus cycle.
Design: Comparative descriptive survey.
Animals: A total of 120 cows.
Procedure:A total of 120 genital systems of slauthered cows were selected. An the genital systems were contained uterine horns and cervix. In according to the physical appearances, genital samples were divided into estrus, metestrus, diestrus, proestrus, anestrus, post parturition and ovarian cysts. Geni¬tal smears were prepaired from uterine horns and cervix by swab and aspiration methods. The smears were stained with
Giemsa stain and examined by a microscope.
Statistical analysis: The data were analysed statisticany using one way analysis of variance (ANOY A). The differenc between
the means were statistically estimated by Duncan's test.
Results: There were no significant differences in the percent¬age of large vacuolated epithelial cens, neutrophils, macro ph¬ages and lymphocytes of cervical and uterine mucusae by swab and aspiration methods(P>O/O5). There was a signifi¬cant difference in the percentage of epithelial cells in the smears obtained from cervix and uterus in swab and aspiration meth¬ods. So that the percentage of epithelial cells in swab method were more than aspiration methods (P<0.05). Comparison of the cervix and uterus cens in swab and aspiration methods in the estrus cycle showed that the average number of neutro¬phils in estrus were lower than other stages. The average per¬centage of neutrophils in other stages of estrus were lower than 5%. In the cases with ovarian cyst and postpartum pe¬riod, the average percentages of neutrophils were more than
5% which can be a sign of inflammatory reaction.
Conclusion: With respect to cytological studies, there were no significant differences between the samples which had been taken of the uterine horns and uterine cervix. For uterine
cytology, aspiration method proved to be better than swab method. J.Fac. Vet.Med.Univ.Tehran.59,4:313-318,2004