Articles

The first visualizations of the structures of the sheep's reproductive system, whether of the uterus or ovaries, were performed through exploratory laparotomies, laparoscopies or through materials obtained in slaughterhouse, being possible to evaluate only what was happening at that moment in the estrous cycle. With the emergence of ultrasound from the 90s, it became possible to dynamically monitor what happened at each moment of the estrous cycle at different times of the year, without having to slaughter the females. Because it is a non-invasive technique and the stress caused by its use is very low, it is increasingly necessary to use ultrasound in sheep, either for pregnancy diagnosis or for multiplying herds using biotechnologies, which the ultrasound examination becomes indispensable to obtain the best results. This review aims to describe the main advances in the study of the estrous cycle of sheep with the help of ultrasonography and its influence on the productive efficiency of the herd.