Species

Blueprint

Equine

35%

Canine

25%

Bovine

20%

Caprine/ovine

6%

Feline

4%

General, non-species specific*

6%

Swine

2%

New world camelids

2%

Knowledge domains and subdomains

Blueprint

Non-pregnant female anatomy, physiology, and clinical reproduction

18%

§  Comparative anatomical structure and function (e.g., vasculature, innervation, ovaries, oviducts, ovarian bursa, uterus, cervix, vagina, vestibule, vulva, mammary gland)

§  Reproductive endocrinology (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, steroidogenesis, pheromones)

§  Puberty (e.g., definition, factors affecting onset)

§  Oogenesis (e.g., oocyte recruitment, oocyte differentiation, folliculogenesis, follicular dynamics, ovulation)

§  Estrous cycle (e.g., stages, corpus luteum formation and function, luteolysis)

§  Behavior (e.g., estrous, peri-pubertal, maternal)

§  Reproductive immunology

§  Reproductive microbiology and microbiome

§  Reproductive senescence

§  Lactation

§  Exam of the reproductive tract (e.g., palpation, ultrasonography, endoscopy, cytology, histopathology, culture)

§  Reproductive hormones in health and disease (e.g., progesterone with anestrus, inhibin and AMH with gonad neoplasia, acquired endocrinological and metabolic disorders)

§  Abnormal cyclicity (e.g., anestrus, persistent estrus, short/long interestrus interval)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the ovaries (e.g., XO syndrome, granuloma cell tumor, cystic ovarian disease)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the uterine tubes and uterus (e.g., hydrosalpinx, uterus unicornis, leiomyoma, endometritis, pyometra)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the vulva, vestibule and vagina (e.g., persistent hymen, coital exanthema, prepubertal and peripubertal vaginitis)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the bladder and urethra (e.g., ruptured bladder, urethral mass)

§  Genetic testing and assessment (species/breed-specific testing)

Fertilization, embryology, and sexual differentiation

4%

§  Fertilization process (e.g., sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, oocyte maturation and activation)

§  Embryonic stages of development (e.g., cytula, zygote, morula, blastocyst, hatched blastocyst, parthenogenesis)

§  Cytogenetics (e.g., DNA, mitosis, meiosis, diploid, haploid, karyotypes, chromosome)

§  Chromosome anomalies (e.g., aneuploid, monosomic, trisomic, chimeras, mosaics, translocations, inheritance)

§  Embryonic anatomy and differentiation (e.g., sex determination, system differentiation)

Pregnancy

11%

§  Maternal recognition of pregnancy

§  Pregnancy diagnosis methods (e.g., palpation, ultrasonography, radiography, blood tests)

§  Comparative placentation (e.g., deciduate, adeciduate, epitheliochorial, syndesmochorial, interspecies pregnancy)

§  Fetal development

§  Polytocous pregnancy (e.g., prolificacy, embryo migration, uterine capacity, spontaneous embryo reduction, twin pregnancy in monotocous species)

§  Fetal circulation

§  Endocrinology of pregnancy

§  Maternal hematologic changes (e.g., hematocrit, neutrophilia)

§  Gestational length (e.g., seasonality, fetal sex, nutrition, fetal numbers)

§  Fetal well-being (e.g., fetal stress signs, combined thickness of the uterus and placenta)

Clinical approach to the pregnant and postpartum female

16%

§ Endocrinology of parturition (e.g., fetal stress, ACTH, Ferguson's reflex)

§ Stages of parturition (e.g., definition, timing, behavior, maternal and fetal physiological changes)

§ Techniques for monitoring parturition (e.g., temperature drop, waxing, milk electrolytes, tocodynamometry)

§ Multiple births (e.g., monozygotic, dizygotic, conjoined twins)

§ Obstetric nomenclature (e.g., fetal presentation, position, and posture)

§ Exam of the reproductive tract (e.g., palpation, ultrasonography, culture; hormone levels, CMT)

§ Disorders of pregnancy (e.g., vaginal prolapse, hydropic conditions, abdominal hernia, placentitis, pregnancy toxemia)

§ Dystocia causes (e.g., primary/secondary uterine inertia, fetomaternal disproportion, abnormal presentation)

§ Dystocia management (e.g., obstetrical maneuvers, controlled vaginal delivery, fetotomy, cesarean section)

§ Fetal monsters (e.g., Schistosomus reflexus, arthrogryposis, anasarca)

§ Disorders of the postpartum period (e.g., recto-vaginal trauma, uterine prolapse, uterine artery rupture, hypocalcemia, retained fetal membranes, metritis, eclampsia, lactational anestrus)

§ Disorders of the mammary gland (e.g., agalactia, mastitis, neoplasia)

§ Induction abortion/parturition (e.g., indications and limitations, non-hormonal methods, hormone actions and dosage/protocol)

§ Endocrine disruptors and metabolic diseases (e.g., effect of drugs on pregnancy, lactation,diabetes, PPID, insulin disregulation, mycotoxins)

§ Pregnancy wastage investigation (e.g., epidemiological record analysis, exam of aborting female, necropsy findings of aborted/stillbirth animals, collection of samples for laboratory tests, laboratory test options)

§ Embryonic death (e.g., occurrence and causes, clinical signs)

§ Bacterial causes of pregnancy wastage (e.g., brucellosis; leptospirosis, campylobacteriosis)

§  Viral causes of pregnancy wastage (e.g., PRRS virus, feline panleukopenia virus, equine herpes virus)

§  Protozoal causes of pregnancy wastage (e.g., trichomoniasis, toxoplasmosis, neosporosis)

§  Fungal causes of pregnancy wastage (e.g., Aspergillus, Mucor)

§  Teratogens and toxins of pregnancy wastage (e.g., drugs, toxic plants, mycotoxins)

§  Other non-infectious causes of pregnancy wastage (e.g., iatrogenic, nutritional deficiencies, heat stress, hypoluteoidism, twinning in mares, endometrial health)

Male anatomy, physiology, and clinical reproduction

14%

§  Comparative anatomical structure and function (e.g., vasculature, innervation, accessory sex glands, scrotum, spermatic cords, testes, epididymides, penis, prepuce)

§  Reproductive endocrinology (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, steroidogenesis, pheromones)

§  Testicular descent/migration

§  Puberty (e.g., definition, factors affecting onset)

§  Spermatogenesis (e.g., spermatogenic cycle, spermatocytogenesis, spermiogenesis, spermiation, testicular thermoregulation)

§  Ejaculate constituents (e.g., sperm, seminal plasma, accessory sex glands and epididymal contributions)

§  Sperm structure and function (e.g., morphology, concentration, motility)

§  Erection, emission, ejaculation, detumescence

§  Sexual behavior (e.g., pubertal, peripubertal)

§  Reproductive senescence

§  Exam of the reproductive tract (e.g., palpation, ultrasonography, endoscopy, cytology, histopathology, culture)

§  Reproductive hormones in health and disease (e.g., testosterone with cryptorchidism, steroids with gonad neoplasia, gonadotropins with testicular degeneration)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders affecting mating ability (e.g., behavior, neurologic, musculoskeletal)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the scrotum and its contents (e.g., XXY syndrome, testicular hypoplasia, spermatic cord torsion, epididymitis, hydrocele)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of the prepuce and penis (e.g., persistent frenulum, coital exanthema, transmissible venereal tumor)

§  Congenital and acquired disorders of accessory sex glands (e.g., benign prostatic hyperplasia, seminal vesiculitis, ampullary obstruction)

§  Spermiogram analysis (e.g., methods of analysis, sperm production and output, CASA, flow cytometry, seminal plasma evaluation, hemospermia, urospermia, oligospermia, asthenospermia, teratospermia, obstructive/non-obstructive azoospermia)

§  Genetic testing and assessment (species/breed-specific testing)

§  Endocrine disruptors (e.g., effect of drugs on spermatogenesis, mycotoxins)

Breeding management and population control

8%

§  Normal breeding behavior

§  Analysis of animal and herd breeding records (e.g., per cycle pregnancy rate, calving interval, fecundity rate)

§  Estrous cycle manipulation (e.g., supplemental light, hormones, male-effect, estrus induction)

§  Estrous cycle monitoring (e.g., estrus behavior, estrus detection aids, ultrasonography, cytology, hormone levels, timing breeding)

§  Estrus suppression (e.g., indications and limitations, hormones, vaccines, gonadectomy)

§  Nutrition management (e.g., nutritional requirements according to sex, age and physiological status, male and female, pre-pubertal, gestating, post-partum, body condition scoring and recommendations, micronutrients, excessive dietary protein, “flushing”)

§  Nutritional deficiency and toxicity (e.g., vitamin A deficiency, selenium deficiency, mycotoxins)

§  Disease prevention programs (e.g., venereal disease testing, vaccination program)

§  Contraception (e.g., hormonal implants, chemical castration, vaccines)

§  Genetic counseling (e.g., common genetic conditions, recessive vs dominant genetic conditions, polygenic vs single gene conditions, pedigree analysis, common breed predispositions)

Artificial insemination

9%

§  Semen collection techniques and procedures

§  Requirements for sanitation, hygiene and quality control

§  Producing fresh and cooled extended semen doses (e.g., semen extenders, processing, packaging, and transporting, breeding dose quantity/quality, sperm cold shock)

§  Producing frozen semen doses (e.g., semen extenders, processing and packaging, breeding dose quantity/quality, sperm cryobiology)

§  Insemination techniques (e.g., choice of method according to species/semen type, deep-horn insemination, endoscopy-guided insemination)

§  Processing epididymal sperm (e.g., sperm harvest, semen extenders, processing, and packaging)

§  Sexed semen production and use (e.g., X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm differences, flow cytometry cell sorting, pregnancy rate and gender bias)

§  Disease transmission through semen (e.g., potential pathogens, semen donor testing, control with semen antibiotics, import/export regulations)

Embryo technologies

6%

§  In vivo embryo production (e.g., indications, limitations, expected outcomes)

§  Requirements for sanitation, hygiene, and quality control

§  Superovulation (e.g., hormone treatment protocols and basis)

§  Embryo recovery and transfer techniques (e.g., surgical and non-surgical)

§  Recipient synchronization (e.g., hormone treatment protocols and basis, pregnancy rates according to synchrony)

§  Oocyte aspiration techniques (e.g., excised ovaries, ultrasound-guided aspiration)

§  In vitro embryo production (e.g., indications, limitations, and expected outcomes, media requirements, timing, oocyte maturation, sperm selection, in vitro fertilization, embryo culture)

§  Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (e.g., indications, limitations, and expected outcomes, equipment, sperm selection, oocyte injection procedures)

§  Embryo evaluation and classification (e.g., stage of development, morphology/quality)

§  Embryo cryopreservation (e.g., in-vivo vs in-vitro embryos, processing and packaging, embryo cryobiology, vitrification)

§  Disease transmission through embryos (e.g., potential pathogens, oocyte and semen donor testing, control through processing, import/export regulations)

§  Somatic cell nuclear transfer (e.g., indications, limitations, and expected outcomes, procedures overview)

Urogenital surgery

6%

§  Vaginal vestibular surgery (e.g., urine pooling, hymenal remnant, Buhner's vulvar suture technique, vaginal septum)

§  Cervical surgery (e.g., lacerations, fibrosis, cervical wedge resection)

§  Uterine surgery (e.g., Cesarean section, hysterectomy, mass removal)

§  Ovarian surgery (e.g., ovariectomy, ovarian remnant syndrome, colpotomy, cyst removal)

§  Routine desexing surgeries (OHE, OVX)

§  Perineal surgery (e.g., Caslick's, episioplasty, perineal repair)

§  Penile surgery (e.g., amputation, reefing, urethrostomy, trauma)

§  Testicular surgery (e.g., hemicastration, adult castration, prepuberal castration, testicular biopsy)

§  Teaser preparation (e.g., penile translocation, vasectomy, epididymectomy, penopexy)

§  Prepuce surgery (e.g., diverticulectomy, amputation)

§  Effects of gonadectomy on general health and welfare, growth performance

Neonatology

5%

§  Assessment of neonates (e.g., postpartum and neonatal viability scoring, passive transfer evaluation, limb deformities, conditions caused by the birthing process, congenital conditions, hernias)

§  Neonatal care (e.g., resuscitation, colostrum/plasma supplementation orphan neonates, husbandry, assessment of environment)

§  Neonatal development (e.g., suckling reflex, body weight doubling, eyes opening)

§  Clinical assessment and management for neonatal disease and surgery (sepsis, neonatal isoerythrolysis, cleft palate, patent urachus, intestinal obstruction/colic, septic joints, angular limb deformities)

Pharmacology

3%

§  Pharmacological analogs of reproductive hormones (e.g., mechanisms of action, clinical uses, toxicity)

§  Hormones of diagnostic utility (e.g., progesterone vs progestogens, inhibin, AMH, testosterone, estrogen, estrogenic compounds)

§  Antimicrobials and non-antimicrobials (e.g., antibiotic classes, antifungals, antivirals, chelators, biofilm disruptors, mechanisms of action, mechanism of resistance, bioavailability and penetration of the reproductive tract, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics)

§  Anesthetics (e.g., local, regional, general, choice for gravid and non-gravid animals, contraindications)

§  Analgesics, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories (mechanisms of action, penetration)

§  Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act and use of prescription agents to improve reproductive performance