Where do ovum and sperm meet for fertilization?

Fertilization in mammals, including cattle, occurs in the oviduct, also known as the fallopian tube. This is the specific anatomical structure where ovum, which is released from the ovary during ovulation, travels through to meet the sperm. After mating, sperm is deposited in the female reproductive tract and must navigate toward the oviduct to successfully encounter the ovum.

The oviduct is designed to facilitate this process: it provides an appropriate environment for sperm to survive and swim toward the ovum, and it is where the fertilization event actually takes place.

In contrast, while the uterus is the site where a fertilized ovum implants and develops into a fetus, fertilization itself does not happen there. The vagina serves primarily as a passageway for sperm entry during mating but is not where fertilization occurs. The cervix acts as a barrier between the vagina and the uterus and doesn’t play a direct role in the fertilization process.