ANIMAL WELFARE (Sexual Behaviour)

Question 1

Sexual behaviour development:

Answer 1

-technically ONLY after puberty, but developed during infancy
>play behaviour
>social learning
-controlled by hormonal cycles

Question 2

Females (hormonal cycles):

Answer 2

-FSH, estrogen, LH, progesterone: fertile only a specific period (estrus)
-receptivity needs to be signaled!

Question 3

Males (hormonal cycles):

Answer 3

-testosterone
-always receptive

Question 4

Factors affecting sexual behaviours:

Answer 4

1. Nutrition
2. Hormones
3. Health (eyes, nose, legs, and hooves)
4. Social
5. Experience
6. Environment
7. Stockmanship

Question 5

Nutrition:

Answer 5

-too fat or too thin
-fitness/survival
*reproduction is luxury

Question 6

Hormones:

Answer 6

-abnormal profiles
-presence of males (cats, rabbits)
-ovarian cysts

Question 7

Social:

Answer 7

1. Dominance/territory/females-to-male ration
2. Group size: learning experiences

Question 8

Experience:

Answer 8

-age, quantity, and quality of previous experiences
-serving capacity, bull libido, breeding soundness examinations

Question 9

Environment:

Answer 9

1. Seasonality
2. Facilities
3. Temperature

Question 10

Seasonality:

Answer 10

-AI has eliminated seasonality with dairy cows and swine
-horse, goats and sheep: hard to induce cycle during seasonal anestrus
>anestrus: longer days (summer solstice)

Question 11

Facilities:

Answer 11

-field vs. pens
-flooring (ex. injuries)
-space (more space=better)

Question 12

Stockmanship:

Answer 12

-chronic stress inhibits reproduction
Ex. will be more focused on stress stimuli vs. engaging in reproduction behaviours

Question 13

Males 3 distinct phases:

Answer 13

1. Proceptive behaviours
2. Acceptive behaviours
3. Refractory period
   *all these are part of LIBIDO evaluation for breeding individuals

Question 14

Proceptive behaviours (male):

Answer 14

-looking for an individual to engage in sexual activity
-increases fertility and sperm count

Question 15

Proceptive behaviours 3 ‘actions’ (male):

Answer 15

1. Detection
2. Courtship
3. Verification

Question 16

Detection (proceptive, male)

Answer 16

-Flehman sign: pheromones
-investigate genital region, smelling

Question 17

Courtship (proceptive, male):

Answer 17

-physical contact (kicks, headbutts, biting)
-vocalizations
-urination
-salivation

Question 18

Verification (proceptive, male)

Answer 18

-mounting attempts

Question 19

Acceptive behaviour (male):

Answer 19

-mating/coital behaviour (service)
>mounting and clasping
-intercourse & ejaculation

Question 20

Intercourse & ejaculation length:

Answer 20

-ruminants: 1-3s
-stallion: 20-60s
-boar & dog: 5-30min (50min)
*shorter for the large animals as the females need to be able to hold their weight

Question 21

Male refractory period:

Answer 21

-a period immediately following ejaculation during which the male is unresponsive to further stimulation
-absolute and relative
*important measurement for male selection

Question 22

Absolute refractory period (male):

Answer 22

-right after intercourse

Question 23

Relative refractory period (male):

Answer 23

-after a few minutes, during which Coolidge effect
>by changing the sexual stimuli (ex.female), the male exhibits a renewed sexual interest and can engage in again in sexual activities

Question 24

Refractor period sheep, example:

Answer 24

-when the same female, the refractory period increased more each time (2 mins, 4 mins, etc..)
-when different females, the refractory period is relative (less than a minute each time)

Question 25

Females two distinct phases:

Answer 25

1. Proceptive behaviours
2. Acceptive behaviours

Question 26

Female proceptive behaviours:

Answer 26

-showing receptivity and invitation
1. Pheromones urine)
2. Increase physical activity (walking, sniffing, flehmen, head-butting, chasing, mounting, chin-resting)
3. Postural changes (lordosis):
>horses: winking, tail raising, squatting and urinated
4. Decreased intake (milk yield)
5. Vocalizations

Question 27

Female acceptive behaviours:

Answer 27

-willingness to accept courtship and copulatory attempts
-immobility: MOST RELEVANT SIGN of receptivity (in all species)
-sign of standing heat: AI/bull protocol

Question 28

Heat detection:

Answer 28

-important for AI programs (except when estrus synchronization)
1. Visual
2. Activity Monitors
3. Teasers

Question 29

Visual heat detection:

Answer 29

-trained personnel to check behaviours/secretions
-2x (60-80%) & 3x (80-90%)

Question 30

Activity monitors (heat detection):

Answer 30

-accelerometers
-podometers

Question 31

Teasers (heat detection):

Answer 31

-marker, chin-ball
-vasectomized; apron (intercourse isn’t possible)
-androgenized females (cattle)