sexual behaviour Flashcards
the ultimate goal
the ultimate goal
❑ Produce offspring for the next generation
the immediate goal?
the immediate goal?
❑ Bonding, social
❑ Gratification- highly motivated behaviour
❑ Hormones & reward systems- endorphins
what is thephysiological response to sexual behaviour?
endorphins
advantage of sexual repro
❑ New genetic variations in subsequent offspring/ generational success and selection
how does sexual behav. effect adaptability?
loss of bad mutations
good mutations spread
desiease resistance
adaptability to env change
- some of these benefit production
2 goals of sex repro
hint - cost benefit
Maximize offspring reared
Minimize investment time and energy
polygamous,
dimorphic
defs
polygamous, - mates w more than one indivisual
dimorphic- seperate male and female roles
female selects male based on:4
fitness/health
symmetry
coloration
availability
-note- these are good traits to pass on
Sex and Commitment - Mammals
female investment:
direct or indirect?
what does that mean
direct
a female mammal makes in the offspring after mating, which typically involves providing resources like time, energy, and care to ensure the survival and development of the young.
-huge time, energy and resouce cost
Sex and Commitment - Mammals
males: direct or indirect
what does it mean
indirect
means that males usually don’t provide as much direct care or resources to the offspring after conception. Instead, their contributions are often more focused on genetic investment and mate selection rather than physical care.
Causation: what happens?
hormones
what are the effected targets? 2
reproductive tissues and nervous sys
Causation: what happens?
hormones
Hormones (regulatory substances) (gonadotropins) carried by
the x to gonads (ovaries and testes) where they stimulate
development of x and x
Hormones (regulatory substances) (gonadotropins) carried by
the blood to gonads (ovaries and testes) where they stimulate
development of eggs and sperm
xproduce the sex hormones
Gonads produce the sex hormones
x directly control most reproductive behaviour
sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone)
that directly control most reproductive behaviour
Increase likelihood that behaviour is performed
given appropriate x
Increase likelihood that behaviour is performed
given appropriate environment
Considerable individual X in hormone
responses and behaviour
Considerable individual variation in hormone
responses and behaviour
Female Sexual Behaviour in Estrus:
Attractivity- caused by..
proceptivity- caused by..
Receptivity- caused by
Attractivity- pheromones
Proceptivity- male seeking
Receptivity- standing, lordosis
proceptivity-active participation in the mating process. It’s not just about attracting a mate; proceptive behavior involves the female’s actions that encourage or initiate the male’s attention.
female becomes more x to male when in estrus
attracted
pheromones in urine cause the x reponse
flehmens
attractivity: pheremones
pheremones x males
pheremones may speed up sexual x
can impact social x
attract
maturation (can bring other females into heat)
impact social grouping. form SAGs
Proceptivity def
this is not present in what specie
Proceptivity
◼ Initial phase when courtship occurs
not present in poultry
during the proceptivity phase, what hormone is secreted? (in cows)
LH
Ram Seeking in Ewes – driven by x and x
age and weight
Higher ram seeking in x animals
heavier
heavier ewes are more likely to actively seek out a ram
-(heavier wt correlates with
sexual maturity)
Higher ram seeking in x age and
mixed age flocks
older
-(older correlates
with sexual maturity)
Larger paddocks – x seeking
in both age group ewe
decreased seeking
when ewes (female sheep) are kept in larger paddocks (larger areas or fields), they exhibit less seeking behavior toward rams
receptivity def:
Accepts male advances, ‘standing’: species
specific behaviours
Silent ovulation def
Silent ovulation
❑ Ovulations without estrous behaviour
Estrous behaviour is only induced if the female has recently been exposed to high levels of x (a hormone)
progesterone
If the ewe has not recently formed a corpus luteum (due to lack of a previous cycle), it won’t produce enough progesterone, causing it to fail to show estrus when it ovulates. this causes a silent ovulation.
she still ovulates but the ram cannot detect behaviour or pheremones
estrus behaviour will occur next cycle
silent ovulation is more common in ewes, but also occurs in cattle but rare.
it is often the X ovulation in cattle
first post partum ovulation.
(no
behavioural indications)
❑ Corpus luteum then releases progesterone, which
resets brain and results in normal next cycle
the ram effect
exposure to a sexually mature male. used in breeding herds. ovulation occurs faster, or synchronized
boar effect
Boar exposure induces estrous in sows
◼ Induces puberty in gilts
❑ Boar salivary pheromones critical
-These pheromones, secreted in the saliva of male pigs (boars), serve as a form of chemical communication that signals the boar’s presence and sexual readiness to sows
Presence of Male - Cattle
some evidence that bulls can influence estrous cycle- doesnt hurt but may not help
Male Sexual Behaviour:
Sexual motivation and performance is stimulated by x and x stimuli
visual and olfactory stimuli
Increased in goats, bulls and horses by observing
another male mate, or being restrained near teaser
animal
❑ Used in breeder poultry industry – “spiking”
this is x specific
species specific
Flehmen reponse
❑ inhales with mouth open and upper lip curled to allow exposure to the x organ
❑ odour compounds directly contact this organ
vomeronasal organ
Species-Specific Behaviour:
boar ex
sheep ex
goat ex
Boar- “chant-de-coeur”
❑ Males produce odour and vocalize to stimulate females
◼ Sheep
-Males paw, lick
◼ Goat
- Males urinate
Male Competition:
Generally size, age, seniority
❑ Dominant
◼ Most matings, but there is a cost….
defending position and the herd means young males sneak matings
Assessing Sexual Performance:
High performance requires high x
and competent x abilities
High performance requires high motivation
and competent physical activities
Assessing Sexual Performance:
measures
AI collection or live breeding - look at offspring and sexual performance
❑ Serving capacity = Breedings per unit time
❑ Semen quality- sperm count, activity
did they perform well in the past?
Coolidge Effect def
Sexual motivation restored by exposure to new or
different females that are in estrous
coolidge effect:
sequnce (3)
Elements of sexual behaviour sequence
❑ Appetitive (invitation to approach and mount)
❑ Consummatory (period when sexual act takes place)
❑ Refractory (recovery phase)
what stage of the cooliage effect do the males increase to speed up mating?
Refractory period is where the males speed up during
the Coolidge Effect
◼ Increases matings per day
-less rest means faster mating
