Sexual behaviour in domestic animals Flashcards
ultimate goal of reproduction
to produce off spring
the immediate goal of reproduction
-bonding, social
-gratification (highly motivated behaviour
-hormone and reward system (endorphins)
advantages of sexual reproduction
-new genetic variations in susequent off spring
-adaptability:
-bad mutations lost, good mutations spread
-disease resistance
-adaptability to environmental change
male and female cost and benifits
-male: usually initator, may need to fend for his females (could loose breeding)
-female: usually bears and looks after young
males and females goals
-maximize offspring reared
-minimize investment time and energy
polymorphic
-female selects male based on
-fitness and health traits
-symmetry
-coloration
-avalibility
dimorphic
-based things like colour
what do males compete for
access and control
female investment to sex and commitment
-direct
-large gamete
-gestation
-lactation and care
male investment to sex and commitment
-indirect
-small gametes
-paternity uncertain
causation: hormones
-they have an important influence
-affect targeted reproductive tissue and nervous system (but dont directly cause behaviour to occur)
-hormone (regulatory substances)(gonadotrophins) carried by the blood to gonads where they stimulate development of eggs and sperm
-gonads produce the sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone) that directly control most reproductive behaviour
word of the day
bovine
kamar
heat detection strips for cows
how does environment impact likelihood a behaviour is performed
-given and appropriate environment
-why knowlage of species is important
-pasture with no feed=stressor=less breeding
how do individuals vary in hormone responses and behaviours
-greatly
-thats why is beneficial to know you animals
estrous
(adjective) the estrous cycle itself including estrus and anestrus
estrus
(noun) the period of “heat” of female receptivity during the estrus cycle
anestrus
period of sexual inactivity between 2 estrus cycles
characteristics of females in estrus
-attractivity (pharmones)
-proceptivity (male seeking)
-receptivity (standing, lordosis)
what is lordosis
when the female curves her spine up to make her vulva positioned for mating
attractivity in females
-female becomes more attractive to the male when in estrus (function of being in estrus)
-pharmones in urine can cause flehmens respose
female attractively and pharmones
1) attract males
2) they may speed up sexual maturity in young females
3) impacts social groupings (cows form a SAG)
what is a SAG
-a sexually active group in cows
-for when they cause each other to be receptive
proceptivity in females
-initial phase when courtship occurs
-cows: LH secretion so female-female mounting, increased activity (use of pedometers in dairy cows)
what plays a big role in proceptivity
-age and weight
-heavier weight correlates with sexual maturity
-older and mixed flocks correlated with higher seeking (sexual maturity)(yound following old: demostraters)
-larger paddocks=less seeking
receptivity in females
-accepts male advances
-standing: species specific behaviour:
-cow: stands, lifts tail
-horses: interested in stalion, urination, vulva winking
-goat: wagging of turned up tail “flagging”
estrus detection
-critical for animal production
-can be easy or…
-can be difficult (silent ovulation, or sub-estrus)
-behaviour is very important
what is silent ovulation
ovulations without estrus behaviours
what is sub-estrus
very short estrus cycle that often occurs at night
silent ovulation in sheep
-ewes that arent cycling generally will start after introduction to a ram
-estrous behaviour is only induced if the female has recently been exposed to hight levels of progesterone
-with out a corpus lutea form the previous cycle the ewe has not been producing progesterone and fails to show estrus when it ovulates
-but the first time is usually silent (ram cant detect)
-estrus behaviour will occur next cycle
silent ovulation in cattle
-rare but does occur
-ovulation associated with very little sexual activity are more common
-often the first postpartum ovulation (no behavioural inducations)
-CL then releases progesterone, which resets brain and results in normal next cycle
the ram effect
-exposure to a sexually mature ram
-may be used in breeding flocks
-ovulation may be hastened or synchronizeed by exposing ewes to a male
-pheromones in waxy secretion of flanks and groin areas
boar effect
-boar exposure induces estrous in sows
-induces puberty in gilts
-boar salivary pheromones critical
presents of a male in cows
-not so clear
-some evidence that bull presence can influence estrous cycle
-contradictory results breed differences or effect is weak
characteristics of male sexual behaviour
-physiological modivation, libito: physical, physiological ability
what is spiking
-used in the breeder poultry industry
-species specific
-increased sexual behaviour in goats, bulls and horses by observing another male mate, or being restrained near a teaser animal
-doesnt work in rams
what is the most important thing in male sexual behaviour
-brain effect
-phycological modivation
what modivates male sexual behaviour
-sexual motivation and performance is stimulated by visual and olfactory stimuli
flehmen response
-inhales with moulth open and upper lip curled to allow exposure to the vomernasal organ
-odour compounds directly contact vomernasal organ (at roof of mouth or at base of nasal septum)
-seen im mammals such as cats, ungulates, bovides, equids
male behaviours in different species
-boar “chant-de-coeur” males produce odour and vocolize to stimulate females
-sheep: male paw, lick
-goat: urinates
male competition
-multi-sire herds or flocks common in commercial production
-matings detriment by generally size, age, seniority
-dominant animal does most matings but there is a cost, ie he fights another bull and the small one sneaks in
assessing sexual performance
-critical for animal and purebred pet industry
-high performance requires high motivation and competent physical abilities
-various measures depending on use:
~AI collection or live breeding
~serving capacity- breedings per unit time
~semen quality (count, activity)
coolidge effect and refractory period
-sexual motivation restored by exposure to new or different females
-refractory period is where the male speed up during the Coolidge effect
-increase matings per day
elements of sexual behaviour squence
-appetitive (invitation to approach and mount)
-consummatory (period when sexual activity takes place)
-refractory (recovery phase)
