Effects of ram presence during synchronization period and previous experience on certain estrus parameters and sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ram presence during estrus synchronization protocol and previous sexual experience on estrus onset, estrus duration, and sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes. The ewes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of rams during the synchronization protocol. Ewes in each group were also divided into 3 subgroups according to their previous sexual experience. Ram presence during synchronization protocol did not affect estrus onset, estrus duration, mean attractivity, mean proceptivity, and mean receptivity. Nonexperienced ewes had longer estrus onset and shorter estrus duration than experienced ewes. Experienced ewes were more attractive and more receptive than the naive ones. It is concluded that although ram presence during estrus synchronization has no effect on sexual behaviors, previous sexual experience with males improves the expression of sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes. Therefore, detection of estrus in maiden ewes should be performed more carefully in order to get high rates of flock fertility.

Effects of ram presence during synchronization period and previous experience on certain estrus parameters and sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ram presence during estrus synchronization protocol and previous sexual experience on estrus onset, estrus duration, and sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes. The ewes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of rams during the synchronization protocol. Ewes in each group were also divided into 3 subgroups according to their previous sexual experience. Ram presence during synchronization protocol did not affect estrus onset, estrus duration, mean attractivity, mean proceptivity, and mean receptivity. Nonexperienced ewes had longer estrus onset and shorter estrus duration than experienced ewes. Experienced ewes were more attractive and more receptive than the naive ones. It is concluded that although ram presence during estrus synchronization has no effect on sexual behaviors, previous sexual experience with males improves the expression of sexual behaviors in Kıvırcık ewes. Therefore, detection of estrus in maiden ewes should be performed more carefully in order to get high rates of flock fertility.

___

  • Ekiz, B., Özcan, M., Yılmaz, A.: Genetic correlations between ewe productivity traits and birth, weaning and greasy fleece weights of ewes in Turkish Merino (Karacabey Merino) Sheep. J. Fac. Vet. Med. Istanbul Univ., 2005; 31: 19–31.
  • Fabre-Nys, C., Gelez, H.: Sexual behavior in ewes and other domestic ruminants. Horm. Behav., 2007; 52: 18–25.
  • Ergul Ekiz, E., Matur, E., Arslan, M., Akyazi, I., Ozcan, M.: Influence of ram presence (permanent vs. intermittent) on estrus parameters and behaviours in Kivircik ewes. Dtsch. Tierarztl. Wochenschr., 2009; 116: 260–265.
  • Tilbrook, A.J., Hemsworth, P.H., Top, J.S., Cameron, A.W.N.: Parallel changes in the proceptive and receptive behaviour of the ewe. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 1990; 27: 73–92.
  • Beach, F.A.: Sexual attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity in female mammals. Horm. Behav., 1976; 7: 105–138.
  • Gelez, H., Lindsay, D.R., Blache, D., Martin, G.B., Fabre-Nys, C.: Temperament and sexual experience affect female sexual behaviour in sheep. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 2003; 84: 81–87.
  • Gelez, H., Archer, E., Chesneau, D., Lindsay, D., Fabre-Nys, C.: Role of experience in the neuroendocrine control of ewes’ sexual behavior. Horm. Behav., 2004; 45: 190–200.
  • Gelez, H., Archer, E., Chesneau, D., Campan, R., Fabre-Nys, C.: Importance of learning in the response of ewes to male odor. Chem. Senses, 2004; 29: 555–563.
  • Hawken, P.A.R., Evans, A.C.O., Beard, A.P.: Prior exposure of maiden ewes to rams enhances their behavioural interactions with rams but is not a pre-requisite to their endocrine response to the ram effect. Anim. Reprod. Sci., 2008; 108: 13–21.
  • Ungerfeld, R.: Combination of the ram effect with PGF 2α estrous synchronization treatments in ewes during the breeding season. Anim. Reprod. Sci., 2011; 124: 65–68.
  • Billings, H.J., Katz, L.S.: Male influence on proceptivity in ovariectomized French Alpine goats (Capra hircus). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 1999; 64: 181–191.
  • Ergul Ekiz, E., Ozcan, M.: Sexual behavior and hormone levels of Kıvırcık ewes after estrus synchronization during and out of the breeding season. Arch. Tierz., 2006; 6: 583–592.
  • Ungerfeld, R., Rubianes, E.: Estrus response to the ram effect in Corriedale ewes primed with medroxyprogesterone during the breeding season. Small Rumin. Res., 1999; 32: 89–91.
  • Romano, J.E., Fernandez Abella, D., Villegas, N.: A note on the effect of continuous ram presence on estrus onset, estrus duration and ovulation time in estrus synchronized ewes. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 2001; 73: 193–198.
  • Romano, J.E., Christians, C.J., Crabo, B.G.: Continuous presence of rams hastens the onset of estrus in ewes synchronized during the breeding season. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 2000; 66: 65–70.
  • Cushwa, W.T., Bradford, G.E., Stabenfeldt, G.H., Berger, Y.M., Dally, M.R.: Ram influence on ovarian and sexual activity in anestrous ewes: effects of isolation of ewes from rams before joining and date of ram introduction. J. Anim. Sci., 1992; 70: 1195–1200.
  • Ungerfeld, R., Carbajal, B., Rubianes, E., Forsberg, M.: Endocrine and ovarian changes in response to the ram effect in medroxyprogesterone acetate-primed Corriedale ewes during the breeding and nonbreeding season. Acta Vet. Scand., 2005; 46: 33–44.
  • Alberto Delgadillo, J., Gelez, H., Ungerfeld, R., Hawken, P.A.R., Martin, G.B.: The ‘male effect’ in sheep and goats – revisiting the dogmas. Behav. Brain Res., 2009; 200: 304–314.
  • Orgeur, P.: Identification of sexual receptivity in ewes by young sexually inexperienced rams. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 1991; 31: 83–
Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences-Cover
  • ISSN: 1300-0128
  • Yayın Aralığı: Yılda 6 Sayı
  • Yayıncı: TÜBİTAK
Sayıdaki Diğer Makaleler

Immune responses to dietary inclusion of prebiotic-based mannan-oligosaccharide and β-glucan in broiler chicks challenged with Salmonella enteritidis

Ali Asghar SADEGHI, Amineh MOHAMMADI, Parvin SHAWRANG, Mehdi AMINAFSHAR

Influence of blood storage time on viral RNA extraction for the detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus in persistently infected cattle

Yingxia LIU, Jie CAO, Junjie ZHANG, Kai HUANG, Changming QI

Successful management of uroperitoneum in a neonatal pony foal by tube cystotomy using infusion set tubing

Mujeeb ur Rehman FAZILI, Hiranya Kumar BHATTACHARYYA, Shahid Hussain DAR, Abdul HAFIZ

Cytotoxicity of nickel ions for human osteoblasts in the context of orthodontic treatment in humans and animals

Marcin MIKULEWICZ, Katarzyna CHOJNACKA, Iwona KOCHANOWSKA, Agnieszka DZIEWICKA, Maciej JANECZEK, Jerzy CIEPLIK, Aleksander CHRÓSZCZ

A clinical case: Vitamin C-responsive dermatosis in a Holstein native cross bull calf

Mujeeb Ur Rehman FAZILI, Shahid Hussain DAR, Hiranya Kumar BHATTACHARYYA, Abdul HAFIZ

The effects of propofol and a diazepam/alfentanil combination in dogs aged 10 years and above on heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry data, intraocular pressure, and body temperature

Özlem GÜZEL, Dilek OLĞUN ERDİKMEN, Esma YILDAR, Aslı EKİCİ, Murat ŞAROĞLU, Bülent EKİZ

Cutaneous asthenia (Ehlers–Danlos syndrome) in a cat

Banu DOKUZEYLÜL, Elif Demet ALTUN, Tamer Halit ÖZDOĞAN

Cutaneous asthenia (Ehlers–Danlos syndrome) in a cat

Banu DOKUZEYLÜL, Elif Demet ALTUN, Tamer Halit ÖZDOĞAN

Formation of the plexus sacralis in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus) and macroanatomic investigation of the nerves originating from the plexus sacralis

Fatih Ramazan İSTANBULLUGİL, Hüseyin KARADAĞ, Şamil SEFERGİL

The use of progesterone-supplemented Co-synch and Ovsynch for estrus synchronization and fixed-time insemination in nulliparous Saanen goat

Zekariya NUR, Yavuz NAK, Deniz NAK, Burcu ÜSTÜNER, Bilginer TUNA