Measures of libido and their relation to serving capacity in the ram

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 70; no. 11; pp. 3376 - 3380
• Main Authors: Price, E. O, Erhard, H, Borgwardt, R, Dally, M. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Soc Animal Sci 01-11-1992; Oxford University Press; American Society of Animal Science
• Subjects: Animal reproduction; Animals; Copulation; Ejaculation; Estrus; Female; Libido; Life Sciences; Male; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Sheep; Sheep - physiology; rams; sexual behavior; sheep; libido; mating behavior
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/1992.70113376x

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ejaculation rate (serving capacity) of sexually experienced rams could be estimated by selected measures of sexual libido when rams were exposed to estrous ewes under conditions that prevented copulations. Twenty-four crossbred rams selected for either high or low rates of copulation were exposed to two restrained estrous ewes under three treatment conditions that 1) permitted the full range of precopulatory and copulatory behaviors, 2) permitted precopulatory behaviors and mounting but precluded copulation, or 3) permitted precopulatory behaviors but not mounting or copulation. Frequencies of precopulatory behaviors (bouts of leg-kicking and anogenital sniffing) in each of the three treatment conditions and mounting frequency in Treatment 2 occurred in proportion to the ram's characteristic ejaculation rate (P < .001), suggesting that the mating potential of rams can be estimated under conditions that preclude copulation. Frequencies of precopulatory behaviors and mounting were lower when the rams were allowed to copulate, due largely to periods of sexual inactivity after ejaculations.