Influence of age and artificial vaginal stimulation on fertility in female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus).
Female bank voles mated when 30-50 days old showed only 20-25% fertility at the first mating, but fertility increased to about 80% in animals greater than 100 days of age at the first mating. Young females subjected to artificial cervical stimulation after the completion of a normal mating showed a much higher fertility than normally mated controls (76 compared with 29%). The reason for the low fertility therefore appears to be that young females require more stimulation to activate the corpora lutea than is normally received at a mating.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D014621:Vagina / Q000502:physiology*