title: Switching photo-stimulated males between groups of goats does not improve the reproductive response during the male effect.
abstract: We aimed to determine whether the daily exchange of photo-stimulated males among subgroups of females improved the reproductive response of anestrous goats exposed to males. Bucks were rendered sexually active during the rest season by exposure to 2.5 months of long days from November 1st. In April, males (n=3) were put in contact with three subgroups of anestrous goats (one male per 12 females) where they remained throughout the study, constituting the fixed-group. Other males (n=3) were put in contact with three subgroups of females (one male per 11-12 females) and were rotated daily among them, constituting the rotated-group. The sexual behavior of all males was registered from 08:00 to 09:00 on days 0, 1, 2, and 8 after exchanging the males from the subgroups of females. Ovulation and pregnancy rates were determined by transrectal ultrasonography. The occurrences of ano-genital sniffing, nudging (days 1, 2, and 8), and mounting attempts (days 2 and 8) were greater in the rotated than in the fixed-group (P<0.01). The proportions of females that ovulated did not differ among goats from the fixed (92%) and rotated-group (94%; P>0.05). The proportion of pregnant females and the fertility at kidding did not differ between those from the rotated (79% and 59%) and fixed-group (83% and 61%; P>0.05). We conclude that the daily exchange of photo-stimulated males among subgroups induced an increase of their sexual behavior, but does not improve the pregnancy rates in seasonal anestrous goats.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loya-Carrera
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bedos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ponce-Covarrubias
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 7247 INRA-CNRS-Université de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chemineau
authors.affiliation: Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 7247 INRA-CNRS-Université de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Caprina, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. Electronic address: joaldesa@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Delgadillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000528:radiation effects; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects
keywords: Male/female interaction; Photoperiod; Reproductive seasonality; Sexual behavior