Effect of Dorper Rams’ Social-Sexual Hierarchy on Their Sexual Behavior and Capacity to Induce Estrus in Ewes

Andrea González-Tavizón, César A. Meza-Herrera, Gerardo Arellano-Rodríguez, Miguel Mellado, Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal, Oscar Ángel-García, José R. Arévalo and Francisco G. Véliz-Deras
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Andrea González-Tavizón: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico
César A. Meza-Herrera: Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Bermejillo 35230, Mexico
Gerardo Arellano-Rodríguez: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico
Miguel Mellado: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico
Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico
Oscar Ángel-García: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico
José R. Arévalo: Island Ecology and Biogeography ResearchGroup, Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, Spain
Francisco G. Véliz-Deras: Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias en Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón 27054, Mexico

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to assess the influence of the social rank of rams and quality of stimuli to ewes between dominant and subordinate Dorper rams joined to anestrus ewes. Social rank was evaluated for two days (ESR; n = 36); rams were exposed to estrogenized ewes in a competitive test. According to the reproductive response, anovulatory ewes ( n = 76) were divided into two groups: LHRe ( n = 38; ewes exposed to four low hierarchy rams (LHR)) and HHRe ( n = 38; ewes exposed to four high hierarchy rams (HHR)). Regarding aggressive behaviors, HHR showed a higher (p < 0.05) proportion of rams showing threatening, knocking, and blocking behaviors than LHR. Appetitive behavior was higher (p < 0.05) in HHR than LHR rams (3576 ± 0.7 vs. 3054 ± 0.7 number of events). Consummatory sexual behavior was higher (p < 0.05) in HHR than LHR (499 ± 0.3 vs. 205 ± 0.1 number of events). Indicators of sexual inactivity (SRI) were similar between HHR and LHR (499 ± 0.3 vs. 433 ± 0.1; p > 0.05). The estrus response (>80%; p > 0.05) and ovarian response (70%, p > 0.05) were similar for both groups of ewes. It was concluded that LHR are equally effective as HHR in inducing sexual activity in ewes showing postpartum anestrus.

Keywords: social rank; anestrus ewe; sexual behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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