Sexually inexperienced anestrous goats are able to exhibit sexual behaviours exposed to sexually active bucks

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether sexually inexperienced females could display proceptivity and receptivity behaviours as the experienced in the first exposure to males. Three groups of females (n=9 each) were used: i) sexually inexperienced, ii) with complete sexual experience, and iii) with limited sexual experience. Three male goats were subjected to photoperiodic treatment for 2.5 months of long days to stimulate their sexual activity during the natural sexual rest (March-April). During anestrous season, females were exposed to photo-stimulated males. Sexual behaviours were recorded during the first three days post-introduction of the males into female groups, in two daily periods of 20 min each. Sexually inexperienced females and those with complete sexual experience showed higher tail wagging than those with limited sexual experience (P<0.001). Sexually inexperienced females displayed higher female-female sniffing and emission of urine than those groups with complete and limited sexual experience (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). Females with limited sexual experience displayed higher female-female mounts than those groups inexperienced and with complete sexual experience (P<0.05). In addition, females with complete sexual experience displayed higher male-female sniffing than those groups inexperienced and with limited sexual experience (P<0.001). Receptivity behaviour did not differ between female groups (P>0.05). We concluded that sexually inexperienced anestrous females display proceptivity and receptivity behaviours as those sexually experienced exposed to photo-stimulated males.