ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR & WELFARE

Reproductive behavior in domestic animals

Seminar 8

Cluj Napoca, 2nd of December, 2021

 Definition of reproductive behavior

Species specific behavior patterns associated with:

• Courtship

• Copulation

• Birth

• Early maternal care

 Functions of reproductive behavior

• Bring male and female together

• Life continuity and conservation of the species

• Synchronize sexual activity – ova and sperm

• Produce new progeny ---selection!

 Components of reproductive behavior

1. Sexual behavior - male and female

• Pre-copulatory/ copulatory/ post copulatory

2. Maternal behavior

• Pre-parturient/ parturient / post-parturient

 1. Sexual behavior

• Sexual behavior involves not the act of mating but also those
elements of courtship, display, motor activities and postures whit the
aim of fertilisation and pregnancy;
• It is species specific and with differences between male and female
 Male pre-copulatory behavior

A. Chemical communication – e.g. olfaction

B. Tactile communication
C. Auditory communication
2. Female estrous clues – communication stimuli for males

A. Chemical or olfactory
B. Visual
C. Auditory
D. Tactile
E. Motor clues – Posture & movement
 1. Chemical communication

A. Sniffing genitals/ urine/ bedding to detect pheromones

B. Response of the male
• Chin resting behavior
• Flehmenn phenomenon
C. Response of the female – standing behavior
1. Chemical (olfactory) communication
 2. Tactile communication

A. Male nuzzling perineal region of the female – all farm species

B. Horse – the stallion bites the female at the neck
C. Swine – male pushes the flank area with its nose
 2. Female estrous clues – stimuli for males

A. Male nuzzling perineal region of the female – all farm species

B. Horse – the stallion bites the female at the neck
C. Swine – male pushes the flank area with its nose
 Estrus patterns in domestic animals

A. Spontaneous poly-estrus
B. Sesonally
• Mono estrus – bitch
• Di-estrus – queen
• Poli-estrus –ewe, goat
C. Non-spontaneous poly-estrus – mating induced
• Rabbit;
• Cat
• Ferret
 Estrus detection in domestic animals

1. Bahavior in cattle
• Bellowing
• Mounting other females
• Standing posture
• Restlessnes & excitable
 Male copulatory behavior

• Erection ad protrusion of penis

• Mounting and fixation
• Intromission
• Ejaculation and ejaculatory thrust
• Dismounting
 Male copulation frequency

• Varies with species, breed, male:female ratio, duration of sexual rest

• High no. of ejaculations – rams and bulls (80/day)
• Low no. in stallions and boars
Estrus cycle in cattle
Anestrus in cattle
Extra - tools for cattle estrus detection
 Abnormal / atypical sexual behavior
• May be caused by genetic flaws, endocrine imbalances, management
• Many of these can be reversed – by: castration, spaying, endocrine
implants, training
Example: Masturbation in male is common mainly in bulls fed on high
protein diets
 Abnormal sexual behavior – in MALES

1. Homosexuality
2. Hypo & hyper sexuality
3. Inability to copulate
4. Impotence to mount
5. Intromission failure
6. Buller-steer syndrome
7. Masturbation
8. False ejaculation
9. Outside ejaculation
 Abnormal sexual behavior – in FEMALES

1. Silent heat
2. Nymphomania
3. Post-partum anoestrus
4. Mounting humans
5. Delayed puberty
6. Post-coital dramatic behavior in dogs and cats
 Assignment - Cost of cattle estrus behavior
detection failure
Skipping mating / insemination for 1 cycle = 21 days
A. Fixed costs – not related to production output
• Total costs - workers wages, finance costs, rent, replacement of capital items,
government taxes, administration costs (e.g. insurance, telephone), running costs
of farm vehicles, repairs and maintenance to farm infrastructure
• Operating costs -depreciation, registration of farm vehicles, other business
expense

B. Variable costs – related directly to the production (e.g.milk)

• Cost of feed – 70% in poultry & pigs; 50% in herbivores
• Other herd related costs
• Cost of delayed calving/ lactation
 Assignment - Cost of cattle estrus behavior
detection failure
• As agreed last week I am proposing to each of you a small project which should highlight the importance of understanding the impact of recognizing estrus behavior in some farm animals on the farm economics.
• You should consider the following facts as basic info:
•
What is the economic impact of skipping mating / insemination for 1 estrus cycle
• A.Fixed costs – not related to production output - 30 %
• •Total costs - 20%- workers wages (10%), finance costs, rent, replacement of capital items, government taxes, administration costs (e.g. insurance, telephone), running costs of farm vehicles, repairs and maintenance to
farm infrastructure
• •Operating costs - 10% -depreciation, registration of farm vehicles, other business expense
• B. Variable costs – related directly to the production (e.g.milk)
• •Cost of feed – 60% in pigs; 40% in herbivores
• •Other herd related costs 10%
• •Cost of delayed calving/ lactation
• Cost simulation will be as follows:
• Dairy cattle and pig farms:
• - Mara + Irina - 100 cattle mated / month - 5 staff average salary/ day = 25 Euro
• - Carina + Dan - 200 sows mated / month - 3 staff average salary/day = 30 Euro
• - Nathalie + Daniel - 150 cattle mated/ month - 6 staff / 25 euro / day salary
• - Davia + Julio - 450 sows / mated / month - 6 staff/ 30 euro /day salary
• If you have further questions please feel free to call me at 0744 649240.