Continuous exposure to sexually active rams extends estrous activity in ewes in spring. 2015

J A Abecia, and P Chemineau, and J A Flores, and M Keller, and G Duarte, and F Forcada, and J A Delgadillo
Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, IUCA, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: alf@unizar.es.

Sexual activity in sheep is under photoperiodic control, which is the main environmental factor responsible for the seasonality of reproduction. However, other natural environmental factors such as presence of conspecifics can slightly influence the timing of onset and offset of the breeding season. In goats, we have found that the continuous presence of bucks that were rendered sexually active out of season by previous exposure to long days, prevented goats from displaying seasonal anestrus, which suggests that the relative contribution of photoperiod in controlling seasonal anestrus should be reevaluated in small ruminant species. The aim of this study was to assess whether the presence of sexually active rams that had been stimulated by artificial photoperiod and melatonin implants, reduces seasonal anestrus in sheep, by prolonging ovulatory activity in spring. Ewes were assigned to one of two groups (n = 16 and 15), which were housed in two separate barns, and kept in contact, either with the treated or the control rams between March and July. Vasectomized rams were either exposed to 2 months of long days followed by the insertion of three subcutaneous melatonin implants (treated rams, n = 8), or exposed to natural light conditions (control rams, n = 2). Estrus was monitored daily, and weekly plasma progesterone analyses indicated ovulatory activity. Ewes that were exposed to treated rams exhibited a higher proportion of monthly estrus than ewes exposed to the control rams (P < 0.05). Thirteen of 15 ewes (one ewe was not considered because of the presence of persistent CL) exposed to stimulated rams exhibited estrous behavior in a cyclic manner. In contrast, all ewes exposed to control rams stopped estrous activity for a period of time during the study, such that this group exhibited a significantly longer anestrous season (mean ± standard error of the mean 89 ± 9 days) than did the ewes housed with treated rams (26 ± 10 days; P < 0.0001). Among 15 ewes housed with treated rams, 13 of them exhibited continuous ovulatory activity between March and July, whereas one stopped in June and two in July. All ewes kept with control rams stopped ovulating for some time; consequently, those ewes had a longer anovulation period than did the group exposed to treated rams (3 ± 3 vs. 18 ± 7 days, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion, continuous exposure to sexually activated rams induced by artificial photoperiod and melatonin implants in spring extended the ovarian activity of ewes in spring, which results in an increase in estrous expression.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008550 Melatonin A biogenic amine that is found in animals and plants. In mammals, melatonin is produced by the PINEAL GLAND. Its secretion increases in darkness and decreases during exposure to light. Melatonin is implicated in the regulation of SLEEP, mood, and REPRODUCTION. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant.
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000975 Antioxidants Naturally occurring or synthetic substances that inhibit or retard oxidation reactions. They counteract the damaging effects of oxidation in animal tissues. Anti-Oxidant,Antioxidant,Antioxidant Activity,Endogenous Antioxidant,Endogenous Antioxidants,Anti-Oxidant Effect,Anti-Oxidant Effects,Anti-Oxidants,Antioxidant Effect,Antioxidant Effects,Activity, Antioxidant,Anti Oxidant,Anti Oxidant Effect,Anti Oxidant Effects,Anti Oxidants,Antioxidant, Endogenous,Antioxidants, Endogenous
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D012726 Sexual Behavior, Animal Sexual activities of animals. Mating Behavior, Animal,Sex Behavior, Animal,Animal Mating Behavior,Animal Mating Behaviors,Animal Sex Behavior,Animal Sex Behaviors,Animal Sexual Behavior,Animal Sexual Behaviors,Mating Behaviors, Animal,Sex Behaviors, Animal,Sexual Behaviors, Animal
D012756 Sheep Any of the ruminant mammals with curved horns in the genus Ovis, family Bovidae. They possess lachrymal grooves and interdigital glands, which are absent in GOATS. Ovis,Sheep, Dall,Dall Sheep,Ovis dalli
D017440 Photoperiod The time period of daily exposure that an organism receives from daylight or artificial light. It is believed that photoperiodic responses may affect the control of energy balance and thermoregulation. Dark-Light Cycle,Daylight Cycle,Light Cycle,Light-Dark Cycle,Cycle, Dark-Light,Cycle, Daylight,Cycle, Light,Cycle, Light-Dark,Cycles, Dark-Light,Cycles, Daylight,Cycles, Light,Cycles, Light-Dark,Dark Light Cycle,Dark-Light Cycles,Daylight Cycles,Light Cycles,Light Dark Cycle,Light-Dark Cycles,Photoperiods
D030762 Estrous Cycle The period of cyclic physiological and behavior changes in non-primate female mammals that exhibit ESTRUS. The estrous cycle generally consists of 4 or 5 distinct periods corresponding to the endocrine status (PROESTRUS; ESTRUS; METESTRUS; DIESTRUS; and ANESTRUS). Cycle, Estrous,Cycles, Estrous,Estrous Cycles

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