RESUMO
Two experiments were performed to determine if the tail has a role: 1) in proceptive behavior, and 2) in facilitating copulation in hair sheep. The movements and position of the tail of estrous and non-estrous ewes in response to male courtship were compared in the first study. In the second study, the courtship of rams and mating behavior directed towards tailed or tail-docked, in estrus or diestrus ewes, were compared. Both experiments were conducted with restrained ewes during 3â¯min assessment periods. In Experiment 1, tail movements occurred in short episodes in response to physical contact of the male, but the rest of the time the tail of non-estrous ewes was drawn inward to the body, while in estrous ewes it simply hung naturally straight downward. Ewes in estrus had many tail moving episodes (P <0.001) with more movements per episode (P <0.001), that were of greater amplitude (P <0.001) and greater elevation in angle from the body (P <0.001) than in non-estrus ewes. In Experiment 2, ejaculation latencies with non-estrous ewes were longer than with estrous ewes (P <0.0001), and rams had more attempts to mount (Pâ¯=â¯0.008), and more completed mounts (Pâ¯=â¯0.0003) in non-estrous than estrous ewes. In addition, rams ejaculated more times (P <0.0001), and had a greater ejaculations/(mounts + ejaculations) ratio in estrous than non-estrous ewes (P <0.0001). More rams also had anal intromissions in docked than in intact tail-ewes (Pâ¯=â¯0.0002). In conclusion, movements and position of the tail of estrous ewes is a primary component of the proceptive behavior that facilitates mating and serves as a physical barrier to avoid anal intromissions in hair sheep.
Assuntos
Copulação/fisiologia , Estro/fisiologia , Ovinos/fisiologia , Cauda/anatomia & histologia , Cauda/fisiologia , Animais , Feminino , Masculino , PropriocepçãoRESUMO
The aim of the present study was to characterize milk production and preweaning development of lambs from Katahdin and Saint Croix sheep. Milk production was measured weekly, from birth to 8 weeks using oxytocin technique, in 12 Katahdin (62.0 ± 5.0 kg) and 11 Saint Croix (46.2 ± 4.83 kg) multiparous ewes. The mean daily milk production for the Katahdin ewes was 1.38 ± 0.54 L/day and for the Saint Croix ewes it was 1.26 ± 0.49 L/day (P > 0.05) (mean ± SE for each group). However, more colostrum was produced immediately after parturition by the Katahdin than Saint Croix ewes (P < 0.001). The lamb's weight and weight gain were recorded weekly. The birth weight of lambs from both breeds was similar but at weaning, the Katahdin lambs were heavier (16.46 ± 0.58 kg) than the Saint Croix lambs (12.90 ± 0.59 kg) (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between daily milk yield and daily gain weight in both breeds, but with a greater slope in Katahdin lambs in comparison with Saint Croix lambs. It was concluded that Saint Croix and Katahdin hair sheep breeds produced similar amounts of milk during lactation, but the latter produced heavier lambs at weaning.
Assuntos
Lactação/fisiologia , Leite , Carneiro Doméstico/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Carneiro Doméstico/fisiologia , Animais , Peso ao Nascer , Peso Corporal , Cruzamento , Feminino , Cabelo , Parto , Gravidez , Carne Vermelha , Ovinos , Especificidade da Espécie , Temperatura , Desmame , Aumento de PesoRESUMO
To evaluate the level of stress induced by the tongue inspection method during cysticercosis diagnosis in pigs at 60 and 90 kg, 27 animals were assigned to one of three experimental groups. In the first group (T1), pigs were held with a snout noose. In addition, animals in T2 were subjected to tongue inspection, while in T0, none of the procedures described above were performed. Resistance to be handled and serum cortisol concentration were higher (P < 0.05) than those from T0 in T1 and T2 groups, for 60- and 90-kg pigs. Time to return to the feeder observed the same pattern than previous variables in 60-kg pigs, but T1 and T0 were similar (P > 0.05) for the heavier animals. T2 did not build up a significant amount of stress with respect to T1, where only more (P > 0.05) vocalizations were emitted by 90-kg pigs. It was concluded that the use of snout noose induces major changes in some behavioral and physiological measures of stress in swine, while the opening of the mouth including tongue inspection does not contribute significantly to this effect.