Sheep Mating and Sexual Behavior shown when Ram mate Ewe along with sniff- hunting courtship and Ram -Effect. Demonstration of Flehmen response.
Sexual Behavior in Sheep
Courtship
Courting behavior in Ram
Courting behavior Ram is made up of “sniff hunting” ewes to search and identify oestrus ewe. Here the major acts includes are sniffing the ewe’s perineum and nudging the ewe. Aphorized ram is allowed to search and identify oestrus ewe.
Rams approach a ewe often from side, pawing her side with head low, rattling his tongue and giving a low -pitched bleating. This also includes orientation of ram behind the ewe, extension and flexion of one foreleg, tilting and lowering the head accompanied by a low-pitched vocalization.
The Flehmen Reaction
Ram smells the urine of ewe, raises the head and curls the upper lip, this is called the Flehmen’s Reaction.
Courting behavior Ewe
Courting behavior displayed by the ewe vary with its hormonal condition.
In sheep, the length of the oestrus cycle ranges from 13 to 19 days and averages 17 days. Oestrus phase is the period of time when the ewe is receptive to the ram and will stand for mating. It lasts approximately 24 to 36 hours. During the 15 to 28 hours of estrus, female motor activity ranges through a spectrum of low to high to low intensity responses. For the first 3-5 hours, low intensity acts include standing, head lowered and pinnae of ears somewhat flattened, swinging the head back to watch the courting ram, walking off and then standing and looking back at the ram.
The "ram effect"
Rams produce a chemical substance called a pheromone, the smell of which stimulates the onset of oestrus phase and ovulation in ewes. This smell comes from the grease in the wool and contains pheromone. When non-cycling ewes are stimulated to ovulate by the sudden introduction of a ram or "teaser" is called The "Ram Effect". Great value of the ram effect is the synchronization of estrus activity which will result in large
