Rearing bucks isolated from females affects negatively their sexual behavior when adults

In some domestic ruminants, contact with females is necessary for normal development of sexual behavior. The aims of this experiment were to determine if rearing bucks isolated from does affects negatively their sexual behavior when adults, and if this negative effect is overcome after four short contacts with females. Sixteen Saanen male kids were maintained during one year in two groups: kids reared in permanent direct contact with four adult goats (FEM; n = 7), and kids that remained isolated from females (ISO; n = 9). When bucks were 12 mo-old, females were removed and both groups were joined in the FEM pen. Nine months later all bucks were individually exposed four times to estrual females for 20 min every 10 days, recording courtship and mounting behaviors. Bucks that were reared with females displayed more courtship behaviors, ejaculations and total mounts (mount attempts, mounts with and without ejaculation; P < 0.0001 for all) than ISO bucks. The combined effect of number of bucks that ejaculated and the time at which they first ejaculated in the first and second tests favored FEM bucks (P < 0.03). It was concluded that the lack of contact with females during the rearing period affects negatively adult bucks’ sexual performance, an effect that could not be overcome after repeated exposures to estural does.