4,503
edits
Changes
Camelid Mating - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 07:43, 4 August 2008
, 07:43, 4 August 2008→Male
= Male =
= Male =
== Rutting Behaviour ==
=== Agressiveness ===
* Increasing aggressive towards other males, and sometimes even towards people, during the breeding season.
* Males that are confined show increased pacing and anxiety and may make several attempts to break out.
* If they are kept with females they spend most of their time guarding the herd and surveying it for the presence of other strange males.
* Because of this continuous stress there is a reduction in food intake and frequent diarrhoea resulting in a loss in weight - sometimes up to 35%.
=== Soft Palate Ejection ===
* Exteriorisation of the soft palate, known as the dulah
* The protrusion of the soft palate occurs all day long at intervals of 15 - 30 minutes and is accompanied by loud gurgling and roaring sounds.
* The protrusions become more frequent with increased excitement such as the presence of other males and females.
* During copulation the soft palate ejection may be replaced by grinding of the teeth and frothing at the mouth.
** This frothing is generally attributed to increased secretion of the salivary glands and the frequent exteriorisation of the soft palate.
=== Marking ===
This is one of the main sexual behaviours exhibited during the breeding season. It generally takes on two forms, urine spraying and smudging of poll gland secretions.
==== Urine Spraying ====
* Increased in the presence of another male or when females are passing nearby.
* Crouched urination posture and urine is ejected towards the back in small quantities and spread over the croup of the animal and surrounding areas with regular tail beating.
* The tail is held under the prepucial opening for a few seconds and soaked with a stream of urine which then is sprayed by 4 to 5 beats of the tail.
* This spraying activity is continued throughout the day and often the skin over the sacral region becomes dark and thickened due to the formation of a crust of mixed urine and sand.
==== Smudging ====
* Used to disseminate the secretions of the poll gland.
** The secretions are light brown/amber in colour when first excreted but become tarry and dark after a few minutes.
* It can easily be seen dribbling down the neck of the male and has a very strong smell.
* The area corresponding to the poll glands becomes large and darkened due to this increased activity.
* These secretions contain androgens and pheromones that are used to mark a territory.
=== Female Seeking ===
During the breeding season males continue to seek receptive females.
* Sniff the perineum and flank of the females and frequently display a flehmen reaction.
* Males that roam freely with females will often chase them and force them to sit down by putting pressure on the neck and biting the hump, even if they are not receptive.
= Copulation =
* Mating is carried out with the female sitting in sternal recumbency and the male squatting behind her with his hind legs flexed and his forelegs extended on either side of the female. * The duration of copulation can vary and tends to decrease as the weather becomes warmer.
== Erection ==
* Erection is only achieved after the female is mounted in a sitting position and the penis is not fully extended until after intromission is complete.
== Ejaculation ==
* Ejaculation appears to occur almost throughout the entire duration of copulation.
* Semen is deposited partly intra-uterine and partly intra-cervical or vaginal.
= Female =
= Female =