Melatonin is a hormone secreted from the pineal gland in response to darkness. In the presence of light it's secretion is inhibited. Melatonin also has effects on the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from the anterior pituitary gland. In long day breeders the increasing daylight hours cause a decrease in melatonin. In response, production of LH and FSH is uninhibited and so libido rises. In short day breeders an increase in melatonin causes a rise in production of LH and FSH and so leads to an increase in libido.

See also Seasonality of Reproduction



Error in widget FBRecommend: unable to write file /var/www/wikivet.net/extensions/Widgets/compiled_templates/wrt6744aa4a9e4f29_45433780
Error in widget google+: unable to write file /var/www/wikivet.net/extensions/Widgets/compiled_templates/wrt6744aa4aa4c284_77639153
Error in widget TwitterTweet: unable to write file /var/www/wikivet.net/extensions/Widgets/compiled_templates/wrt6744aa4aae00c6_85085564
WikiVet® Introduction - Help WikiVet - Report a Problem