Male

Puberty

Puberty in the male is generally defined as the time when he is capable of successfully mating a female and getting her pregnant.
3 - 5 years of age.
Sexual activity can continue until 20 years of age
- Can vary with breed, genetics, nutrition and climatic changes.

Induced ovulator
- A few individuals will ovulate in absence of mating.
Follicular waves occur, where a follicle will gradually mature to a point when it could be ovulated should mating occur. It will then regress if no mating takes place.
Folicular waves generally occur every 10-12 days, but there is variation between individual animals.
As follicles mature, they produce Oestrogen, which is responsible for receptivity behaviour.
Once ovulation has occured,luteinization occurs with the formation of a corpus luteum.
Corpus luteum produces progesterone.
Progesterone inhibits further follicular development and triggers rejection behaviour.
If there is no pregnancy, luteolysis occurs and the corpus luteum is broken down. This allows a new follicle to develop.
The overlapping nature of follicular waves and the fact that the female is receptive even if the follicle is not mature enough to ovulate makes it difficult to determine from behaviour when the optimum time for mating is.

Triggered as a result of hormones released by the act of copulation.
Occurs 24-48 hours after mating.
Will only occur if the follicle is sufficiently mature, yet not so mature that it has lost the ability to ovulate.
Sperm ejaculated into the uterine horns are protected inside a gelatinous plug until fertilization.
- The plug gradually liquifies.