Sexual behavior of rams as influenced by the degree of restraining estrous ewes and by the additional presence of anestrous ewes

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the sexual performance of rams in serving capacity tests was influenced by the degree of restraining estrous ewes (in stanchions, tethered or unrestrained) and the additional presence of nonreceptive (anestrous) ewes. The frequency and duration of ram courtship behaviors were greater when the ewes were unrestrained or tethered than when they were in stanchions. Rams tended to mount unrestrained ewes more times than ewes in stanchions. In conducting sexual performance tests with rams, only ewes observed to the standing estrus should be present in the testing pen.