The tail in tropical hair ewes (Ovis aries) that are in estrus is used as a proceptive signal and favors ram’ copulation

Two experiments were performed to determine if the tail has a role: 1) in proceptive behavior, and 2) in facilitating copulation in hair sheep. The movements and position of the tail of estrous and non-estrous ewes in response to male courtship were compared in the first study. In the second study, the courtship of rams and mating behavior directed towards tailed or tail-docked, in estrus or diestrus ewes, were compared. Both experiments were conducted with restrained ewes during 3 min assessment periods. In Experiment 1, tail movements occurred in short episodes in response to physical contact of the male, but the rest of the time the tail of non-estrous ewes was drawn inward to the body, while in estrous ewes it simply hung naturally straight downward. Ewes in estrus had many tail moving episodes (P