Stimulation of estrous behavior in grazing female goats by continuous or discontinuous exposure to males1,2

Two experiments were conducted dur- ing the anestrous period to determine: (1) whether males rendered sexually active by exposure to artificial long days stimulate estrous activity of female goats under grazed conditions (Exp. 1); and (2) whether con- tinuous presence of the buck is necessary to stimulate this estrous activity (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1, 2 groups of females (n = 20/group), one in confinement and another under grazing conditions, were exposed to 4 bucks sub- jected to natural photoperiod (2 males/group). Two other groups of females (n = 20/group), in confinement or grazing, were exposed to 4 males treated with artifi- cial long days (2 males/group). All groups were exposed to males for 15 d. The percentage of does detected in estrus during these 15 d was greater (P < 0.001) in the