toggle visibility Search & Display Options

Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print
  Record Links
Author Stahlbaum, C.C.; Houpt, K.A. doi  openurl
  Title The role of the Flehmen response in the behavioral repertoire of the stallion Type Journal Article
  Year 1989 Publication Physiology & behavior Abbreviated Journal Physiol. Behav.  
  Volume 45 Issue 6 Pages 1207-1214  
  Keywords Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Circadian Rhythm; Discrimination (Psychology)/physiology; Estrus; Feces; Female; Horses/*physiology; Male; Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Smell/*physiology; Taste/physiology; Urine  
  Abstract The role of the Flehmen response in equine behavior was investigated under field and laboratory conditions. In Experiment 1, a field study made of five stallions on pasture with between three and eighteen mares each during the season indicated the following: 1) The Flehmen response was most frequently preceded by nasal, rather than oral, investigation of substances; 2) The stallions' rate of Flehmen varied with the estrous cycles of the mares; 3) The rate of Flehmen response did not show a variation with time of day; and 4) The Flehmen response was most frequently followed by marking behaviors rather than courtship behaviors. The results suggest that the Flehmen response is not an immediate component of sexual behavior, e.g., courtship of the stallion but may be involved in the overall monitoring of the mare's estrous cycle. Therefore the Flehmen response may contribute to the chemosensory priming of the stallion for reproduction. In Experiment 2 stallions were presented with urine or feces of mares in various stages of the reproductive cycle as well as with their own or other males' urine or feces. The occurrence of sniffing and Flehmen was used to determine the discriminatory ability of the stallions. Stallions can differentiate the sex of a horse on the basis of its feces alone, but cannot differentiate on the basis of urine. This ability may explain the function of fecal marking behavior of stallions.  
  Address (up) New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9384 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:2813545 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 44  
Permanent link to this record
Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print