Reproductive Seasonality and Maturation Throughout the Complete Life-Cycle in the Mouflon Ram (Ovis Musimon)

The study followed four captive mouflon rams over 12 years to observe their reproductive and physical maturation. It found that body weight increased until age 7, then declined, while horn size grew continuously. Reproductive hormones like FSH and testosterone showed annual cycles, peaking during the breeding season in September and October, with these peaks increasing until the rams reached 6 years of age or older for testosterone. Prolactin, which peaked in May and June, influenced horn and pelage growth, with its annual maximum increasing throughout the rams' lives, although the rate of horn growth decreased. The study concluded that reproductive maturation in mouflon rams is gradual and linked to physical maturity, with neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating both annual and age-related changes in the reproductive axis. Sexual maturity was reached long after puberty, with continued endocrine and morphological changes throughout the rams' lives, reflecting a pattern common in polygamous male mammals where evolution favors traits that enhance reproductive success.