Chapter VII 

 COITAL INJURIES 



In the wild state, severe and fatal battles between rival 

 males are not infrequent and the same prevails to some de- 

 gree among domesticated animals, although, as a general 

 rule, if several males are kept together they lose much of 

 their combativeness. I have seen an instance of a fatal 

 fray between two rams which had been regularly kept to- 

 gether. 



When a strange male wanders into a herd or group of fe- 

 males with which a male is regularly consorting, there is at 

 once a determined fight between the two, which ends only 

 with one or the other becoming vanquished. In these bat- 

 tles, injuries of the most diverse character occur, according 

 to species and chance. The only method of prevention is the 

 proper confinement of male animals. In most countries 

 there are laws against the running at large of male animals 

 but these are not enforced against carnivora. This excep- 

 tion should be overcome by the confinement of all females. 



There is further danger to the male, especially horses and 

 cattle, of injuries in attempting to escape from or break 

 into enclosures in order to reach females. The appearance 

 of a female in estrum near the enclosure of a male causes 

 him to make violent attempts to escape from his confinement 

 and reach the female. Consequently it is important that en- 

 closures intended for the confinement of male breeding ani- 

 mals should be especially secure and, as far as possible, all 

 elements avoided in their construction which would endan- 

 ger the animal in an effort to escape. 



In the preparations for copulation there is little danger 

 except in case of horses. Breeding customs and conven- 

 ience bring into the procedure a period of "trying" or "teas- 

 ing" of the mare by the stallion, to determine the existence 

 of estrum and bring about the desired degree of sexual ex- 

 citement before permitting an attempt at copulation. In 

 this act there are numerous dangers, especially to the stal- 

 lion. 



