Excessive Sexual Use 201 



probably varies greatly with different individuals. Natu- 

 rally, the power of a male does not depend so much upon 

 the number of females with which he is expected to copu- 

 late as upon the number of copulations essential to produce 

 fertilization. It has been determined by careful investiga- 

 tion that, when the number of copulations during a given 

 day is increased, the abundance of spermatozoa in the semen 

 rapidly decreases and, if this service is pushed too far, the 

 spermatozoa fail almost entirely, causing an interruption 

 of the fertility of the animal. Much will depend upon the 

 age and vigor of the male animal. 



Zschokke states that 80 to 100 cows may be bred to a 

 single bull when the animal is kept confined and his service 

 somewhat regulated by the breeder but, if allowed to con- 

 sort with the cows at pasture, not more than 50 should be 

 allowfed. In the western range country of America, the al- 

 lotment is very much smaller and it is considered safer that 

 there be one bull to each 20 or 25 cows. This is necessitated 

 largely by the fact that, during the principal breeding sea- 

 son, the bulls have not yet fully recovered their vigor from 

 the long and trying winter with scant food supply. Zschokke 

 further holds that the bull should not be allowed to serve 

 more than three cows in any one day and that, under such 

 conditions, there should be one or two days per week of 

 complete rest. 



Many horse-breeders apply a similar standard in the use 

 of stallions. The total number of females, however, may 

 be greatly increased if the service is distributed throughout 

 the year. Noted stallions, it is claimed, have served suc- 

 cessfully, and without apparent injury, two or three hun- 

 dred mares during the year, but in such cases the service was 

 evenly distributed over the entire period. 



Zschokke draws attention to the erroneous belief that a 

 long abstinence from coition serves to store up a large 

 amount of semen, which will answer for a series of copula- 

 tions. There is no reservoir for such purpose, and all sper- 

 matozoa which may be formed and not used in copulation 

 soon disintegrate and are expelled or absorbed. 



Excessive sexual use is largely a comparative term, in- 



