Folman, Y., Department of Animal Science, The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Rehovot, Israel
Drori, D., Department of Animal Science, The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Rehovot, Israel

Male rats copulated at different frequencies designated high, medium and low, from 60-90 days of age; at 90 days of age the accessory reproductive organs, testes, hypophysis and adrenals were weighed and the body composition was determined. Copulatory behavior was controlled and recorded. The weights of the accessory reproductive organs and hypophysis were highly correlated with the number of ejaculations performed. Males copulating 3 times a week to exhaustion (high frequency) performed fewer ejaculations per test and had longer refractory periods than males copulating once a week to exhaustion (medium frequency). In the high group males exhibited shorter activation time, longer latency of ejaculation and more ejaculations following three days of rest than following two. The relationship between frequency of copulation and the weight of androgen-sensitive organs suggests that mating has more than an all-or-none effect, because the frequency of mating actually controls the amount of androgen produced. © 1969.