In an experiment of 2 × 4 factorial design, 80 virgin estrous does (10 per group) were given an intramuscular injection of either corn oil or 1 μg of estradiol-17β in corn oil. The does were mated 1 h after treatment and killed 1, 2.5, 5 or 10 h after mating. The oviducts, uterine horns, cervices and vagina were flushed separately and sperm cells in the flushings were counted. Estradiol treatment caused significant increases in sperm cell numbers in the oviducts at 1 and 2.5 h, in the uterine horns at 1, 2.5 and 5 h, and in the cervices at 2.5 h. Effects of estradiol on sperm cell numbers were not seen at 10 h. The results indicate that exogenous estradiol increased the numbers of sperm cells in the oviducts and uterine horns as early as 2 h after administration of the hormone, which was 1 h after mating.
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Hawk et al. (1976) studied this question.