To beat or not to beat: Behavioral plasticity during the antler growth period affects cortisol but not testosterone concentrations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) males

2020 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
pp. 113552
Author(s):  
Bruno Esattore ◽  
Matías Villagrán ◽  
Jan Pluháček ◽  
Martina Komárková ◽  
Adam Dušek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Behavioral Plasticity ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Antler Growth

Evaluating velvet antler growth in red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) using hand-held and digital infrared thermography

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Bowers ◽  
S Gandy ◽  
T Dickerson ◽  
C Brown ◽  
T Strauch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Early Growth ◽  
Main Beam ◽  
Antler Growth ◽  
Velvet Antler ◽  
Late Growth ◽  
Over Time

The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether velvet antler (VA) surface temperature gradients, as measured by either a single-spot infrared temperature (SST) sensor (SSTS; exp. 1) or digital infrared temperature (DIT) imaging (DITI; exp. 2), would pattern VA growth. In exp. 1, growth rates and SST were obtained from yearling (n = 8) and mature (n = 17) red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) every 14 d following eruption through day 56 in yearlings and day 112 in mature stags. In exp. 2, growth rates and DIT (main beam VA base, mid and tip temperatures) were obtained from red deer stags (n = 31) every 14 d following eruption through day 126. Background temperatures were recorded in conjunction with thermal antler measurements. In exp. 1, yearling VA base and tip SST were positively correlated with one another (P < 0.01); however, both measurements were also positively correlated with background SST (P < 0.05). In mature stags, VA base SST paralleled (P < 0.05) background SST measures, while tip SST did not change from day 56 through day 112. In exp. 2, VA DIT changed (P < 0.01) over time and differed (P < 0.01) between base, mid and tip. During the early growth period, VA temperatures increased (P < 0.05) from 38.9 ± 0.2°C at the base to 39.3 ± 0.2°C at the tip of the antler. In contrast, during the late growth period, DIT was higher (P < 0.01) at the base (36.8 ± 0.3°C) than at the tip (35.7 ± 0.3°C) of the antler. In conclusion, SSTS did not have the sensitivity to signify changes in antler growth rates. However, in exp. 2 using DITI, VA thermogenesis paralleled VA growth suggesting that DITI may have value in monitoring VA growth. Key words: Velvet antler, red deer, thermography

scholarly journals Seasonal changes in mineral intake and first antler growth in Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (sup1) ◽  
pp. 851-851
Author(s):  
L. Estévez ◽  
F. Ceacero ◽  
Landete Castillejos ◽  
A. J. García ◽  
D. Carrión ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Cervus Elaphus Hispanicus ◽  
Iberian Red Deer ◽  
Antler Growth

scholarly journals Antler growth in male red deer (Cervus elaphus) after active immunization against LH-RH

Reproduction ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 703-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Lincoln ◽  
H. M. Fraser ◽  
T. J. Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Active Immunization ◽  
Antler Growth ◽  
Lh Rh

Unilateral antler growth in a red deer stag(Cervus elaphus)

2001 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-279
Author(s):  
U. Kierdorf ◽  
H. Kierdorf
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Antler Growth

Antler growth rate in yearling Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 753-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Gaspar-López ◽  
T. Landete-Castillejos ◽  
L. Gallego ◽  
A. J. García
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Cervus Elaphus Hispanicus ◽  
Iberian Red Deer ◽  
Antler Growth

Seasonal variations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) hematology related to antler growth and biometrics measurements

2011 ◽  
Vol 315A (4) ◽  
pp. 242-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Gaspar-López ◽  
Tomás Landete-Castillejos ◽  
Jose Antonio Estevez ◽  
Francisco Ceacero ◽  
Laureano Gallego ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Antler Growth

Temporal changes in LH and testosterone and their relationship with the first antler in red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags from 3 to 15 months of age

1991 ◽  
Vol 131 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Suttie ◽  
P. F. Fennessy ◽  
S. F. Crosbie ◽  
I. D. Corson ◽  
F. J. Laas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Pulse Frequency ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Pulsatile Secretion ◽  
Antler Growth ◽  
Velvet Antler

ABSTRACT Blood samples were taken from six tame red deer stags at 3–15 months of age once a month from a jugular catheter every 30 min for 24 h to investigate hormonal secretion during puberty and during growth of the pedicle and first antler. All plasma samples were analysed for LH and testosterone concentrations and the resultant data were analysed using the PULSAR pulse detection routine. In addition each stag was injected with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH; 20 ng/kg body weight) after the above samples had been taken and the bleeding regimen was continued for a further 2 h. Body weight, antler size and status (i.e. whether the stags had a pedicle or antler) were also recorded. The pulsatile secretion of LH could be considered to have occurred in three phases. The first of these was one of development, with the LH pulse frequency increasing to 8 pulses/24 h, the second a phase of regression, with a decrease in LH pulse frequency to 2 pulses/24 h, and finally a second phase of development characterized by increased LH pulse frequency to 12 pulses/24 h. Testosterone secretion generally followed the same pattern. During the period before the permanent bony pedicles grew, there were less than five LH pulses/24 h. When the pedicles were growing, LH and testosterone pulsatile secretion increased but the pulse frequency of both hormones fell during velvet antler growth. However, the overall mean testosterone level did not significantly decrease between the growth stages (2·74 and 2·29 nmol/l respectively) although mean testosterone plasma rose during pedicle growth and fell during velvet antler growth. Both hormone plasma concentrations increased dramatically, and testosterone was particularly high (11·82 nmol/l), at the time of antler cleaning. All stags responded to exogenous GnRH by secreting LH and testosterone in all sampling periods. The LH response to GnRH increased during pedicle growth and fell during antler growth before rising again in autumn as the breeding season approached. Testosterone responses largely paralleled those of LH except that they remained high in early antler development. The results are consistent with the following hypotheses. (1) Pedicle initiation is caused by increased plasma level of testosterone stimulated by increasing LH pulse frequency and (2) testosterone is stimulatory for pedicle growth but not necessarily so for velvet antler growth. Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 131, 467–474

Seasonal changes in weight gain, growth hormone, and thyroid hormones in male red deer (Cervus elaphus atlanticus)

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 2577-2581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Ryg ◽  
Rolf Langvatn
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Thyroid Hormones ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Antler Growth ◽  
Gain Peak

To elucidate possible endocrine mechanisms in the control of the weight cycle of red deer, we recorded seasonal changes in the concentrations of growth hormone (GH), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) in serum. T3 and T4 were analyzed with specific radioimmunoassays, GH was analyzed with a hetereologous radioimmunoassay. Changes in the levels of these hormones were compared with changes in weight gain. T3 levels were high in summer and low in winter, corresponding to changes in weight gain. Peak values (1.75–4.82 nmol/L) were found in May or June, nadirs occurred in April (0.22–1.78 nmol/L) or October–November (0–1.19 nmol/L). GH levels increased to peak values, 20–53 ng/mL, in April to June, but were low during most of the period of fast weight gain. There were no consistent changes in T4 levels corresponding to the weight cycle. We conclude that the GH peaks following the casting of old antlers may be related to the onset of antler growth. Seasonal changes in T3 levels may be secondary to changes in food intake.

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