Winter feeding regimes for 16-22 month old red deer stags and hinds

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 124-124
Author(s):  
D. G. Chapple ◽  
D. W. Deakin ◽  
M. H. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Marketing Systems ◽  
Feeding Regimes ◽  
Feed Costs ◽  
Red Meats

Farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) are highly seasonal animals and thus the majority of venison is available during the autumn and winter months. To compete with other red meats, alternative marketing systems for venison need to be developed. Previous ADAS trials have shown that red deer can be finished intensively at 10-12 months of age by extending day length (Davies et al, 1995) but it incurs increased feed costs. An alternative strategy to lower production costs is to reduce growth rates and finish deer at 24-26 months of age. Preliminary trials have shown (Davies and Deakin 1998) that silage only diets, during the second winter, are not sufficient to maintain body weight and a small supplement is required. However the type of supplement needs further investigation. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding high energy and protein diets to yearling deer during their second winter, on winter growth and subsequent performance at grass.

Growth responses in red deer hinds from 16-24 months of age when fed two energy levels during their second winter

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 141-141
Author(s):  
M H Davies ◽  
D W Deakin
Keyword(s):  
Growth Response ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Growth Restriction ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Feeding Regimes ◽  
Cost Of Production ◽  
Red Meats

It is important that venison competes with other red meats in efficiency and cost of production. The growth responses of farmed red deer during the first 15-18 months of life have been well defined under a wide range of feeding and daylength regimes (Davies, 1995). However there is a need to examine less intensive systems of production which aim to maximise growth from grazed grass, following various growth-restriction feeding regimes during winter. The objective of this experiment was to quantify the growth response in 16-24 month old hinds fed two contrasting feeding regimes during their second winter, followed by a period at pasture.

Growth responses in red deer hinds from 16-24 months of age when fed two energy levels during their second winter

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 141-141
Author(s):  
M H Davies ◽  
D W Deakin
Keyword(s):  
Growth Response ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Growth Restriction ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Feeding Regimes ◽  
Cost Of Production ◽  
Red Meats

It is important that venison competes with other red meats in efficiency and cost of production. The growth responses of farmed red deer during the first 15-18 months of life have been well defined under a wide range of feeding and daylength regimes (Davies, 1995). However there is a need to examine less intensive systems of production which aim to maximise growth from grazed grass, following various growth-restriction feeding regimes during winter. The objective of this experiment was to quantify the growth response in 16-24 month old hinds fed two contrasting feeding regimes during their second winter, followed by a period at pasture.

Effects of winter feeding level on the performance of red deer calves (Cervus elaphus)

1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Brelurut ◽  
M. Theriez ◽  
G. Bechet
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
High Energy Level ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Winter Feeding

The aim of this trial was to determine the effects of a high winter feeding level on the performance of red deer calves from weaning to 15 months of age.Two groups of 10 calves in each group were fed indoors from weaning to turn-out on good quality hay ad libitum. They received concentrates for 197 days, the first group (treatment H) ad libitum, and the second (treatment L) a daily quantity of 616 g dry matter (DM). At turn-out the two lots were grouped together for 149 days on natural pastures containing grass species characteristic of the area.During the indoor period, treatment H calves consumed 2·5 times more concentrate than those in treatment L (272 v. 110 kg DM) and 2·8 times less hay (48 v. 234 kg DM). They weighed 19·6 kg more at turn-out (88·9 v. 69·3 kg). The difference in weight decreased to 8·8 kg at 15 months of age, but varied according to sex. This reduction of the weight gap between groups was due to the better adaptation of treatment L to pasture and to compensatory growth resulting from a higher grass intake after turn-out.It is concluded that despite the good performance of treatment H animals in winter, a high energy level of feeding is only advantageous in certain cases. It is of benefit to animals that are to be slaughtered at 1 year of age and to lateborn calves, and can improve the frame development of females in their first breeding season.

Preliminary findings of genotype variations in growth rate and feed intake of weaner deer

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 41-43
Author(s):  
D.R. Stevens ◽  
I.D. Corson ◽  
R.P. Littlejohn
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Hybrid Male ◽  
Live Weight Gain

Deer are seasonal animals with a feed intake that varies with day length, reaching a low in winter. Feed intake then rises rapidly in spring. Superimposed on the nutritional response to day length are the genetics of the deer. This paper documents preliminary findings of live weight gain in winter and spring and intake during September for red deer (Cervus elaphus) and elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) x red deer hybrids. Two experiments examined the relative growth rates and feed intake of rising 1 year old red and elk x red hybrid male deer during winter and spring 2001 and 2002. Live weight gain was higher in the elk x red than the red deer in both winter (averaging 262 and 144 g/d respectively) and spring (averaging 390 and 272 g/d respectively). Dry matter intake in September 2001 was 1.64 and 2.13 kg DM/d for red and elk x red deer respectively (P=0.003). Dry matter intake in September 2002 averaged 2.04 and 2.35 kg DM/d (P

Vocalizations in red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and red × sika hybrids

1998 ◽  
Vol 244 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Long ◽  
N.P. Moore ◽  
T. J. Hayden
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Sika Deer ◽  
Cervus Nippon

The deer of the island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Archipelago, Italy): literary references and osteological evidence

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCO MASSETP ◽  
BRUNO ZAVA
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Taxonomic Relationships

During the nineteenth century, scientific literature and official reports recorded the occurrence of a population of red deer, Cervus elaphus, on the island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Archipelago, Italy). Osteological specimens collected by the zoologist Enrico Hillier Giglioli towards the end of the century confirmed these references. Since cervids are not found among the fossil fauna of the island, the red deer must have been introduced by man although we do not yet know precisely when. The former existence of the species on Lampedusa is discussed by comparison of literary material and bone evidence. The population's probable origins and its taxonomic relationships with other Mediterranean red deer populations are also analysed.

Role of ovarian failure in reproductive senescence in aged red deer (Cervus elaphus) hinds

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fisher ◽  
B. McLeod ◽  
D. Heath ◽  
S Lun ◽  
P. Hurst
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Ovarian Failure ◽  
Reproductive Senescence

Production of interferon by red deer (Cervus elaphus) conceptuses and the effects of roIFN-tau on the timing of luteolysis and the success of asynchronous embryo transfer

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
KJ Demmers ◽  
HN Jabbour ◽  
DW Deakin ◽  
AP Flint
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Transfer ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Pregnancy Loss ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Interferon Tau ◽  
Recombinant Interferon ◽  
Uterine Flushing ◽  
Calving Rate

The role of interferon in early pregnancy in red deer was investigated by (a) measuring production of interferon by the conceptus, (b) testing the anti-luteolytic effect of recombinant interferon-tau in non-pregnant hinds, and (c) treatment of hinds with interferon after asynchronous embryo transfer. Blastocysts were collected from 34 hinds by uterine flushing 14 (n = 2), 16 (n = 2), 18 (n = 8), 20 (n = 13) or 22 (n = 9) days after synchronization of oestrus with progesterone withdrawal. Interferon anti-viral activity was detectable in uterine flushings from day 16 to day 22, and increased with duration of gestation (P < 0.01) and developmental stage (P < 0.01). When interferon-tau was administered daily between day 14 and day 20 to non-pregnant hinds to mimic natural blastocyst production, luteolysis was delayed by a dose of 0.2 mg day(-1) (27.3 +/- 1.3 days after synchronization, n = 4 versus 21 +/- 0 days in control hinds, n = 3; P < 0.05). Interferon-tau was administered to hinds after asynchronous embryo transfer to determine whether it protects the conceptus against early pregnancy loss. Embryos (n = 24) collected on day 6 from naturally mated, superovulated donors (n = 15) were transferred into synchronized recipients on day 10 or day 11. Interferon-tau treatment (0.2 mg daily from day 14 to 20) increased calving rate from 0 to 64% in all recipients (0/11 versus 7/11, P < 0.005), and from 0 to 67% in day 10 recipients (0/8 versus 6/9, P < 0.01). The increased success rate of asynchronous embryo transfer after interferon-tau treatment in cervids may be of benefit where mismatched embryo-maternal signalling leads to failure in the establishment of pregnancy.

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