Relationships of foetal haemoglobin level to age of newborn fallow deer (Dama dama)

The relative proportions of foetal and adult haemoglobins were quantified by densitometry of isoelectric focusing patterns in blood samples from 157 fawns from a free-living population of fallow deer (Dama dama) in Coto Doñana National Park, southwestern Spain. During the first week of life, the ratio of adult to foetal haemoglobin concentration increases with age. The proportion of foetal haemoglobin to total haemoglobin in peripheral blood proved a better indicator of age than morphological characteristics based on the persistence of natal traits in the fawns external phenotype. The erythrocytes of even the youngest fawns contained some adult haemoglobin, the mean percentage of adult haemoglobin in offspring less than 24 h of age being 13.7% in the reproductive season of 1989 (n = 28) and 7.18% in 1990 (n = 25). Half of the fawns whose blood contained less than 3% adult haemoglobin failed to survive past the first weeks of life (even when body mass was not below average), whereas not a single fawn with more than 5% adult haemoglobin on its first day of life was subsequently found dead. Even when the effects of sexual dimorphism in body size are taken into account, the blood of male fawns contained less adult haemoglobin at a given age than that of females, as was evident from significantly lower levels of adult haemoglobin when referenced to several body size covariates such as body length, shoulder height, hind-foot length, and body weight.

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Selected haematological indices in farmed male fallow deer (Dama dama) depending on the different conditions during the wintering period

Veterinární Medicína ◽

10.17221/3/2019-vetmed ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 64 (No. 9) ◽

pp. 379-385

Author(s):

K Tajchman

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Status ◽

Protein Content ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Lower Amount ◽

Physiological Status ◽

Dama Dama ◽

Animal Group ◽

Distribution Width ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact

Fallow deer (Dama dama) are the most common breeding species among farmed cervids in Poland. Monitoring the animals’ health, nutritional status, and welfare are highly important aspects in their breeding. Haematological variables are important indicators for comparing the physiological status of the animals and for monitoring the changes in the organism related to the adaptation to the breeding conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the day’s length and the total protein content in the diet for the farmed fallow deer on the selected haematological variables. The study demonstrated a significant decline in the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and an increase of the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (P < 0.05) in all the animals after the winter period. However, the animal group exposed to prolonged daylight exhibited a significant increase in the platelet distribution width (PDW) and platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR) (P < 0.05). In turn, the group receiving a lower amount of protein in the diet was characterised by a significant reduction in the platelet count (PLT) (P < 0.05). Thus, the length of daylight and the protein content of the diet for fallow deer exert a significant impact on several haematological characteristics, which may serve as indicators of an animal’s nutritional status and welfare.

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Successful embryo transfer following artificial insemination of superovulated fallow deer (Dama dama)

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rd9940181 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 181 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

HN Jabbour ◽

VS Marshall ◽

CM Argo ◽

J Hooton ◽

AS Loudon

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Response ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Corpora Lutea ◽

Dama Dama ◽

Cell Stage ◽

Embryo Recovery ◽

Dama Mesopotamica ◽

Morula Stage ◽

The Mean ◽

Follicular Response

Thirty-four European fallow deer (Dama dama dama) were randomly allocated into embryo donor (n = 12) or embryo recipient (n = 22) groups. All does were treated with controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices for 14 days. Animals in the embryo donor group were further treated with 200 I.U. pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) and 0.5 units ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). PMSG was administered 72 h before withdrawal of CIDR devices and FSH was given in eight 0.063 unit injections at 12-hourly intervals starting at the time of PMSG administration. All embryo donor animals were inseminated, by laparoscopy in both uterine horns, 36 h after withdrawal of CIDR devices with 25 x 10(6) fresh spermatozoa collected from Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica). Embryos were recovered by laparotomy on Day 3 (n = 6) or Day 6 (n = 6) after withdrawal of CIDR devices and the ovarian response was determined. In total, 22 embryos were transferred into the oviduct (2-4-cell stage, n = 14) or uterine horn (morula stage, n = 8) on Day 3 or Day 6 after withdrawal of CIDR devices respectively. The overall means (+/- s.e.m.) of total follicular response and corpora lutea were 24.2 +/- 3.5 and 14.1 +/- 3.6 respectively. The mean number of large unruptured follicles was higher on Day 6 than on Day 3 (13.5 +/- 2.9 v. 6.7 +/- 1.3, P < 0.05). The overall embryo recovery rate was 45.8%. There was no difference in pregnancy rate following transfer of embryos on either Day 3 or Day 6 (7/14 v. 5/8 respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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The effect of age and experience on the reproductive performance and prenatal expenditure of resources in female fallow deer (Dama dama)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z99-149 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 77 (11) ◽

pp. 1717-1722 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

C San José ◽

F Braza ◽

S Aragón

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Dama Dama ◽

Doñana National Park ◽

Reproductive Experience ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Mother's Experience ◽

Mother’S Age ◽

Effect Of Age ◽

Multiparous Female

In this paper we tested whether prenatal expenditure of resources in fallow deer (Dama dama) is affected by the age and reproductive experience of mothers. The study was carried out on the wild fallow deer population in Doñana National Park in southwestern Spain. Between 1985 and 1996 a total of 60 different females were monitored by direct observation during the fawning season. The exact age of 22 of these females was known, and 59 fawns born of these females were captured. The mother's age had more influence on the fawn's birth mass than the mother's experience did. Fallow deer fawns born of adult multiparous mothers (5-8 years old) were heavier than fawns born of young multiparous mothers (3-4 years old), whereas birth masses of fawns born of primiparous mothers (2-3 years) and young multiparous mothers showed no significant difference. Fawns were born earlier in the breeding season as the mother's age increased. The trade-off required between resources allocated to reproduction and resources available for growth and maintenance may limit reproduction and the possibility of increasing prenatal expenditure by both young primiparous and young multiparous female fallow deer. Sexual dimorphism in birth mass was detected, males being heavier than females, independently of the age and parity of the mothers. This confirms the finding that fallow deer mothers are selected to expend more resources on their male offspring.

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The effects of castration of fallow deer (Dama dama) on body growth and venison production

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s0003356100036412 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 359-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

R. C. Mulley ◽

A. W. English

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Body Growth ◽

Carcass Weight ◽

Dama Dama ◽

Risk Of Injury ◽

Velvet Antler ◽

The Mean ◽

Potential Loss

AbstractCastration of fallow deer (Dama dama) at 7 months of age resulted in a depressed growth rate to slaughter at 20 months of age, compared with entire bucks. The castrated bucks were significantly lighter at 15 and 20 months of age respectively (P < 0·001). The mean carcass weight of castrated bucks was 6·2 kg lighter and their dressing proportion 0·07 lower than entire bucks. The potential loss of income per carcass is equivalent to A$27·00 per castrated buck at 1984 prices, with a further potential loss of A$30·00 per head from velvet antler production prior to slaughter, if this is deferred until 2 years of age. It is suggested that the only advantage that castrated bucks would have over dean tiered entire bucks occurs during the rutting period of 3 to 6 weeks from early April, when entire bucks are extremely aggressive, and difficult to confine and transport without risk of injury and bruising of carcasses.

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