The dentition of red deer (Cervus elaphus): a scoring scheme to assess age from wear of the permanent molariform teeth

Skulls of red deer ( Cervus elaphus of known age were examined. A scoring procedure devised for fallow deer ( Dama dama ) was used to relate tooth wear to a particular age (Brown & Chapman, 1990). The precise sequential nature of tooth wear as it appeared on the slopes and tips of cusps, on the marginal ridges and links between cusps was recorded. From these data a base has been provided from which estimates of age may be made of animals of unknown age. The variability for the scores are given for 95% prediction intervals from the regression of age on total molar wear score.     

Age assessment of fallow deer (Dama dama): from a scoring scheme based on radiographs of developing permanent molariform teeth

The stages of permanent tooth development observed in radiographs of the mandible were described for known-aged fallow deer Dama dama . Ten stages were defined and, by allocating scores for these stages, the scores that may be expected for a particular age have been identified. Lastly, the predicted age was given for total molariform scores. These were obtained, with 95% prediction intervals, from a regression of age on total molariform scores. An age assessment from tooth development stages can be made up to three years, after which, no further development takes place.     

Cardiac rhabdomyoma in a juvenile fallow deer (Dama dama)

A cardiac rhabdomyoma is described in a 6-wk-old captive fallow deer (Dama dama) that died suddenly without previous clinical signs. The tumor was characterized by multiple nodules composed of large atypical vacuolated myoblastic cells. As previously reported in humans and other animal species, there is compelling evidence that the cardiac rhabdomyoma is a congenital developmental anomaly rather than a true neoplasm. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a cardiac tumor and a rhabdomyoma in a cervid species.     

Conception rates following intrauterine insemination of European (Dama dama dama) fallow deer does with fresh or frozen-thawed Mesopotamian (Dama dama mesopotamica) fallow deer spermatoza

A total of 121 European fallow deer does, being either parous ( n = 15) or nulliparous ( n = 106), were treated with intravaginal progesterone impregnated controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices for 14 days. The does were divided into three treatment groups and inseminated in utero by laparoscopy, at approximately 65 hours after CIDR device removal, with 25 × 10⁶ fresh Mesopotamian ( n = 40), 25–35 × 10⁶ frozen-thawed Mesopotamian ( n = 41) or 30–32.5 × 10⁶ frozen-thawed European ( n = 40) fallow deer spermatozoa. The semen used had been collected, from two Mesopotamian and two European fallow deer bucks, by electroejaculation under general anaesthesia. Pregnancy was diagnosed by rectal ultrasonogrdphy on Day 50 after insemination.
There were no apparent differences in the quality of ejaculates between the two subspecies of fallow deer. The volume of semen and the total number of spermatozoa ranged between 0.6–1.2 ml and 2.11–4.95 × 10⁹ per ml of semen, respectively. Evaluation of frozen-thawed spermatozoa revealed post-thaw motility rates between 50–70%. The overall conception rate was 65.3%. A higher conception rate was observed following insemination with European than Mesopotamian frozen-thawed spermatozoa (75% vs. 53.7%, respectively, P < 0.05). Insemination with fresh Mesopotamian spermatozoa increased the conception rate to a level not significantly different from that observed following insemination with European frozen-thawed spermatozoa (67.5% vs. 75%, for fresh Mesopotamian and frozen-thawed European semen, respectively).     

Functional directional asymmetry in fallow deer (Dama dama) antlers

The right antlers of fallow deer are significantly more developed than the left antlers with respect to the lengths of the beam, trez tine and palm, as well as antler weight and number of points. The cross-section at the base is also more elliptical in the right antler. The size difference is correlated with the more intense use of right antlers in fighting, and with the greater breadth of the areas of insertion of the neck muscles in the skull's nuchal region.     

Effects of immunocontraception on behavior in fallow deer (Dama dama)

Immunocontraceptives can control growth in wild and captive populations; however, in doing so, they should not disrupt species‐typical behavior patterns. The presence of treated females could disrupt social interactions in a population; yet, few studies have examined effects of immunocontraception on behavior. The goal of this project was to determine whether behavior in a fallow deer (Dama dama) population vaccinated with porcine anti‐zona pellucida (pZP)‐immunocontraceptives differed from behavior in a population of unvaccinated deer. We predicted that pZP‐treated females would spend a higher percentage of time exhibiting mating and dominance behavior than nontreated females, and that males interacting with pZP‐treated females would spend a higher percentage of time demonstrating mating and aggressive behavior than males interacting with nontreated females. We recorded activity budgets of males and females in two fallow deer populations, one pZP‐treated and the other untreated, before, during, and after rut. Females did not differ in time spent displaying mating or dominance behavior compared to nontreated females. Males coexisting with nontreated females spent more time exhibiting aggressive behavior during rut than males living with pZP‐treated females, but males did not differ in time spent in mating behavior. Thus, immunocontraception did not seem to affect behavior adversely. However, sample sizes, living conditions, and sex ratios may have affected the results. Given these limitations, future research is needed to confirm our findings. Zoo Biol 27:49–61, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Context-related acoustic variation in male fallow deer (Dama dama) groans

While social and behavioural contexts are known to affect the acoustic structure of vocal signals in several mammal species, few studies have investigated context-related acoustic variation during inter-sexual advertisement and/or intra-sexual competition. Here we recorded male fallow deer groans during the breeding season and investigated how key acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency and formant frequencies) vary as a function of the social context in which they are produced. We found that in the presence of females, male fallow deer produced groans with higher mean fundamental frequency when vocal males were also present than they did when no vocal males were in close vicinity. We attribute this to the increased arousal state typically associated with this context. In addition, groan minimum formant frequency spacing was slightly, but significantly lower (indicating marginally more extended vocal tracts) when males were alone than when potential mates and/or competitors were nearby. This indicates that, contrary to our predictions, male fallow deer do not exaggerate the acoustic impression of their body size by further lowering their formant frequencies in the presence of potential mating partners and competitors. Furthermore, since the magnitude of the variation in groan minimum formant frequency spacing remains small compared to documented inter-individual differences, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that formants are reliable static cues to body size during intra- and inter-sexual advertisement that do not concurrently encode dynamic motivation-related information.     

Suckling time and fawn growth in fallow deer (Dama dama)

The total suckling time and the fawns' absolute increase in weight from birth to weaning were studied in a group of fallow deer over two consecutive calving seasons. The aim was to clarify the use of suckling time as a predictor of parental input in fallow deer. When all subjects from both years are taken into account, no positive relation between suckling time and growth was found. This was due to at least two important factors: (i) fawns to primiparous mothers sucked relatively longer, with no corresponding increase in weight, compared to multiparous mothers; and (ii) suckling time during the first two weeks after birth seems to be an inadequate measure of milk transfer.     

Light and scanning electron microscopy of fallow deer (Dama dama) spermatozoa

No basic differences in size (mean +/- s.d. for at least 300 spermatozoa), shape and ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of fallow deer were detected (1) in comparison to other artiodactyls, (2) between different fallow bucks, and (3) between different months of the fertile season. The total length of the normal spermatozoon was 67.2 +/- 1.2 microns. The flat, paddle-shaped head was 8.2 +/- 0.3 microns long, 4.4 +/- 0.2 microns for the greatest width, 1.9 +/- 0.2 microns for basal width and, approximately 0.7 microns in thickness. The tail measurements were 13.7 +/- 0.3 microns for the midpiece, 0.5 +/- 0.1 microns for the diameter of the midpiece, 42.6 +/- 0.9 microns for the principal piece, and 2.7 +/- 0.6 microns for the endpiece. Spermatozoa with abnormalities such as cytoplasmic remnants and droplets, bent and coiled tails, as well as microcephalic forms were observed.     

Molecular identification of two Sarcocystis species in fallow deer (Dama dama) from Lithuania

Due to the lack of molecular research conducted, little is known about Sarcocystis species diversity in the fallow deer (Dama dama). Until now, Sarcocystis jorrini and Sarcocystis morae were described to form sarcocysts in the muscles of this host. In the present study diaphragm muscle samples of free-ranging fallow deer from Lithuania were investigated for Sarcocystis species. Sarcocysts were detected in 39 out of 48 (81.3%) fallow deer examined. Under a light microscope two types of sarcocysts having hair-like and finger-like protrusions were observed. Based on DNA sequence analysis of cox1 and 18S rDNA, two species, S. morae and Sarcocystis entzerothi were identified. In prior studies, the latter species was only detected in Lithuanian roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and in sika deer (Cervus nippon). The haplotype network of S. morae sequences specified close relationships between haplotypes found in the same country. According to current knowledge, the fallow deer is characterised by low Sarcocystis species richness as compared with other cervid species from Europe.     

Experimental tests of copying and mate choice in fallow deer (Dama dama)

In fallow deer (Dama dama), as well as in other lek-breedingungulates, receptive females arriving at leks commonly joinmales that are defending large harems. This tendency enhancesdifferences in harem size and mating success between males.It could occur because females independendy move to the samemales, because females are attracted to males with females,or because females are attracted to each other. Using controlledexperiments with estrous female fallow deer, we show that, althoughfemales are more attracted to males with harems than to thosewithout, they are as frequently attracted to groups of femaleswithout a male as to female groups with males. We conclude thatfemale fallow deer joining leks are attracted to each otherand copy each other's movements. As yet, there is no firm evidencein fallow deer or in other lek-breeding ungulates that femalescopy each other's choice of mating partners. Key words: Damadama, fallow deer, lek breeding, mate choice, copying behavior.[Behav Ecol 4: 191–193 (1993)]     

Identification of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins and alpha-fetoprotein in fallow deer (Dama dama) placenta

Background

This paper describes the isolation and characterization of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG) from fetal cotyledonary tissue (FCT) and maternal caruncular tissue (MCT) collected from fallow deer (Dama dama) pregnant females. Proteins issued from FCT and MCT were submitted to affinity chromatographies by using Vicia villosa agarose (VVA) or anti-bovine PAG-2 (R#438) coupled to Sepharose 4B gel. Finally, they were characterized by SDS-PAGE and N-terminal microsequencing.

Results

Four distinct fallow deer PAG (fdPAG) sequences were identified and submitted to Swiss-Prot database. Comparison of fdPAG with PAG sequences identified in other ruminant species exhibited 64 to 83% identity. Additionally, alpha-fetoprotein was identified in fetal and maternal tissues.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate the efficacy of VVA and bovine PAG-2 affinity chromatographies for the isolation of PAG molecules expressed in deer placenta. This is the first report giving four specific amino acid sequences of PAG isolated from feto-maternal junction (FCT and MCT) in the Cervidae family.     

Foot infections associated with Arcanobacterium pyogenes in free-living fallow deer (Dama dama)

We describe foot infection associated with Arcanobacterium pyogenes in three adult male free-living fallow deer (Dama dama) from Sueve Regional Hunting Reserve (Principality of Asturias, Spain). Affected fallow deer were culled in November 1997 and 1998 during the hunting season. Necropsy, radiography, and microbiologic analysis were carried out for each animal. Unilateral swelling of one extremity at the coronary band was observed in all three cases. Areas of bone loss, severe periosteal reaction, and soft tissue swelling were seen on radiography. Lead fragments were observed in one fallow deer. Seven bacterial species were isolated, but only Arcanobacterium pyogenes was routinely found. Weather conditions in the area (mild temperatures and high humidity), the land (alternating pasture land and rock), the animal population density (both fallow deer and domestic herds of cows, horses, sheep, and goats, live side by side in the same areas), and hunting activities could be related to the frequency of these infections.     

Intrauterine insemination of farmed fallow deer (Dama dama) with frozen-thawed semen via laparoscopy

Estrus and ovulation of mature fallow does (n = 155) on two North American farms were synchronized by intravaginal silastic devices containing 0.3 g progesterone (CIDR-type G) for 14 d. Each of 151 does received laparoscopic intrauterine inseminations of either 50 x 10(6) (n = 125) or 25 x 10(6) (n = 26) frozen-thawed spermatozoa, 65 to 68 h after CIDR device withdrawal. Four does received intrauterine inseminations per vaginam of 50 x 10(6) spermatozoa 68 to 69 hours after CIDR device withdrawal. Semen from crossbred Dama dama dama x Dama dama mesopotamica sires was collected in New Zealand by electroejaculation. The overall pregnancy rate to artificial insemination, as assessed by rectal ultrasonography at Day 45, was 67.7%. The pregnancy rates for does receiving laparoscopic inseminations were 58.2% (Texas; 50 x 10(6) spermatozoa; n = 79 does); 80.8% (Texas; 25 x 10(6) spermatozoa; n = 26 does) and 76.1% (New York; 50 x 10(6) spermatozoa; n = 46 does). Three of the four does receiving intrauterine inseminations per vaginam became pregnant to the frozen-thawed semen.