Breeding Deer and SAC

In what month are male deer introduced to females for breeding?

September

In what month are male deer removed from females after breeding?

December

During what time of year does deer calving take place?

May-June

1

group female deer for calving and to give clostridial vaccines

2

tag and sex calves

3

wean and house calves

form breeding groups of female deer

de-antler stags and introduce one to each female group

4

previous year’s calves are sold

5

stags are removed

Why are deer calves often sold before the start of Winter?

they do not grow very well over the winter so it is most efficient to sell them before

At what age are male red deer fertile?

16-18 months old

What is the target weight for male red deer by 1 year old?

100kg

What is the target ratio of male to female deer in a multi-sire mob?

1:10

What is the target ratio of male to female deer in a single-sire mob?

1:50

What is the most useful indication of mating in deer?

mud marks on female backs

How long is the oestrus cycle in red deer?

18 days

How long is the oestrus cycle in fallow deer?

21 days

How long is gestation in deer?

231-234 days

What happens to the corpus luteum during pregnancy in deer?

primary is present throughout and in around half of deer a second develops 45-60% into the pregnancy

When are deer more likely to give birth?

during daytime

How long does the first stage of labour take in deer?

4 hours

How long does the second stage of labour take in deer?

20 mins

How long does the third stage of labour take in deer?

15 mins - 4 hours

What do young deer do after parturition?

stand after 40-80 mins

seek udder after 18 mins

suckle after less than 30 mins

shelter in grass while mother seeks food

mother will return 1-7 times a day to feed the calf

calves then follow mothers from 3 days old

What are the 4 main causes of deer calf mortality?

starvation - caused by mismothering or rejection

dystocia

misadventure/ predation

infection

At what stage can pregnancy be diagnosed via trans-rectal ultrasound in deer?

30 days

How can you view a pregnancy via ultrasound after 3 months gestation?

ultrasound from the flank as the foetus is no longer visible via rectal ultrasound at this stage

At what age can deer calves be weaned?

40 days old but ideally wait until 3 months

What are the features of the camelid female reproductive tract?

6-10 placentomes over both uterine horns

Y-shaped uterus

relatively short uterine body with longer horns

irregular folds in cervix (differs between individuals)

very small ovaries - can be difficult to identify when ultrasounding from flank

At what age do female camelids enter puberty?

6 months old

From what age are female camelids bred?

2-3 years old or once they have reached 65% mature weight

What are the features of the camelid male reproductive tract?

relatively small testicles results in a low sperm reservoir

fibrocartilagenous penis

very small urethral opening

sigmoid flexure in penis

preputial attachment which breaks down during puberty

How many times can a male camelid serve in a day?

twice

At what age does spermatogenesis start in male camelids?

12-18 months old

At what age are male camelids used for breeding?

3 years old

Why must male camelids not be castrated until after puberty?

to ensure the preputial attachment has broken down

to allow the musculoskeletal system to develop fully under the influence of testosterone

What ovulation strategy is used by camelids?

induced ovulation

females have long periods of receptivity regardless of follicle size and occasional periods of indifference

What happens during camelid copulation?

1. male chases female and orgles

2. if female is receptive she will sit down for him

3. male then mounts lying down and intromission lasts around 40 minutes as males are trickle ejaculators

What will a female camelid do if introduced to a male when not receptive?

will not sit down for him

will spit-off or kick the male to get rid of him

How soon after parturition can a female camelid be served again and why?

15-20 days if uncomplicated birth

because she has a diffuse placenta so uterus has more time for involution before the embryo implants in the uterine wall

How can females spitting off be used to diagnose and monitor pregnancy?

to check for ovulation

a week after service to check for conception as female will spit-off male if she is already pregnant

can be used intermittently throughout gestation to check for the maintenance of the pregnancy

What are the features of camelid pregnancy?

large majority of pregnancies occur in the left uterine horn

simple diffuse placenta

corpus luteum dependent

follicular waves occur during pregnancy

gestation length can vary by 14 days either side

epidermal membrane present

When can a trans-rectal ultrasound be performed to diagnose pregnancy

40-45 days after service

must obtain informed consent if earlier due to high risk of rectal tearing

How can you tell the difference between a uterus and bladder on an abdominal ultrasound?

bladder appears as one fluid filled compartment whereas uterus appears as two

During which stage of gestation is nutrition critically important?

last 3 months

What are the nutritional requirements of a camelid during the last 3 months of gestation?

from 2-9 extra MJ maintenance per day

12% crude protein

10-15% weight gain

What are the nutritional requirements of a camelid during lactation?

14% crude protein (higher than during gestation)

4-6 MJ extra maintenance energy at least

What should you ensure 6-8 weeks before parturition in a pregnant camelid?

vaccinations all up to date

worming treatments

check for mange

What time of day do camelids tend to give birth?

during daytime

How long does the first stage of labour take in camelids?

2-4 hours

How long does the second stage of labour take in camelids?

15 mins

How long does the third stage of labour take in camelids?

1-3 hours

What is the epidermal membrane?

a thin extra-foetal tissue derived from the epidermis of the foetus which covers newborn camelids

What are some common congential abnormalities seen in camelids?

choanal atresia

umbilical hernia

ventricular septal defect

segmental aplasia

What can be difficult with colostrum transfer to camelid offspring?

camelids tend to produce very little colostrum

Why is it really important to regularly weigh young camelids?

they do not tend to bleat and complain if they are not receiving enough milk and so must monitor closely

What is the expected growth of a month old camelid?

double birthweight

What is the growth rate of 2-3 month old camelids?

5 kg/month

At what age are camelids weaned?

6 months old