Gastrointestinal tract development in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves from 1 to 12 months of age.

نویسندگان

  • K J Hammond
  • S O Hoskin
  • N B Jopson
  • C G Mackintosh
  • G Hofstra
  • B R Thompson
  • D R Stevens
چکیده

This study provides a detailed description of the development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves over the first 12 months of age. GIT development was measured using a combination of computerised tomography (CT) scanning and traditional slaughter plus dissection techniques. Red deer calves of a known birth date were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. A group of five animals were repeatedly CT scanned at 31, 63, 92, 135, 207, 275 and 351 days of age to identify GIT organs and determine their volume. From a group of 20 animals, subsets of four individuals were also scanned at corresponding ages (except 135 days of age). They were immediately euthanised and dissected after CT scanning to compare CT-scanned results with actual anatomical measurements. Individual organ weights were compared with their respective organ volumes determined by CT scanning and were found to have a strong, positive relationship. The combined rumen and reticulum (RR) CT-scanned volume was compared with its volume determined by the water-displacement technique and this also showed good correlation between the two techniques (R = 0.92). The allometric growth rates of organs, relative to animal live weight gains, in descending order, were the rumen, omasum, reticulum, abomasum, caecum blind sac, kidneys, spleen and liver. The red deer GIT was continuing to grow and develop when the last measurement was taken at 351 days of age. The greatest growth of the RR, when expressed in terms of empty weight, was between 31 and 92 days of age. Compared with sheep and cattle, it appears that the red deer have a similar or greater rate of RR development up until approximately 60 to 90 days of age; however, the final increments of GIT maturity in deer may take longer to complete, with the empty weight of the RR gaining 7.5 g/day between 275 and 351 days of age. CT scanning was validated in this study as a viable technique to follow GIT development in the same animals over time, and it provided novel information on allometric organ growth. The success of CT scanning highlights the potential future use of diagnostic imaging for GIT development studies.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Control of red deer (Cervus elaphus) stag domination in rut season by estrus synchronization

BACKGROUND: Inbreeding is one of the major problems of small size herds of red deer in refuge wildlife parks. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to use estrus synchronization technique in red deer (Cervus elaphus) based on natural mating to control the dominancy and social rank of stags and inbreeding. METHODS: In this study, hinds (n=6) were captured and caged at breeding season (ear...

متن کامل

AMELX and AMELY Structure and Application for Sex Determination of Iranian Maral deer (Cervus elaphus maral)

In order to have a good perspective of wild animals, it is necessary to determine their population and genetic structure. It provides an opportunity to decide on better conservation managements. In the wilderness, due to the escapable nature and sometimes not having the distinguishable bisexual appearance, sex identification could be difficult by observing animals. The X- and Y- chromosome link...

متن کامل

Spiculopteragia asymmetrica Infection in Cervus elaphus from Iran

Spiculopteragia asymmetrica is a gastrointestinal nematode frequently found in the abomasum of cervids. During December and February 2010, two red deer were died in Semeskandeh sanctuary in Mazandaran province. Moreover, five live deer from mentioned area were treated by Ivermectin and collected feces of these animals were used for assessment helminthes infection by parasitological met...

متن کامل

Microsatellite Analysis DNA for Controlled Breeding of Cervidae and Genetic Breeding of White Colored Cervus elaphus in Czech Republic

A territorial isolation is a danger to the game population, causing deterioration called the inbreeding depression. The typical signs are anomalous body proportions, such as short lower jaw, shortened lifetime, weak physique and lower birth rate. This is caused by low number of game in the community. White colored deer is in the location of the CzechRepublicbred in separation since 18th century...

متن کامل

Pre-orbital gland opening: part of sucking behavior in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves.

Opening of the pre-orbital gland in red deer (Cervus elaphus) was previously found to be associated with feeding and negatively associated with achieving satiety in bottle-reared red deer calves. We speculated that this acted as a signal from a calf to the mother that it was hungry. Thus, we focused on a possible association between the pre-orbital gland opening and the sucking behavior in red ...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience

دوره 7 11  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2013