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A note on melatonin-treated red deer stags advancing the onset of the calving season in hinds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. W. Fisher  and
P. F. Fennessy
M. W. Fisher
Affiliation:
MAF Technology, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
P. F. Fennessy
Affiliation:
MAF Technology, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag, Mosgiel, New Zealand
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Abstract

The effects of treating adult red deer hinds nutritional demands to coincide better with and stags with exogenous melatonin on the food production on improved pastures. One calving season in hinds were evaluated in a 2 such method has been the administration of × 2 factorial experiment. Treated stags were implanted with melatonin monthly beginning in December and hinds post calving in January, Melatonin advanced the timing of rutting behaviour in both treated stags. Calving date was significantly influenced by melatonin treatment of hinds (a mean 10-day advancement; P < 0·01) or stags (12-day advancement; P < 0·001). The interaction of hind and stag treatments was not significant, however treatment of both sexes resulted in the greatest advancement in mean calving date (21 days; P < 0·001). These results indicate that treatment of red deer hinds or stags with exogenous melatonin can result in an earlier calving season and suggest seasonally advanced stags can stimulate earlier breeding activity in hinds.

Keywords

calving seasonmelatoninred deer
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , August 1990 , pp. 213 - 216
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

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