deer and elk

Question 1

farmed species

Answer 1

WTD
mule deer
fallow deer
reindeer
wapiti (elk)

Question 2

wapiti industry use

Answer 2

stags for hunt farms (antler development)
meat
velvet antler (traditional medicine)
semen
breeding stock
hides

Question 3

wapiti nutrition

Answer 3

browsers/selectors
medium quality hay-> potential copper def

seasonal weight gain/loss-> weight gain/maintainence over winter leads to oversized calves
(adult weight 450kg male, 300 female)
hinds 260kg, jinnochs 200kg (50% conception) for rut-> will lose 10% of BW during pregnancy

Question 4

antler stag nutrition

Answer 4

need to be heavy 350-450kg by June (velveting)-> continue to gain weight all summer before rut in fall (they will lose 20% bw)

need supplemental feed after rut to preserve lg valuable stags, can pull early (otherwise they die in the winter from exposure)

Question 5

wapiti repro

Answer 5

seasonally polyestrous
starts ovulation on fall equinox
(sept-october season)- cycling is only prevented by pregnancy-> calving may-july

21d estrous cycles (2-3 follicular waves per ovulation)
256d gestation

Question 6

wapiti pregnancy dx

Answer 6

rectal palpation
transrectal U/S
PSPB blood test

Question 7

wapiti transition periods

Answer 7

fall: first ovulation before equinox makes small CL, but not a lot of estrogen (no signs of heat)-> more follicles-> bigger ovulation by sept 21st

winter: continue having follicular waves w/o ovulation

by short day (dec 21) brain suppresses LH-> no ovulation despite waves

Question 8

rut

Answer 8

begins 3rd sept (21st)
stag/hind 1:40-> normal sperm from aug-march (testes atrophy when out of season)

introduce stags in early sept, remove by early november

Question 9

AI protocol for elk

Answer 9

sync w CIDR for 12d
prostaglandin at day 9-> PMSG when CIDR removed (trigger ovulation)-> insemination 50-65h (transcervical)

Question 10

antler removal

Answer 10

certification course required, involves vet
annual veterinary signature
animal welfare

allows producer to do local anesthesia, can sell them lidocaine neat

Question 11

local blocks for antler removal

Answer 11

ring block
(infratrochlear, auriculopalpebral, additional caudal auricular nerves in cervids)

Question 12

WTD industry

Answer 12

bucks for hunt farms-> breeding for lg, atypical antlers
meat
hides
breeding stock, semen

Question 13

WTD nutrition

Answer 13

concentrate browsers, need high protein (alfalfa) because of sm rumen

seasonal weight gain/loss-> males 90kg, female 65

Question 14

WTD repro

Answer 14

seasonally polyestrus
rut november-december
200d gestation
21-30d estrous cycle
does need to be at 70% adult weight

Question 15

WTD AI protocol

Answer 15

CIDR for 12d, give prostaglandin day 9
PMSG after removal-> 50-65h insemination (laprascopic into uterine horn) or to external cervical ostium

Question 16

WTD bottle raising

Answer 16

easier to manage (taming- imprints) NOT W BUCKS

use goats milk w egg yolk, ungulate milk replacer, lamb replacer

200-300ml/feeding 6X per day