Reproductive cycles of farmed female chital deer (Axis axis).
Studies were conducted on chital deer hinds (Axis axis) living in a temperate region to advance the understanding of the patterns of reproduction of a tropical cervid species. The hinds exhibited regular patterns of oestrus cyclicity throughout the year as evidenced by concentrations of serum progesterone monitored over a 14-month period, and detection of behavioural oestrus by vasectomized stags. The mean length of the oestrous cycle was 18.0+/-0.7 days (range, 12-23 days). Profiles of serum progesterone showed concentrations of <0.5 ng mL(-1) at the time of oestrus, which rose to a peak (range 1.5-5.0 ng mL(-1)) about Day 13, and then declined to low concentrations at the next oestrus. Observations following parturition showed that the first detected oestrus occurred at a mean (+/- SEM) time of 26.9+/-3.0 days later for seven of nine hinds. The mean length of the oestrous cycle after the first post-partum oestrus was 16.6+/-1.0 days (range 7-20 days). The presence of a stag may influence the length of the post-partum period in chital deer hinds, and hinds in contact with a stag in this study had a significantly shorter interval from parturition to first ovulation (P<0.01) compared with hinds not in contact with a stag. By 7 weeks post partum a corpus luteum was detected in 93% of hinds. In comparison only 43% of hinds with no stag contact had a corpus luteum by 7 weeks post partum. It is suggested that the tendency towards seasonal calving in the study population may be related more to male than female factors.
Mylrea
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Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia.
Mulley
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English
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Evans
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D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology*; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010060:Ovulation; D010507:Periodicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014329:Tropical Climate
D011374:Progesterone