title: Difference in age at first conception between early and late litters of feral raccoon (Procyon lotor) in Kanagawa prefecture.
abstract: Due to the long parturition period of raccoons, we assumed that age at first conception of late born females was later than that of early born females. From March 2005 to September 2008, 201 females estimated to be younger than 24 months were separated into early- and late-born groups on the basis of their estimated birth month (to the nearest 2 months), and parous status and body mass index (BMI) were examined. Age at first conception of late-born females (over 18 months old) was estimated to be later than that of early-born females (over 12 months old). The average BMI in early-born individuals at 12 months old might have affected their ability to conceive because of body fat deposition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Wildlife Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan. takuya-v-magna@mub.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayama
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D011821:Raccoons / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*