title: Social rank and reproductive performance of pampas deer females (Ozotoceros bezoarticus, Linnaeus, 1758).
abstract: Our objectives were to determine if success index of pampas deer females is related with females' age and if social rank makes any influence on reproductive performance. Female social rank was determined in 18 groups of animals composed of 1 male: 5-9 females (total=98 females). Date of parturition for each female and sex and birth weight of fawns were recorded for each birth. The females were categorized in three hierarchical ranks: low (<0.33) (group LR), medium (0.33-0.66) (group MR), and high (>0.66) (group HR). The success index increased with age in pampas deer females (P<0.001). Social rank had no effect on calving success, relative calving dates, sex ratio or body weight at birth. In this study, the success index was related with females' age, and the reproductive performance did not differ between females of different social ranks.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Jéssica Tatiana
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Morales-Piñeyrúa
authors.affiliation: INIA-Las Brujas, Canelones, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciappesoni
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: rungerfeld@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ungerfeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Dominance; Female competition; Hierarchy, Social behavior; Ruminant