Temporal changes in LH and testosterone and their relationship with the first antler in red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags from 3 to 15 months of age

Abstract

Blood samples were taken from six tame red deer stags at 3-15 months of age once a month from a jugular catheter every 30 min for 24 h to investigate hormonal secretion during puberty and during growth of the pedicle and first antler. All plasma samples were analysed for LH and testosterone concentrations and the resultant data were analysed using the PULSAR pulse detection routine. In addition each stag was injected wih gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH; 20 ng/kg body weight) after the above samples had been taken and the bleeding regimen was continued for a further 2 h. Body weight, antler size and status (i.e. whether the stags had a pedicle or antler) were also recorded. The pulsatile secretion of LH could be considered to have occurred in three phases. The first of these was one of development, with the LH pulse frequency increasing to 8 pulses/24 h, the second a phase of regression, with a decrease in LH pulse frequency to 2 pulses/24 h, and finally a second phase of development characterized by increased LH pulse frequency to 12 pulses/24 h. Testosterone secretion generally followed the same pattern. During the period before the permanent bony pedicles grew, there were less than five LH pulses/24 h. When the pedicles were growing, LH and testosterone pulsatile secretion increased but the pulse frequency of both hormones fell during velvet antler growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Growth of the first antler in Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

“…In different subspecies of deer from New Zealand, the average weight at the beginning of first antler growth is 63-70 kg (Moore et al 1988;Suttie et al 1991), and the average age is 40 weeks (Suttie et al 1991). However, Suttie et al (1991) considered a pedicle length of 5-6 cm as the initiation of first antler growth, whereas we used a reference of 2.5 cm.…”

“…In different subspecies of deer from New Zealand, the average weight at the beginning of first antler growth is 63-70 kg (Moore et al 1988;Suttie et al 1991), and the average age is 40 weeks (Suttie et al 1991). However, Suttie et al (1991) considered a pedicle length of 5-6 cm as the initiation of first antler growth, whereas we used a reference of 2.5 cm. The reason of this difference is that, while Suttie et al (1991) considered the beginning of antler growth as the difference in the exterior skin type, we considered the change in the ossification pattern stated by Li and Suttie (2000).…”

“…However, Suttie et al (1991) considered a pedicle length of 5-6 cm as the initiation of first antler growth, whereas we used a reference of 2.5 cm. The reason of this difference is that, while Suttie et al (1991) considered the beginning of antler growth as the difference in the exterior skin type, we considered the change in the ossification pattern stated by Li and Suttie (2000).…”

“…First antler development has been studied in other deer species (Ballenberghe 1982;Bubenik 1982;Tyler 1994, Kierdorf andBartos 1999;Kierdorf et al 2003) as well as in various subspecies of red deer (Suttie and Kay 1982;Suttie et al 1991;Schmidt et al 2001). The first antler growth of the Iberian red deer also has been studied (Caballero and Caballero 1999;Fierro et al 2002;Gómez 2004).…”

“…Subsequently, first antler growth entails a growing period of about 12-18 weeks (Fennessy and Suttie 1985;Gómez 2004) and a growth rate of several centimeters per week (Suttie et al 1991;Lincoln 1992;Schmidt et al 2001) and a final antler length of about 25 cm (Blaxter et al 1974). Velvet cleaning occurs in late summer, at the age of 10-15 months (Suttie and Kay 1982;Suttie et al 1991).…”