Transcervical artificial insemination in the brown brocket deer (Subulo gouazoubira): A promising method for assisted reproduction in deer

Abstract

The present study aimed to test the efficiency of transcervical artificial insemination techniques with cervical immobilization (TCAI-CI) or cervical traction (TCAI-CT), associated or not with the use of oxytocin (OT) as a protocol for cervical dilation, in the brown brocket deer (Subulo gouazoubira). The study was carried out in a crossover design using four adult females in two replicates with an interval of 60 days. Estrus was synchronized with oral melengestrol acetate (MGA) associated with estradiol benzoate and sodium cloprostenol. TCAI techniques were performed from 18 to 24 hours after estrus onset. All females received either an i.v. Apply 50 IU OT (G-OT, n = 4) or 1 mL saline solution (G-Control, n = 4) 20 minutes before the TCAI procedure. The TCAIs were performed using frozen-thawed semen from the same batch. Behavioral estrus was observed in 100% of females, within the two replicates, with a mean time of onset of 44.0 ± 22.0 h after cloprostenol application. The average length of the vagina was 13.0 ± 1.2 cm. It achieved a 50% (4/8) success of cervical transposition with semen deposition in the uterine. Regarding inseminations, most of them (87.5%) were performed using the TCAI-CT technique, and the overall conception rate was 50%. Cervical transposition times (< 1 minute) and TCAI procedures (~ 17 minutes) could be considered satisfactory. Thus, the TCAI-CI and TCAI-CT techniques performance was successful when applied in S. gouazoubira females, regardless of the use of OT as a cervical dilation protocol. This procedure is proposed as a method of choice for artificial insemination with greater applicability in different conservation centers, compared to more advanced reproductive biotechniques, and with a favorable impact on the conservation of deer species.

Drivers of geophagy by red brocket deer (Mazama americana) at Amazonian interior forest mineral licks

“…There is some evidence that animals can detect Ca and Mg in soils (McCaughey & Tordoff, 2002;Tordoff, 2001), so it may be that cervids select soils with high Ca and Mg and derive other benefits, such as Cu supplementation, from that selection. The highly frugivorous diet of the red brocket deer (Bodmer, 1989;Danell et al, 2006;Gayot et al, 2004;Prado, 2013;Duarte et al, 2010) also supports that the main driver of geophagy is likely mineral supplementation, since plant-based alkaloids are typically found in the mature leaves of plants (Julliot & Sabatier, 1993). The red brocket deer would only be consuming minor amounts of alkaloids.…”

“…Cervids, in general, are particularly vulnerable to hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia while growing. While the red brocket deer has relatively small antlers compared to other cervid species, its highly frugivorous diet (Bodmer, 1989;Duarte et al, 2010) suggests that it may be deficient in some or all of the macro and micro minerals needed for growth. While both Ca and P are needed for growth, high concentrations of P can limit Ca absorption since P and Ca both compete for the same binding sites (NRC, 2007).…”

“…The red brocket deer is primarily a frugivore (Danell et al, 2006;Lall et al, 2018;Prado, 2013) and seed predator (Gayot et al, 2004), though some small percentage of seeds may be dispersed (Bodmer, 1991b). The red brocket deer may consume browse seasonally as fruit becomes scarce (Emmons & Feer, 1997;Duarte et al, 2010). Reproduction of the red brocket deer is poorly understood, but thought to occur year-round with about 0.76-0.82 young born per adult female per year (Gallina-Tessaro et al, 2019;Mayor et al, 2011).…”