@conference {41472,
	title = {Is lithium a candidate to modify rutting behaviour in stags?},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {64},
	year = {2004},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {58-62},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Hamilton},
	abstract = {Preliminary experiments assessed the potential of lithium to moderate the effects of the rut. Young (5-9 month old) stags were used to determine the kinetics of lithium in deer, establish appropriate dose rates, evaluate the opportunity for self-medication and to test whether behaviour would be modified.
The relationship between lithium dose rate and plasma lithium concentration was established from acute administration (5 dose rates, 2 animals per dose) and confirmed with continuous medication for 31 days. A daily dose of 0.6 mmol Li/kg W (as LiCl) achieved a mean plasma Li concentration of (0.78 {\textpm} 0.04 mmol/l), which was within the therapeutic range (0.5{\textendash}1.5 mmol/l).
This daily dose, offered in drinking water (11.2 mmol Li/l as LiCl) to a group of (n=10) young stags induced a decline in both water (14\%) and feed (12\%) intake which was almost recovered after 4 weeks of self-medication. Liveweight gain averaged 252 {\textpm} 27 g/d for +Li animals compared with 263 {\textpm} 21 g/d for the -Li group (NS).
Lithium treated stags moved more freely through a maze than did -Li stags, with 60\% of the animals completing the maze compared with only 10\% of the -Li group. There was no significant difference in the behaviour of +Li and -Li groups to the introduction of a unfamiliar stag or in their response to human handling. This work lays the foundation for studies on the potential for lithium therapy to modify the rut in adult stags. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Prouting MF and Nicol AM and Keeley MJ}
}
@conference {41473,
	title = {A split night photoperiod does not mimic effects of a long-day photoperiod on growth in weaner red deer stags},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {64},
	year = {2004},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {63-66},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Hamilton},
	abstract = {In sheep, the effects of a long day photoperiod can be mimicked by providing a {\textquoteleft}split night{\textquoteright} light stimulus during the dark phase of a short-day photoperiod. This study tested the hypothesis that a similar response to a split night photoperiod occurs in deer. From 6 May until 3 September 2003, three groups of weaner red deer stags (n = 10) were subjected to: natural daily photoperiods (short days, experiencing the normal seasonal pattern of daylight), a long day photoperiod (16L:8D, where L = h of light, D = h of darkness) or natural daily photoperiods with a period of 1 h of light (circa 370 lux) during the dark phase (split night). For the first 3 months, liveweight gain was similar in all groups (approx. 140 g/day). However, growth of long-day exposed animals began to exceed that of the other treatments so that after 6 August their mean liveweight was significantly (P < 0.01) greater than that of the other groups. From 26 June to 3 September mean liveweight gain was, 324 {\textpm} 28.3, 209 {\textpm} 23.9 and 186 {\textpm} 20.6 g/day for long day, split night and short day photoperiod groups, respectively. The long day group had the highest voluntary feed intake and appeared to initiate antler pedicle growth and testicular enlargement earlier than the other groups. Plasma prolactin concentration was elevated (P < 0.01) by the long day treatment (mean for long day group at 9 July = 33.4 {\textpm} 4.09 versus means of 6.9 {\textpm} 3.75 and 2.9 {\textpm} 0.99, ng/ml for split night and short day groups, respectively). These results show no stimulatory effect of the split night photoperiod on growth of red deer. It is concluded that some of the photoperiodic signals that can cause physiological changes in sheep are not effective in deer and, hence, there are differences in the underlying mechanisms of photoperiodism between these two species. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Crowley V and Barrell GK and Keeley MJ}
}
@conference {41336,
	title = {An attempt to suppress the rut- associated loss of live weight in stags by immunocastration},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {62},
	year = {2002},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {149-151},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {Two trials were conducted to study the effectiveness of vaccination of stags against gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) for minimising the deleterious effects of the rut on their live weight and body condition. In March 2000, mature red deer stags (n = 10) received a s.c. injection of 1.0 ml of vaccine (Improvac{\textregistered}) or saline solution (controls) and a second injection three weeks later. Liveweight loss in the 10 weeks following the initial injection was not affected by the treatment (mean loss 28.6 {\textpm} 4.0 kg and 28.1 {\textpm} 4.2 kg for vaccinated and control groups, respectively). Plasma testosterone concentration was lower (P<0.05) in the vaccinated stags but there was no effect on scrotal diameter. In the following year, stags (n = 10) were injected with 2.0 ml of the vaccine or saline on 18 January and 8 February. Mean liveweight loss in 21 weeks was similar for vaccinated and control groups (41.2 {\textpm} 8.2 kg and 38.8 {\textpm} 7.2 kg, respectively) and there was no treatment effect on the reduction in body condition score. Although vaccinated stags had a lower (P<0.05) mean plasma testosterone concentration than control stags, this effect can be entirely attributed to stags (3 out of 4) that had been vaccinated in the previous year{\textquoteright}s trial. It is concluded that vaccination of stags against GnRH does not overcome the loss in live weight which is associated with the rut in these animals. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Barrell GK and Nicol AM and Keeley MJ}
}
@conference {41335,
	title = {Induced cryptorchidism no solution to the rut},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {62},
	year = {2002},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {145-148},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {Two experiments were made to determine if induced cryptorchidism (short-scrotum) would modify behaviour and reduce liveweight loss during the rut without affecting subsequent velvet production. In the first experiment, groups (n = 10) of entire and induced cryptorchid mixed-age stags were used in a behaviour study in consecutive years. In mid-January, stags in the cryptorchid group were sedated with xylazine, and their scrotum shortened as much as possible (two thirds of the length) by the application of two standard lamb castration rings. Behavioural observations made during the rut showed significant (P< 0.05) reductions in the incidence of roaring, chasing and pacing in the cryptorchid group. In a larger scale experiment on six commercial properties, the live weight and condition score change over the rut, and subsequent velvet production was compared on 100 entire and a similar number of cryptorchid stags. Average liveweight loss during the rut (Feb-June) was 17 kg with no significant difference between entire and cryptorchid stags. There was no difference in mean live weight of the two groups the following Sept/Oct and the average velvet weight was 2.48 and 2.41 kg for the entire and cryptorchid stags respectively (P>0.05). Although induced cryptorchidism influenced stag behaviour during the rut, this was not reflected in reduced live weight or condition score loss during this period. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Nicol AM and Keeley MJ}
}
