@conference {69461,
	title = {Circulating levels of C-type natriuretic petide (CNP) are strongly linked to pregnancy but not to liveweight change in ruminants},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {70},
	year = {2010},
	month = {Jun},
	pages = {13-18},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {Marked increases in plasma C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) during ovine pregnancy, and decline during periods of imposed caloric restriction, raise the possibility that CNP concentrations in ruminants are associated with changes in live weight (LWT) and metabolic demands. Accordingly we measured plasma concentrations of CNP and a related amino-terminal fragment of proCNP (NTproCNP) at weekly intervals in pregnant (n = 8) and non-pregnant red deer hinds (n = 4) and non-pregnant ewes (n = 8) run concurrently. Plasma CNP forms increased markedly during cervine pregnancy to achieve peak concentrations (NTproCNP 132 {\textpm} 9.5 pmol/L, CNP 2.14 {\textpm} 0.2 pmol/L) at 38 and 10 days pre-partum respectively, falling in the final week of gestation to reach pre-pregnancy levels immediately post-partum (P >0.05). There was no association between the concentration of CNP forms and change in LWT in either group of non-pregnant ruminants. We conclude that maternal concentrations of CNP forms are markedly raised in pregnant deer exhibiting similar changes to those found previously in pregnant ewes, and that the observed changes in plasma levels are likely to be independent of change in LWT. Maternal plasma concentration of CNP forms may be a useful marker of fetal well-being and maturation in ruminant livestock.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {McNeill BA and Prickett TCR and Wellby M and Ridgway MJ and Espiner EA and Barrell GK}
}
@conference {42027,
	title = {Artificial insemination of red deer (Cervus elaphus) hinds late in the breeding season},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {68},
	year = {2008},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {12-15},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Brisbane, Australia},
	abstract = {Red deer hinds in New Zealand typically conceive around April, however they have spontaneous ovulatory activity extending until September. There is little experience with mating late in the potential breeding season and there is some evidence that they may not be able to achieve pregnancy at this time of the year. The present study determined whether red deer hinds are capable of becoming pregnant following an induced ovulation in August. Ten adult red deer hinds were treated with intravaginal progesterone-releasing devices (CIDRs) and equine chorionic gonadotrophin during May prior to set time artificial insemination or were untreated, non inseminated controls. Ovulation and pregnancy were monitored by measurement of plasma progesterone concentration and rectal ultrasonography, respectively. This procedure was repeated in August. The progesterone data showed that the control hinds experienced spontaneous ovulations on both occasions and that, following CIDR removal, 9/10 and 10/10 treated animals ovulated in May and August respectively. Pregnancy rate at 45 days post insemination was 5/9 and 3/10 animals ovulating in May and August, respectively. Although these results showed modest success of set time artificial insemination following induced ovulation, they clearly indicated that red deer hinds are capable of conceiving successfully late in the breeding season. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Quinn-Walsh EC and Wellby M and Ridgway MJ and Barrell GK}
}
