Effects of PTHrP on chondrocytes of sika deer antler.

PubMed

Guo, Bin; Wang, Shou-Tang; Duan, Cui-Cui; Li, Dang-Dang; Tian, Xue-Chao; Wang, Qu-Yuan; Yue, Zhan-Peng

2013-11-01

Parathyroid-hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) is an important regulator of chondrocyte differentiation in growth plates but little is known about its role in deer antler cartilage. The aim of the present study was to use the deer antler as a model to determine the possible role of PTHrP in regulating chondrocyte differentiation of deer antler. PTHrP and its receptor PTH1R mRNA were highly expressed in the perichondrium and cartilage of sika deer antler, as shown by in situ hybridization. Chondrocytes of deer antler were identified by toluidine blue staining of glycosaminoglycan and immunocytochemical staining of type II collagen (Col II). Treatment with PTHrP (1-34) reduced the expression of prehypertrophic chondrocyte marker Col IX and hypertrophic chondrocyte marker Col X. In order to confirm the mechanism of action of PTHrP, we initially examined the expression of cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) in sika deer antler by in situ hybridization and found that cyclin D1, Runx2 and Bcl-2 mRNA were also expressed in antler chondrocytes. Exogenous PTHrP induced the expression of cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 mRNA by various signalling pathways, whereas it inhibited Runx2 expression through PKA, p38MAPK, MEK and PI3K signalling pathways. Thus, PTHrP might promote the proliferation of antler chondrocytes and prevent their differentiation; it might furthermore influence the growth and development of sika deer antler.

Isolation of novel microsatellite markers and their application for genetic diversity and parentage analyses in sika deer.

PubMed

Yang, Wanyun; Zheng, Junjun; Jia, Boyin; Wei, Haijun; Wang, Guiwu; Yang, Fuhe

2018-02-15

Every part of the sika deer (Cervus nippon) body is valuable traditional Chinese medicine. And sika deer is the most important semi-domestic medicinal animal that is widely bred in Jilin province northeast of China. But few studies had been conducted to characterize the microsatellite markers derived from sika deer. We firstly used IlluminaHiSeq™2500 sequencing technology obtained 125Mbp genomic data of sika deer. Using microsatellite identification tool (MISA), 22,479 microsatellites were identified. From these data, 100 potential primers were selected for further polymorphic validation, finally, 76 primer pairs were successfully amplified and 29 primer pairs were found to be obvious polymorphic in 8 different individuals. Using those polymorphic microsatellite markers, we analyzed the genetic diversity of Jilin sika deer population. The mean number of alleles of the 29 loci is 9.31 based on genotyping blood DNA from 96 Jilin sika deer; The mean expected heterozygosity and polymorphic information content (PIC) value of the 29 loci is 0.72 and 0.68 respectively, and among which 26 loci are highly polymorphic (PIC>0.50). According to the electrophoretic results and PIC value of these 29 loci, 10 loci with combined paternity exclusion probabilities>99.99% were selected to use in parentage verification for 16 sika deer. All the offspring of a family could be successfully assigned to their biological father. These microsatellite markers generated in this study could greatly facilitate future studies of molecular breeding in sika deer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and identification of a bovine viral diarrhea virus from sika deer in china.

PubMed

Gao, Yugang; Wang, Shijie; Du, Rui; Wang, Quankai; Sun, Changjiang; Wang, Nan; Zhang, Pengju; Zhang, Lianxue

2011-02-25

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infections continue to cause significantly losses in the deer population. Better isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer may contribute significantly to the development of prophylactic therapeutic, and diagnostic reagents as well as help in prevention and control of BVDV. However, isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer is seldom reported in literature. In this study, we collected some samples according to clinical sign of BVDV to isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer. we isolated a suspected BVDV strain from livers of an aborted fetus from sika deer in Changchun (China) using MDBK cell lines, named as CCSYD strain, and identified it by cytopathic effect (CPE), indirect immunoperoxidase test (IPX) and electron microscopy(EM). The results indicated that this virus was BVDV by a series of identification. The structural proteins E0 gene was cloned and sequenced. The obtained E0 gene sequence has been submitted to GenBank with the accession number: FJ555203. Alignment with other 9 strains of BVDV, 7 strains of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and 3 strains of border disease virus(BDV) in the world, showed that the homology were 98.6%-84.8%, 76.0%-74.7%, 76.6%-77.0% for nucleotide sequence, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that new isolation and identification CCSYD strain belonged to BVDV1b. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that BVDV was isolated and identified in sika deer. This current research contributes development new BVDV vaccine to prevent and control of BVD in sika deer.

Isolation and identification of a bovine viral diarrhea virus from sika deer in china

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infections continue to cause significantly losses in the deer population. Better isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer may contribute significantly to the development of prophylactic therapeutic, and diagnostic reagents as well as help in prevention and control of BVDV. However, isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer is seldom reported in literature. In this study, we collected some samples according to clinical sign of BVDV to isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer. Results we isolated a suspected BVDV strain from livers of an aborted fetus from sika deer in Changchun (China) using MDBK cell lines, named as CCSYD strain, and identified it by cytopathic effect (CPE), indirect immunoperoxidase test (IPX) and electron microscopy(EM). The results indicated that this virus was BVDV by a series of identification. The structural proteins E0 gene was cloned and sequenced. The obtained E0 gene sequence has been submitted to GenBank with the accession number: FJ555203. Alignment with other 9 strains of BVDV, 7 strains of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and 3 strains of border disease virus(BDV) in the world, showed that the homology were 98.6%-84.8%, 76.0%-74.7%, 76.6%-77.0% for nucleotide sequence, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that new isolation and identification CCSYD strain belonged to BVDV1b. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that BVDV was isolated and identified in sika deer. This current research contributes development new BVDV vaccine to prevent and control of BVD in sika deer. PMID:21352530

Possible use of heterospecific food-associated calls of macaques by sika deer for foraging efficiency.

PubMed

Koda, Hiroki

2012-09-01

Heterospecific communication signals sometimes convey relevant information for animal survival. For example, animals use or eavesdrop on heterospecific alarm calls concerning common predators. Indeed, most observations have been reported regarding anti-predator strategies. Use of heterospecific signals has rarely been observed as part of a foraging strategy. Here, I report empirical evidence, collected using playback experiments, showing that Japanese sika deer, Cevus nippon, use heterospecific food calls of Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata yakui, for foraging efficiency. The deer and macaques both inhabit the wild forest of Yakushima Island with high population densities and share many food items. Anecdotal observations suggest that deer often wait to browse fruit falls under the tree where a macaque group is foraging. Furthermore, macaques frequently produce food calls during their foraging. If deer effectively obtain fruit from the leftovers of macaques, browsing fruit fall would provide a potential benefit to the deer, and, further, deer are likely to associate macaque food calls with feeding activity. The results showed that playback of macaque food calls under trees gathered significantly more deer than silence control periods. These results suggest that deer can associate macaque food calls with foraging activities and use heterospecific calls for foraging efficiency. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Melatonin Promotes Superovulation in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

PubMed Central

Wang, Liang; Zhuo, Zhi-Yong; Shi, Wen-Qing; Tan, Dun-Xian; Gao, Chao; Tian, Xiu-Zhi; Zhang, Lu; Zhou, Guang-Bin; Zhu, Shi-En; Yun, Peng; Liu, Guo-Shi

2014-01-01

In this study, the effects of melatonin (MT) on superovulation and reproductive hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and PRL) were investigated in female sika deer. Different doses (40 or 80 mg/animal) of melatonin were subcutaneously implanted into deer before the breeding season. Exogenous melatonin administration significantly elevated the serum FSH levels at the time of insemination compared with levels in control animals. During superovulation, the serum LH levels in donor sika deer reached their highest values (7.1 ± 2.04 ng/mL) at the point of insemination, compared with the baseline levels (4.98 ± 0.07 ng/mL) in control animals. This high level of LH was sustained until the day of embryo recovery. In contrast, the serum levels of PRL in the 80 mg of melatonin-treated group were significantly lower than those of control deer. The average number of corpora lutea in melatonin-treated deer was significantly higher than that of the control (p < 0.05). The average number of embryos in the deer treated with 40 mg of melatonin was higher than that of the control; however, this increase did not reach significant difference (p > 0.05), which may be related to the relatively small sample size. In addition, embryonic development in melatonin-treated groups was delayed. PMID:25007067

Melatonin promotes superovulation in sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Zhuo, Zhi-Yong; Shi, Wen-Qing; Tan, Dun-Xian; Gao, Chao; Tian, Xiu-Zhi; Zhang, Lu; Zhou, Guang-Bin; Zhu, Shi-En; Yun, Peng; Liu, Guo-Shi

2014-07-08

In this study, the effects of melatonin (MT) on superovulation and reproductive hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and PRL) were investigated in female sika deer. Different doses (40 or 80 mg/animal) of melatonin were subcutaneously implanted into deer before the breeding season. Exogenous melatonin administration significantly elevated the serum FSH levels at the time of insemination compared with levels in control animals. During superovulation, the serum LH levels in donor sika deer reached their highest values (7.1±2.04 ng/mL) at the point of insemination, compared with the baseline levels (4.98±0.07 ng/mL) in control animals. This high level of LH was sustained until the day of embryo recovery. In contrast, the serum levels of PRL in the 80 mg of melatonin-treated group were significantly lower than those of control deer. The average number of corpora lutea in melatonin-treated deer was significantly higher than that of the control (p<0.05). The average number of embryos in the deer treated with 40 mg of melatonin was higher than that of the control; however, this increase did not reach significant difference (p>0.05), which may be related to the relatively small sample size. In addition, embryonic development in melatonin-treated groups was delayed.

Detection of sperm-reactive antibodies in wild sika deer and identification of the sperm antigens.

PubMed

Kawase, Osamu; Jimbo, Mitsuru

2018-03-16

Antisperm antibodies potentially inhibit sperm functions causing the sterility in humans and experimentally treated animals. However, there is no information about antisperm antibodies emerging spontaneously in wildlife. In this study, we searched for the sperm-reactive antibodies, spontaneously produced in wild sika deer (Cervus nippon), and identified the sperm antigens. We collected 529 fecal masses of sika deer in Japanese cities, from which we extracted the mucosal antibodies to test them for reactivities to deer sperm proteins by ELISA. Two of the extracts contained IgAs that were highly reactive to the sperm proteins. The molecular weights of the active IgAs, partially purified by DEAE-sephadex A-50, were estimated at more than 100 kDa, suggesting that the IgAs evaded drastic digestion in the gastrointestinal tract. Two-dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblotting detected three major antigens, and the following LC-MS/MS analysis identified them as alpha-enolase, phosphoglycerate kinase 2 and acrosin-binding protein. The antibodies were cross-reactive to a recombinant human acrosin-binding protein. To our knowledge, this is the first research to find that the sperm-reactive antibodies are produced spontaneously in wildlife and they recognize a common antigen found in humans.

Molecular cloning and gene expression analysis of Ercc6l in Sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum).

PubMed

Yin, Yupeng; Tang, Lina; Zhang, Jiabao; Tang, Bo; Li, Ziyi

2011-01-01

One important protein family that functions in nucleotide excision repair (NER) factors is the SNF2 family. A newly identified mouse ERCC6-like gene, Ercc6l (excision repair cross-complementing rodent repair deficiency, complementation group 6-like), has been shown to be another developmentally related member of the SNF2 family. In this study, Sika deer Ercc6l cDNA was first cloned and then sequenced. The full-length cDNA of the Sika deer Ercc6l gene is 4197 bp and contains a 3732 bp open reading frame that encodes a putative protein of 1243 amino acids. The similarity of Sika deer Ercc6l to Bos taurus Ercc6l is 94.05% at the amino acid sequence level. The similarity, however, is reduced to 68.42-82.21% when compared to Ercc6l orthologs in other mammals and to less than 50% compared to orthologs in Gallus gallus and Xenopus. Additionally, the expression of Ercc6l mRNA was investigated in the organs of fetal and adult Sika deer (FSD and ASD, respectively) by quantitative RT-PCR. The common expression level of Ercc6l mRNA in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and stomach from six different developmental stages of 18 Sika deer were examined, though the expression levels in each organ varied among individual Sika deer. During development, there was a slight trend toward decreased Ercc61 mRNA expression. The highest Ercc6l expression levels were seen at 3 months old in every organ and showed the highest level of detection in the spleen of FSD. The lowest Ercc6l expression levels were seen at 3 years old. We are the first to successfully clone Sika deer Ercc6l mRNA. Ercc6l transcript is present in almost every organ. During Sika deer development, there is a slight trend toward decreased Ercc61 mRNA expression. It is possible that Ercc6l has other roles in embryonic development and in maintaining the growth of animals.

Comparison of the gut microbiota composition between wild and captive sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) from feces by high-throughput sequencing.

PubMed

Guan, Yu; Yang, Haitao; Han, Siyu; Feng, Limin; Wang, Tianming; Ge, Jianping

2017-11-23

The gut microbiota is characterized as a complex ecosystem that has effects on health and diseases of host with the interactions of many other factors together. Sika deer is the national level for the protection of wild animals in China. The available sequencing data of gut microbiota from feces of wild sika deer, especially for Cervus nippon hortulorum in Northeast China, are limited. Here, we characterized the gastrointestinal bacterial communities of wild (7 samples) and captive (12 samples) sika deer from feces, and compared their gut microbiota by analyzing the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene using high-throughput sequencing technology on the Illumina Hiseq platform. Firmicutes (77.624%), Bacteroidetes (18.288%) and Tenericutes (1.342%) were the most predominant phyla in wild sika deer. While in captive sika deer, Firmicutes (50.710%) was the dominant phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes (31.996%) and Proteobacteria (4.806%). A total of 9 major phyla, 22 families and 30 genera among gastrointestinal bacterial communities showed significant differences between wild and captive sika deer. The specific function and mechanism of Tenericutes in wild sika deer need further study. Our results indicated that captive sika deer in farm had higher fecal bacterial diversity than the wild. Abundance and quantity of diet source for sika deer played crucial role in shaping the composition and structure of gut microbiota.

Seasonal changes of the mineral contents in the rumen of wild Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis).

PubMed

Hayashida, Maki; Souma, Kousaku; Hanagata, Osamu; Okamoto, Masayo; Masuko, Takayoshi

2012-03-01

The rumen contents were collected from 36 wild Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) captured by deer culling or by hunting in the spring, summer, autumn and winter in Hokkaido, Japan. Botanical classification was conducted, and the contents of mineral (calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)) were measured. The animals were captured around pastures or fallow field areas in the Kushiro area. The rumen contents consisted of grasses and Sasa sp. leaves regardless of the season. Leaves and bark were ingested in the spring, autumn and winter. The macro-mineral contents in the rumen showed seasonal changes. In the summer, the Ca, K and P contents were high, and the Na content was low. There were no seasonal changes in the Fe content. The P, Na and Fe contents were higher than the animals' requirements. In a future survey, it is needed to determine the mineral contents of the food ingested by wild Yeso sika deer. © 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effects of dietary manganese supplementation on nutrient digestibility and production performance in male sika deer (Cervus Nippon).

PubMed

Bao, Kun; Wang, Kaiying; Wang, Xiaoxu; Zhang, Tietao; Liu, Hanlu; Li, Guangyu

2017-03-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of manganese (Mn) supplementation on nutrient digestibility and antler growth in male sika deer. Twenty 3-year-old male sika deer were divided into four groups (Control, T40, T80 and T120). The control diet contained 22.2 mg Mn/kg. The treatment diets were supplemented with 40, 80 and 120 mg of Mn/kg (provided as Mn methionine). The results showed that the digestibility of dry matter and crude protein in the T80 group was greater than other groups. Higher digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber was observed in the T80 group than in the control group. Plasma Mn concentrations in the T80 and T120 groups were higher (P < 0.01) than control and T40 group (P < 0.01). The concentration of Mn in feces was increased with increasing Mn amount. Average daily gain of fresh antler and dry antler of T80 was greater than other groups, especially the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the suitable level of Mn supplementation was found to be 80 mg/kg (total Mn content 103.4 mg/kg dry matter), which significantly increased antler daily gain and feed digestibility in 3-year-old sika deer. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from the bone marrow of Chinese Sika deer.

PubMed

Yao, Baojin; Zhao, Yu; Zhang, Mei; Li, Juan

2012-03-01

Sika deer is one of the best-known and highly valued animals of China. Despite its economic, cultural, and biological importance, there has not been a large-scale sequencing project for Sika deer to date. With the ultimate goal of sequencing the complete genome of this organism, we first established a bone marrow cDNA library for Sika deer and generated a total of 2,025 reads. After processing the sequences, 2,017 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained. These ESTs were assembled into 1,157 unigenes, including 238 contigs and 919 singletons. Comparative analyses indicated that 888 (76.75%) of the unigenes had significant matches to sequences in the non-redundant protein database, In addition to highly expressed genes, such as stearoyl-CoA desaturase, cytochrome c oxidase, adipocyte-type fatty acid-binding protein, adiponectin and thymosin beta-4, we also obtained vascular endothelial growth factor-A and heparin-binding growth-associated molecule, both of which are of great importance for angiogenesis research. There were 244 (21.09%) unigenes with no significant match to any sequence in current protein or nucleotide databases, and these sequences may represent genes with unknown function in Sika deer. Open reading frame analysis of the sequences was performed using the getorf program. In addition, the sequences were functionally classified using the gene ontology hierarchy, clusters of orthologous groups of proteins and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes databases. Analysis of ESTs described in this paper provides an important resource for the transcriptome exploration of Sika deer, and will also facilitate further studies on functional genomics, gene discovery and genome annotation of Sika deer.

Authenticity control of game meat products--a single method to detect and quantify adulteration of fallow deer (Dama dama), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) by real-time PCR.

PubMed

Druml, Barbara; Grandits, Stephanie; Mayer, Walter; Hochegger, Rupert; Cichna-Markl, Margit

2015-03-01

This contribution presents a single real-time PCR assay allowing the determination of the deer content (the sum of fallow deer (Dama dama), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon)) in meat products to detect food adulteration. The PCR assay does not show cross-reactivity with 20 animal species and 43 botanical species potentially contained in game meat products. The limit of quantification is 0.5% for fallow deer and red deer and 0.1% for sika deer. The deer content in meat products is determined by relating the concentration obtained with the deer PCR assay to that obtained with a reference system which amplifies mammals and poultry DNA. The analysis of binary meat mixtures with pork, a meat mixture containing equal amounts of fallow deer, red deer and sika deer in pork and a model game sausage showed that the quantification approach is very accurate (systematic error generally <25%). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Cloning and Gene Expression Analysis of Ercc6l in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jiabao; Tang, Bo; Li, Ziyi

2011-01-01

Background One important protein family that functions in nucleotide excision repair (NER) factors is the SNF2 family. A newly identified mouse ERCC6-like gene, Ercc6l (excision repair cross-complementing rodent repair deficiency, complementation group 6-like), has been shown to be another developmentally related member of the SNF2 family. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, Sika deer Ercc6l cDNA was first cloned and then sequenced. The full-length cDNA of the Sika deer Ercc6l gene is 4197 bp and contains a 3732 bp open reading frame that encodes a putative protein of 1243 amino acids. The similarity of Sika deer Ercc6l to Bos taurus Ercc6l is 94.05% at the amino acid sequence level. The similarity, however, is reduced to 68.42–82.21% when compared to Ercc6l orthologs in other mammals and to less than 50% compared to orthologs in Gallus gallus and Xenopus. Additionally, the expression of Ercc6l mRNA was investigated in the organs of fetal and adult Sika deer (FSD and ASD, respectively) by quantitative RT-PCR. The common expression level of Ercc6l mRNA in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and stomach from six different developmental stages of 18 Sika deer were examined, though the expression levels in each organ varied among individual Sika deer. During development, there was a slight trend toward decreased Ercc61 mRNA expression. The highest Ercc6l expression levels were seen at 3 months old in every organ and showed the highest level of detection in the spleen of FSD. The lowest Ercc6l expression levels were seen at 3 years old. Conclusions/Significance We are the first to successfully clone Sika deer Ercc6l mRNA. Ercc6l transcript is present in almost every organ. During Sika deer development, there is a slight trend toward decreased Ercc61 mRNA expression. It is possible that Ercc6l has other roles in embryonic development and in maintaining the growth of animals. PMID:21695076

Molecular Survey of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia of Red Deer and Sika Deer in Gansu, China in 2013.

PubMed

Li, Y; Chen, Z; Liu, Z; Liu, J; Yang, J; Li, Q; Li, Y; Luo, J; Yin, H

2016-12-01

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are important emerging tick-borne pathogens in both humans and animals. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Gansu, China to assess the prevalence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. in red deer and sika deer based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and sequencing of 16S rRNA or msp genes. PCR revealed that the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma platys of the Qilian Mountain samples was 32%, 9% and 9%, respectively; the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma platys was 20%, 15% and 15% among the Long Mountain samples, respectively. Of the Long Mountain samples, two (5%) of the 40 samples were positive for Ehrlichia canis, but all 44 of the Qilian Mountain samples were negative for E. canis, and no other Anaplasma or Ehrlichia spp. were found in the samples. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. could be classified as belonging to four clades, including an A. bovis cluster, A. ovis cluster, A. platys cluster and E. canis cluster. In addition, Bartonella schoenbuchensis was firstly identified in blood samples from red deer in Gansu, China. Our results provide important data to increase the understanding of the epidemiology of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis of red deer and sika deer and will assist with the implementation of measures to control anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis transmission to red deer, sika deer and other animals in Gansu, China. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in farmed sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China.

PubMed

Meng, Qing-Feng; Li, Ying; Zhou, Yu; Bai, Ya-Duo; Wang, Wei-Lin; Wang, Wei-Li; Cong, Wei

2015-07-30

Neospora caninum is a worldwide protozoan that can induce neuromuscular disease in dogs and reproductive failure in domestic and wild ruminants. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the seroprevalence of N. caninum infection in farmed sika deer in China as little is known of this host-parasite relationship. A total of 1800 serum samples were collected during 2013 and 2014 from farmed sika deer in the major production areas of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces.Assay by ELISA for N. caninum antibodies indicated a seroprevalence of 13.6% in 2013 and 15.8% in 2014, varying in different regions from 9.5% to 27.5%. Statistical analysis revealed that prevalence in animals aged >4 years (20.4%) was significantly higher than in the age ranges <2 years (9.6%) and 2-4 years (11.4%) (P<0.01). Moreover, sika deer in herds with a history of miscarriage (41.9%) had a significantly higher seroprevalence than in those without (12.6%) (P<0.01). The present survey confirms that N. caninum does occur in farmed sika deer in China and provides base-line data for the design and evaluation of measures for its control and prevention in this host. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of northeastern sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum).

PubMed

Shao, Yuanchen; Zha, Daiming; Xing, Xiumei; Su, Weilin; Liu, Huamiao; Zhang, Ranran

2016-01-01

The complete mitochondrial genome of the northeastern sika deer, Cervus nippon hortulorum, was determined by accurate polymerase chain reaction. The entire genome is 16,434 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region, all of which are arranged in a typical vertebrate manner. The overall base composition of the northeastern sika deer's mitochondrial genome is 33.3% of A, 24.5% of C, 28.7% of T and 13.5% of G. A termination associated sequence and several conserved central sequence block domains were discovered within the control region.

Genetic diversity and population structure of a Sichuan sika deer (Cervus sichuanicus) population in Tiebu Nature Reserve based on microsatellite variation

PubMed Central

HE, Ya; WANG, Zheng-Huan; WANG, Xiao-Ming

2014-01-01

Cervus sichuanicus is a species of sika deer (Cervus nippon Group). To date, research has mainly focused on quantity surveying and behavior studies, with genetic information on this species currently deficient. To provide scientific evidence to assist in the protection of this species, we collected Sichuan sika deer fecal samples from the Sichuan Tiebu Nature Reserve (TNR) and extracted DNA from those samples. Microsatellite loci of bovine were used for PCR amplification. After GeneScan, the genotype data were used to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the Sichuan sika deer in TNR. Results showed that the average expected heterozygosity of the Sichuan sika deer population in TNR was 0.562, equivalent to the average expected heterozygosity of endangered animals, such as Procapra przewalskii. Furthermore, 8 of 9 microsatellite loci significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and two groups existed within the Sichuan sika deer TNR population. This genetic structure may be caused by a group of Manchurian sika deer (Cervus hortulorum) released in TNR. PMID:25465089

Genetic diversity and population structure of a Sichuan sika deer (Cervus sichuanicus) population in Tiebu Nature Reserve based on microsatellite variation.

PubMed

He, Ya; Wang, Zheng-Huan; Wang, Xiao-Ming

2014-11-18

Cervus sichuanicus is a species of sika deer (Cervus nippon Group). To date, research has mainly focused on quantity surveying and behavior studies, with genetic information on this species currently deficient. To provide scientific evidence to assist in the protection of this species, we collected Sichuan sika deer fecal samples from the Sichuan Tiebu Nature Reserve (TNR) and extracted DNA from those samples. Microsatellite loci of bovine were used for PCR amplification. After GeneScan, the genotype data were used to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the Sichuan sika deer in TNR. Results showed that the average expected heterozygosity of the Sichuan sika deer population in TNR was 0.562, equivalent to the average expected heterozygosity of endangered animals, such as Procapra przewalskii. Furthermore, 8 of 9 microsatellite loci significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and two groups existed within the Sichuan sika deer TNR population. This genetic structure may be caused by a group of Manchurian sika deer (Cervus hortulorum) released in TNR.

Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China.

PubMed

Cong, Wei; Qin, Si-Yuan; Meng, Qing-Feng; Zou, Feng-Cai; Qian, Ai-Dong; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2016-04-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sika deer in China. During August 2014 to November 2014, a total of 450 tissue samples coming from 150 sika deer were collected to detect the T. gondii B1 gene using a nested PCR, and the positive samples were genotyped at 11 genetic markers (SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8, c29-2, and Apico) using multilocus polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. Seventeen of 150 sika deer (11.33%) were tested positive by nested PCR. Six DNA samples from the 17 positive samples were completely typed, in which 4 samples from lung tissues, and 2 from muscular tissues, were identified as ToxoDB Genotype #9 (http://toxodb.org/toxo/). The results of the present study revealed the existence of T. gondii infection in sika deer in China, which provided the information of T. gondii genetic diversity in this host species. This study also indicated that ToxoDB Genotype #9 has a wide distribution in sika deer that could be potential reservoirs for T. gondii transmission, which may pose a threat to human health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association between melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the velvet antler yield of Sika deer.

PubMed

Yang, Fei-Fei; Huo, Li-Jun; Yang, Li-Guo; Riaz, Hasan; Xiong, Li-Rong; Chen, Jian-Guo; Zhang, Shu-Jun; Xiong, Jia-Jun

2014-01-01

Melatonin, a secretion from pineal gland is ambiguously considered as the key hormone involved in regulation of the antler cycle in Sika deer. To find out more about the roles of melatonin and its receptor gene, we carried out current study to investigate the association between polymorphisms in melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene and the antler yield from Sika deer. A total of 251 Sika deer were analyzed in this study, of which consisted of Wusan Sika deer (n = 163) and Dongfeng Sika deer (n = 88). MTNRA gene was amplified by PCR and genotyped by Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Three polymorphism loci (C518T, C629G and C635T) were detected in exon2 of MTNR1A gene. The restriction site Ecol881 was used for C518T while a C629G polymorphism locus was digested with Mval restriction endonucleases. In Wusan Sika deer the allele frequencies of C and T were 0.637 and 0.363 for C518T, Also C and G alleles in C629G locus were 0.206 and 0.794. Genotypic frequencies of allele CC, CT and TT were 33.7, 59.9 and 6.4 % respectively, It showed 1.8, 37.4 and 60.7 % for frequencies of genotypes CC, CG and GG. In Dongfeng Sika deer the allele frequencies of C and T were 0.518 and 0.482 for C518T, C and G alleles were 0.375 and 0.625 for C629G. Genotypic frequencies were 10.6, 82.4 and 7.1 % for genotypes CC, CT and TT respectively, and they were 1.1, 72.7 and 26.2 % for genotypes CC, CG and GG. Among three SNPs, only C629G showed significant association (P < 0.05) with average antler yield in Wusan Sika deer, while no SNP was significant in Dongfeng Sika deer. These preliminary results implied that the identified SNPs of MTNR1A gene might influence the antler yield in Wusan Sika deer.

Histological differences of skin among three body regions in male and female Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis).

PubMed

Minaguchi, Jun A; Abe, Ayako; Ueda, Hiromi; Tangkawattana, Prasarn; Takehana, Kazushige

2012-01-01

The Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus Nippon yesoensis), the largest and most abundant of the sika deer subspecies in Japan, has recently attracted new attention as a target for leather production, in addition to its meat value. To provide fundamental data for facilitating the effective use of skin for leather, the histological properties of skin at the shoulder, back and abdominal regions of male and female deer were compared. The results showed that the thickness of the outer skin layer was not significantly different across all regions irrespective of sex. Regarding collagen composition, we found that large-diameter collagen fibrils were heavily distributed in the shoulder of male deer, whereas small-diameter collagen fibrils were largely confined to the abdomen of female deer. We hope this regional histological data will lead to more efficient processing of Hokkaido sika deer skin for leather production.

Molecular characterization of Fasciola flukes obtained from wild sika deer and domestic cattle in Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Ichikawa-Seki, Madoka; Shiroma, Tomoko; Kariya, Tatsuya; Nakao, Ryo; Ohari, Yuma; Hayashi, Kei; Fukumoto, Shinya

2017-10-01

The number of wild sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) continues to increase in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The major concern for the livestock industry is the transmission of pathogens between sika deer and cattle. Fasciolosis is an important disease that can occur in both animals. The aim of this study was to examine the possible mutual transmission of this disease in Hokkaido Prefecture. A total of 105 Fasciola flukes were obtained from sika deer and 96 from domestic cattle. The Fasciola flukes in Japan are reported to possess no mature sperm. However, in this study, 14 flukes from sika deer and eight flukes from cattle contained mature sperm in their seminal vesicles. All the Fasciola flukes from the two host animals had Fh/Fg type in nuclear phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pepck) gene, with a mixed fragment pattern derived from F. hepatica and F. gigantica, which are considered to be hybrid Fasciola flukes. However, almost all the flukes had Fsp1 haplotype in NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) gene, indicating that their maternal lineage was F. hepatica. A new haplotype, Fsp3, was detected in one fluke obtained from cattle and differed in one nucleotide from Fsp1. Therefore, the Fasciola flukes detected in both host species had almost identical molecular characteristics. These findings suggest the mutual transmission of Fasciola flukes between sika deer and domestic cattle in Hokkaido. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Classification and phylogeny of sika deer (Cervus nippon) subspecies based on the mitochondrial control region DNA sequence using an extended sample set.

PubMed

Ba, Hengxing; Yang, Fuhe; Xing, Xiumei; Li, Chunyi

2015-06-01

To further refine the classification and phylogeny of sika deer subspecies, the well-annotated sequences of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 13 sika deer subspecies from GenBank were downloaded, aligned and analyzed in this study. By reconstructing the phylogenetic tree with an extended sample set, the results revealed a split between Northern and Southern Mainland Asia/Taiwan lineages, and moreover, two subspecies, C.n.mantchuricus and C.n.hortulorum, were existed in Northern Mainland Asia. Unexpectedly, Dybowskii's sika deer that was thought to originate from Northern Mainland Asia joins the Southern Mainland Asia/Taiwan lineage. The genetic divergences were ranged from 2.1% to 4.7% between Dybowskii's sika deer and all the other established subspecies at the mtDNA sequence level, which suggests that the maternal lineage of uncertain sika subspecies in Europe had been maintained until today. This study also provides a better understanding for the classification, phylogeny and phylogeographic history of sika deer subspecies.

Costs of parturition and rearing in female sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Minami, Masato; Oonishi, Nobumasa; Higuchi, Naoko; Okada, Ayumi; Takatsuki, Seiki

2012-03-01

The costs of parturition and lactation of female sika deer on Kinkazan Island (9.6 km(2) in size), northern Japan, which live at a high density (about 50 deer/km(2)), were evaluated by comparison of body weights of 481 females measured during a 15 year study (1993-2008). Weight data were chosen from only females that did not give birth in the preceding year. The mean body weight of females that did not give birth ("yelds") was significantly lower (P < 0.001) than that of females who gave birth ("milks"); yelds' body weight was 93.1% and 83.5% that of milks in the preceding and parturition years, respectively. The yelds increased in body weight by the following March by 8.2% (P < 0.001), whereas milks did not. Among the milks, those whose fawns survived until the following May ("rearing milks") lost body weight by 14.9% (P < 0.001). Milks who lost fawns within a week after birth ("early fawn-less milks") did not lose body weight (P = 0.583), while those whose fawns died after the first autumn but died before May ("late fawn-less milks") lost body weight by 19.9% (P < 0.001). These results indicate that sika deer females do not enter estrus unless they are heavy enough, and that both parturition and rearing are costly for sika deer mothers living in high-density conditions.

The construction of cloned Sika deer embryos (Cervus nippon hortulorum) by demecolcine auxiliary enucleation.

PubMed

Yin, Y; Mei, M; Zhang, D; Zhang, S; Fan, A; Zhou, H; Li, Z

2014-02-01

The objective of our study was to establish the feasibility of experimental protocols for cloning sika deer. We performed auxiliary enucleation to improve the efficiency of nuclear transfer operation by optimizing the demecolcine concentration to induce cytoplasmic protrusions in the sika deer oocytes. In the present study,we had studied the impact of different demecolcine concentrations on cytoplasmic protrusions and enucleation rates. We determined that 95.9% of the sika deer oocytes formed cytoplasmic protrusions when treated for 1 h with 0.8 μg/ml demecolcine. The lowest observed rate of protrusion was 19.3% after overnight treatment with demecolcine. When the oocytes aged or had a poor cumulus expansion, they exhibited a significant decrease in the ability to form cytoplasmic protrusions. The rates of enucleation (94.9% vs 85.8%, p < 0.05), cell fusion (84.6% vs 70.1%, p < 0.05) and blastocyst formation (15.4% vs 10.9%, p < 0.05) using demecolcine auxiliary enucleation were significantly higher than those after blind enucleation. These results demonstrated that sika deer oocytes could be enucleated quickly and effectively using demecolcine auxiliary enucleation, which could enhance the enucleation rate, cell fusion rate and blastocyst rate of cloned embryos in vitro. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi in sika deer (Cervus nippon) and red deer (Cervus elaphus): deer specificity and zoonotic potential of ITS genotypes.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Weizhe; Wang, Rongjun; Liu, Weishi; Liu, Aiqin; Yang, Dong; Yang, Fengkun; Karim, Md Robiul; Zhang, Longxian

2014-11-01

As the most common cause of the human microsporidiosis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi has been found in a wide variety of animal hosts. Deers are the ruminant mammals living in a variety of biomes, and the distribution of deer species differ by geography. To understand the prevalence of natural infection of E. bieneusi in deer and to assess their epidemiological role in the transmission of microsporidiosis caused by E. bieneusi, 91 fecal specimens were collected from 86 sika deers and five red deers in the northeast of China. By PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of E. bieneusi, an average infection rate of 31.9% (29/91) was observed in deer, with 32.6% (28/86) for sika deer, and 20% (1/5) for red deer. Six ITS genotypes were identified: one known genotype BEB6 (n = 20) and five novel genotypes HLJD-I to HLJD-IV (one each) and HLJD-V (n = 5). A phylogenetic analysis based on a neighbor-joining tree of the ITS gene sequences of E. bieneusi indicated that genotypes HLJD-II and HLJD-III fell into group 1 of zoonotic potential, while the other genotypes (BEB6, HLJD-I, HLJD-IV, HLJD-V) were clustered into so-called bovine-specific group 2. This is the first report of E. bieneusi in deer in China. The observation of genotype BEB6 in humans previously and in deer here and also the findings of the two novel genotypes (HLJD-II to HLJ-III) belonging to potential zoonotic group 1 suggested the possibility of deer in the transmission of E. bieneusi to humans.

Detection of Brucellosis in Sika Deer ( Cervus nippon ) through Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).

PubMed

Liu, Qianhong; Wei, Jie; Sun, Qingsong; Wang, Ben; Wang, Yuting; Hu, Ying; Wu, Wenrong

2017-07-01

Brucellosis (Brucella bovis) in sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) can cause enormous losses to stag breeding, especially in areas in which stag breeding has become an important industry. It also poses a threat to humans because it is a zoonotic disease. Use of the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has been poorly described in the diagnosis of brucellosis in deer. We developed a LAMP assay targeting the omp25 gene sequence to detect brucellosis in sika deer. The reaction can be completed in 60 min at 63 C and, with a detection limit of 17 pg, it was more sensitive than conventional PCR, with its detection limit of 1.7 ng. No cross-reactivity was observed with four bacteria: Escherichia coli , Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, Clostridium pasteurianum , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . We used 263 samples of blood to evaluate the reaction. The percentage of agreement between LAMP and PCR reached 91%; relative specificity reached 87%, and relative sensitivity reached 100%. The results indicate LAMP can be a simple and rapid diagnostic tool for detecting brucellosis in sika deer, particularly in the field, where it is essential to control brucellosis in deer with a rapid and accurate diagnosis for removal of positive animals.

Prevalence and Molecular Analyses of Hemotrophic Mycoplasma spp. (Hemoplasmas) Detected in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

PubMed Central

TAGAWA, Michihito; MATSUMOTO, Kotaro; YOKOYAMA, Naoaki; INOKUMA, Hisashi

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are cell-wall deficient, epierythrocytic bacteria that cause infectious anemia in several mammalian species. The prevalence of hemoplasma species was examined by screening and species-specific PCR using blood samples collected from 51 sika deer in Hokkaido, Japan. Molecular analyses were performed for the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA and RNase P RNA (rnpB) gene sequences. A total of 23/51 (45%) deer DNA samples were positive for hemoplasmas in the screening PCR. Using species-specific PCR, 12 and 17 samples were positive for ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemocervae’ and ‘Candidatus M. erythrocervae’, respectively. Sequencing and phylogenetic trees of those three genes indicate that the ‘Candidatus M. haemocervae’ and ‘Candidatus M. erythrocervae’ detected in Japanese deer are potentially different species from the cervine hemoplasma found in deer from America and Brazil. PMID:24270803

Prevalence and genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in sika deer in Jilin province, Northeastern China.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Xuan; Cong, Wei; Liu, Guo-Hua; Ni, Xiao-Ting; Ma, Jian-Gang; Zheng, Wen-Bin; Zhao, Quan; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2016-03-01

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most important zoonotic pathogen that can infect almost all animals, including humans. However, little information is available regarding prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi in sika deer. In the present study, the prevalence of E. bieneusi infection in sika deer in Jilin province, Northeastern China was examined using PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. 23 (7.06%) of 326 samples were tested E. bieneusi-positive, and the risk factor significantly associated with E. bieneusi prevalence was the age of sika deer. Sequence analysis of the ITS rRNA gene suggested that 8 genotypes of E. bieneusi were found in this study, with five known genotypes, namely J (n = 11), BEB6 (n = 4), EbpC (n = 1), CHN-DC1 (n = 1), KIN-1 (n = 1) and three novel genotypes, namely JLD-1 (n = 2), JLD-2 (n = 2) and JLD-3 (n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that genotypes CHN-DC-1, KIN-1, EbpC, JLD-2 and JLD-3 fell into group 1, while other three genotypes (genotypes J, BEB6 and JLD-1) were clustered into group 2 (so-called bovine-specific groups). These findings indicated the presence of zoonotic E. bieneusi in Jilin province, Northeastern China. Effective strategies should be performed to control E. bieneusi infection in sika deer, other animals and humans.

Sika deer (Cervus nippon)-specific real-time PCR method to detect fraudulent labelling of meat and meat products.

PubMed

Kaltenbrunner, Maria; Hochegger, Rupert; Cichna-Markl, Margit

2018-05-08

Since game meat is more valuable and expensive than meat from domesticated animal species it is a potential target for adulteration. Analytical methods must allow the identification and quantification of meat species to be applicable for the detection of fraudulent labelling. We developed a real-time PCR assay for the authentication of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and products thereof. The primer/probe system amplifies a 71 bp fragment of the kappa-casein precursor gene. Since the target sequence contained only one sika deer-specific base, we introduced a deliberate base mismatch in the forward primer. The real-time PCR assay did not show cross-reactivity with 19 animal and 49 plant species tested. Low cross-reactivity was observed with red deer, fallow deer, reindeer and moose. However, with a ΔCt value of ≥11.79 between sika deer and the cross-reacting species, cross-reactivity will not affect the accuracy of the method. LOD and LOQ, determined by analysing serial dilutions of a DNA extract containing 1% (w/w) sika deer DNA in pig DNA, were 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. The accuracy was evaluated by analysing DNA mixtures and DNA isolates from meat extract mixtures and meat mixtures. In general, recoveries were in the range from 70 to 130%.

Spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of sika deer in Japan

PubMed Central

Iijima, Hayato; Ueno, Mayumi

2016-01-01

Abstract Carrying capacity is 1 driver of wildlife population dynamics. Although in previous studies carrying capacity was considered to be a fixed entity, it may differ among locations due to environmental variation. The factors underlying variability in carrying capacity, however, have rarely been examined. Here, we investigated spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of Japanese sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) from 2005 to 2014 in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan (mesh with grid cells of 5.5×4.6 km) by state-space modeling. Both carrying capacity and density dependence differed greatly among cells. Estimated carrying capacities ranged from 1.34 to 98.4 deer/km 2 . According to estimated population dynamics, grid cells with larger proportions of artificial grassland and deciduous forest were subject to lower density dependence and higher carrying capacity. We conclude that population dynamics of ungulates may vary spatially through spatial variation in carrying capacity and that the density level for controlling ungulate abundance should be based on the current density level relative to the carrying capacity for each area. PMID:29692470

Spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of sika deer in Japan.

PubMed

Iijima, Hayato; Ueno, Mayumi

2016-06-09

Carrying capacity is 1 driver of wildlife population dynamics. Although in previous studies carrying capacity was considered to be a fixed entity, it may differ among locations due to environmental variation. The factors underlying variability in carrying capacity, however, have rarely been examined. Here, we investigated spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of Japanese sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) from 2005 to 2014 in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan (mesh with grid cells of 5.5×4.6 km) by state-space modeling. Both carrying capacity and density dependence differed greatly among cells. Estimated carrying capacities ranged from 1.34 to 98.4 deer/km 2 . According to estimated population dynamics, grid cells with larger proportions of artificial grassland and deciduous forest were subject to lower density dependence and higher carrying capacity. We conclude that population dynamics of ungulates may vary spatially through spatial variation in carrying capacity and that the density level for controlling ungulate abundance should be based on the current density level relative to the carrying capacity for each area.

Molecular identification of the Cryptosporidium deer genotype in the Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Kato, Satomi; Yanagawa, Yojiro; Matsuyama, Ryota; Suzuki, Masatsugu; Sugimoto, Chihiro

2016-04-01

The protozoan Cryptosporidium occurs in a wide range of animal species including many Cervidae species. Fecal samples collected from the Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), a native deer of Hokkaido, in the central, western, and eastern areas of Hokkaido were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect infections with Cryptosporidium and for sequence analyses to reveal the molecular characteristics of the amplified DNA. DNA was extracted from 319 fecal samples and examined with PCR using primers for small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU-rRNA), actin, and 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) gene loci. PCR-amplified fragments were sequenced and phylogenetic trees were created. In 319 fecal samples, 25 samples (7.8 %) were positive with SSU-rRNA PCR that were identified as the Cryptosporidium deer genotype. Among Cryptosporidium-positive samples, fawns showed higher prevalence (16.1 %) than yearlings (6.4 %) and adults (4.7 %). The result of Fisher's exact test showed a statistical significance in the prevalence of the Cryptosporidium deer genotype between fawn and other age groups. Sequence analyses with actin and HSP70 gene fragments confirmed the SSU-rRNA result, and there were no sequence diversities observed. The Cryptosporidium deer genotype appears to be the prevalent Cryptosporidium species in the wild sika deer in Hokkaido, Japan.

High-level expression of a sika deer (Cervus nippon) Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase in Pichia pastoris and its characterization.

PubMed

Li, Ren-Kuan; Fu, Cai-Li; Chen, Ping; Ng, Tzi Bun; Ye, Xiu-Yun

2013-03-01

Production of a sika deer Cu/Zn-SOD was achieved in Pichia pastoris after the reconstituted expression vector pPIC9K was transformed into the strain GS115. By employing Saccharomyces cerevisiae secretion signal peptide (α-factor) under the regulation of the methanol-inducible promoter of the gene of alcohol oxidase 1 (AOX1), sika deer Cu/Zn-SOD with a molecular mass of 16kDa was expressed while recombinant sika deer Cu/Zn-SOD with an activity of 3500U/mL was obtained from a 5L bioreactor. After two successive steps of chromatography on DEAE-650C and Superdex75, recombinant sika deer Cu/Zn-SOD was obtained with 13.8% yield, 14.5-fold purification, and a specific activity of 3447U/mg. Its optimum temperature and optimum pH were 40°C and 7.0, respectively. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of MIRU-VNTR for typing of Mycobacterium bovis isolated from Sika deer in Northeast China.

PubMed

Yang, Li; Wang, Chunyu; Wang, Haijun; Meng, Qingfeng; Wang, Quankai

2015-04-11

Bovine tuberculosis has led to serious economic losses for Sika Deer producers in China. Strategies for controlling the spread of Mycobacterium bovis are often hampered by a lack of epidemiological data. Specifically, tracing infections requires the ability to trace back infections, which, in turn, requires the ability to determine isolates with a common source. This study was planned to assess the discriminatory power of each mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit (MIRU)-variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) locus and evaluate the most appropriate combination of MIRU-VNTR loci for molecular epidemiological studies on Sika Deer in China. The discriminatory power of MIRU-VNTR typing based on 22 known loci (12 MIRUs, 2 ETRs, 4 QUBs, and 4 Mtubs) were assessed in 96 Mycobacterium bovis strains collected sequentially from Sika Deer at a slaughterhouse in northeastern China. We defined four loci (MIRU4, ETRA, QUB11b, and Mtub4) as highly discriminative, eight loci (MIRU2, MIRU23, MIRU27, MIRU31, MIRU39, MIRU40, QUB26, and Mtub21) as moderately discriminative, and three loci (MIRU16, Mtub30, and Mtub34) as poorly discriminative. The final locus showed no polymorphism between strains. MIRU-VNTR typing as a whole was highly discriminative, with an overall allelic diversity of 0.897. Of the loci tested, the four highly discriminative loci and eight moderately discriminative loci proved to be most appropriate for first line typing of M. bovis from Sika Deer, with the same resolving ability as all 22 loci (H = 0.897). MIRU-VNTR typing is quick and effective for typing bovine tuberculosis isolates from Sika Deer in China.

The Impact of Sika Deer on Vegetation in Japan: Setting Management Priorities on a National Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohashi, Haruka; Yoshikawa, Masato; Oono, Keiichi; Tanaka, Norihisa; Hatase, Yoriko; Murakami, Yuhide

2014-09-01

Irreversible shifts in ecosystems caused by large herbivores are becoming widespread around the world. We analyzed data derived from the 2009-2010 Sika Deer Impact Survey, which assessed the geographical distribution of deer impacts on vegetation through a questionnaire, on a scale of 5-km grid-cells. Our aim was to identify areas facing irreversible ecosystem shifts caused by deer overpopulation and in need of management prioritization. Our results demonstrated that the areas with heavy impacts on vegetation were widely distributed across Japan from north to south and from the coastal to the alpine areas. Grid-cells with heavy impacts are especially expanding in the southwestern part of the Pacific side of Japan. The intensity of deer impacts was explained by four factors: (1) the number of 5-km grid-cells with sika deer in neighboring 5 km-grid-cells in 1978 and 2003, (2) the year sika deer were first recorded in a grid-cell, (3) the number of months in which maximum snow depth exceeded 50 cm, and (4) the proportion of urban areas in a particular grid-cell. Based on our model, areas with long-persistent deer populations, short snow periods, and fewer urban areas were predicted to be the most vulnerable to deer impact. Although many areas matching these criteria already have heavy deer impact, there are some areas that remain only slightly impacted. These areas may need to be designated as having high management priority because of the possibility of a rapid intensification of deer impact.

The impact of Sika deer on vegetation in Japan: setting management priorities on a national scale.

PubMed

Ohashi, Haruka; Yoshikawa, Masato; Oono, Keiichi; Tanaka, Norihisa; Hatase, Yoriko; Murakami, Yuhide

2014-09-01

Irreversible shifts in ecosystems caused by large herbivores are becoming widespread around the world. We analyzed data derived from the 2009-2010 Sika Deer Impact Survey, which assessed the geographical distribution of deer impacts on vegetation through a questionnaire, on a scale of 5-km grid-cells. Our aim was to identify areas facing irreversible ecosystem shifts caused by deer overpopulation and in need of management prioritization. Our results demonstrated that the areas with heavy impacts on vegetation were widely distributed across Japan from north to south and from the coastal to the alpine areas. Grid-cells with heavy impacts are especially expanding in the southwestern part of the Pacific side of Japan. The intensity of deer impacts was explained by four factors: (1) the number of 5-km grid-cells with sika deer in neighboring 5 km-grid-cells in 1978 and 2003, (2) the year sika deer were first recorded in a grid-cell, (3) the number of months in which maximum snow depth exceeded 50 cm, and (4) the proportion of urban areas in a particular grid-cell. Based on our model, areas with long-persistent deer populations, short snow periods, and fewer urban areas were predicted to be the most vulnerable to deer impact. Although many areas matching these criteria already have heavy deer impact, there are some areas that remain only slightly impacted. These areas may need to be designated as having high management priority because of the possibility of a rapid intensification of deer impact.

Using improved technology for filter paper-based blood collection to survey wild Sika deer for antibodies to hepatitis E virus.

PubMed

Yu, Claro; Zimmerman, Carl; Stone, Roger; Engle, Ronald E; Elkins, William; Nardone, Glenn A; Emerson, Suzanne U; Purcell, Robert H

2007-06-01

Recent reports from Japan implicated wild Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the zoonotic transmission of hepatitis E to humans. Seroprevalence studies were performed to determine if imported feral populations of Sika deer in Maryland and Virginia posed a similar risk of transmitting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hunters collected blood on filter paper discs from freshly killed deer. The discs were desiccated and delivered to a collection point. The dried filters were weighed to estimate the amount of blood absorbed and were eluted and collected in one tube via a novel extraction system. The procedure was quantified and validated with negative and positive serum and blood samples obtained from domestic Sika deer before and after immunization with HEV recombinant capsid protein, respectively. None of the 155 tested samples contained antibody to HEV, suggesting that Sika deer in these populations, unlike those in Japan, do not pose a significant zoonotic threat for hepatitis E. However, the new method developed for collecting and eluting the samples should prove useful for field studies of many other pathogens.

Using improved technology for filter paper-based blood collection to survey wild Sika deer for antibodies to hepatitis E virus

PubMed Central

Zimmerman, Carl; Stone, Roger; Engle, Ronald E.; Elkins, William; Nardone, Glenn A.; Emerson, Suzanne U.; Purcell, Robert H.

2009-01-01

Recent reports from Japan implicated wild Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the zoonotic transmission of hepatitis E to humans. Seroprevalence studies were performed to determine if imported feral populations of Sika deer in Maryland and Virginia posed a similar risk of transmitting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hunters collected blood on filter paper disks from freshly killed deer. The disks were desiccated and delivered to a collection point. The dried filters were weighed to estimate the amount of blood absorbed and were eluted and collected in one tube via a novel extraction system. The procedure was quantified and validated with negative and positive serum and blood samples obtained from domestic Sika deer before and after immunization with HEV recombinant capsid protein, respectively. None of the 155 tested samples contained antibody to HEV, suggesting that Sika deer in these populations, unlike those in Japan, do not pose a significant zoonotic threat for hepatitis E. However, the new method developed for collecting and eluting the samples should prove useful for field studies of many other pathogens. PMID:17336401

Identification and molecular survey of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in sika deer (Cervus nippon) from Jilin Province, north-eastern China.

PubMed

Zhai, Bintao; Niu, Qingli; Yang, Jifei; Liu, Zhijie; Liu, Junlong; Yin, Hong; Zeng, Qiaoying

2017-02-01

Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) is a common disease of domestic animals and wildlife worldwide. Sika deer is first-grade state-protected wildlife animals in China and have economic consequences for humans. It is reported that sika deer may serve as an important reservoir host for several species of B. burgdorferi s.l. and may transmit these species to humans and animals. However, little is known about the presence of Borrelia pathogens in sika deer in China. In this study, the existence and prevalence of Borrelia sp. in sika deer from four regions of Jilin Province in China was assessed. Seventy-one blood samples of sika deer were collected and tested by nested-PCRs based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), outer surface protein A (OspA), flagenllin (fla), and 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (5S-23S rRNA) genes of B. burgdorferi s.l. Six (8.45%) samples were positive for Borrelia sp. based on sequences of 4 genes. The positive samples were detected 18 for 16S rRNA, 10 for OspA, 16 for fla and 6 for 5S-23S, with the positive rates 25.35% (95% CI=3.8-35.6), 14.08% (95% CI=3.0-21.6), 22.54% (95% CI=4.3-36.9) and 8.45% (95% CI=1.7-22.9), respectively. Sequence analysis of the positive PCR products revealed that the partial 4 genes sequences in this study were all most similar to the sequences of B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), no other Borrelia genospecies were found. This is the first report of Borrelia pathogens in sika deer in China. The findings in this study indicated that sika deer as potential natural host and may spread Lyme disease pathogen to animals, ticks, and even humans. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Population pharmacokinetics of methadone hydrochloride after a single intramuscular administration in adult Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon nippon).

PubMed

Scala, Christopher; Marsot, Amélie; Limoges, Marie-Josée; Locatelli, Yann; Simon, Nicolas; Alvarez, Jean-Claude

2015-03-01

To assess the population pharmacokinetics of methadone in deer. Prospective non-randomized experimental trial. Twelve healthy adult sika deer (nine males and three females). Deer received intramuscular administration of racemic methadone hydrochloride at 0.5 mg kg(-1) or 1 mg kg(-1) . Plasma methadone and its metabolite 2-Ethylidene-1,5-Dimethyl-3,3-Diphenyl-Pyrolidine (EDDP) concentrations were determined by validated liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry methods, at times 0, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 and 24 hours. Population pharmacokinetics analysis was undertaken using a non-linear mixed effects modelling (NONMEM). A two-compartment linear disposition model best described observed time-concentration profiles of methadone and EDDP. Population parameter estimates of methadone were elimination clearance (17.3 L hour(-1) ), metabolic clearance (34.6 L hour(-1) ), volume of distribution of compartment 1 (216.0 L) and volume of distribution of compartment 2 (384.0 L). Population parameter estimates of EDDP were elimination clearance (121.0 L hour(-1) ), volume of distribution of compartment 3 (1.08 L) and volume of distribution of compartment 4 (499.5 L). The total clearance and total volume of distribution of methadone and EDDP were 51.9 L hour(-1) , 121.0 L hour (-1) , 600.0 L and 500.6 L, respectively. The methadone terminal elimination half-life was 8.19 hours. No adverse effects were observed after methadone administration. Following intramuscular injection, methadone was characterized by a large total volume of distribution, high systemic clearance and intermediate terminal half-life in sika deer. © 2014 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.

Molecular diversity of rumen bacterial communities from tannin-rich and fiber-rich forage fed domestic Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Sika deer (Cervus nippon) have different dietary preferences to other ruminants and are tolerant to tannin-rich plants. Because the rumen bacteria in domestic Sika deer have not been comprehensively studied, it is important to investigate its rumen bacterial population in order to understand its gut health and to improve the productivity of domestic Sika deer. Results The rumen bacterial diversity in domestic Sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed oak leaves- (OL group) and corn stalks-based diets (CS group) were elucidated using 16S rRNA gene libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Overall, 239 sequences were examined from the two groups, 139 clones from the OL group were assigned to 57 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 100 sequences from the CS group were divided into 50 OTUs. Prevotella-like sequences belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes were the dominant bacteria in both groups (97.2% OL and 77% CS), and sequences related to Prevotella brevis were present in both groups. However, Prevotella shahii-like, Prevotella veroralis-like, Prevotella albensis-like, and Prevotella salivae-like sequences were abundant in the OL group compared to those in the CS group, while Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens-like and Prevotella ruminicola-like sequences were prevalent in the CS group. PCR-DGGE showed that bacterial communities clustered with respect to diets and the genus Prevotella was the dominant bacteria in the rumen of domestic Sika deer. However, the distribution of genus Prevotella from two groups was apparent. In addition, other fibrolytic bacteria, such as Clostridium populeti and Eubacterium cellulosolvens were found in the rumen of domestic Sika deer. Conclusions The rumen of domestic Sika deer harbored unique bacteria which may represent novel species. The bacterial composition appeared to be affected by diet, and sequences related to Prevotella spp. may represent new species that may be related to the degradation of fiber biomass or

Molecular diversity of rumen bacterial communities from tannin-rich and fiber-rich forage fed domestic Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China.

PubMed

Li, Zhi Peng; Liu, Han Lu; Li, Guang Yu; Bao, Kun; Wang, Kai Ying; Xu, Chao; Yang, Yi Feng; Yang, Fu He; Wright, André-Denis G

2013-07-08

Sika deer (Cervus nippon) have different dietary preferences to other ruminants and are tolerant to tannin-rich plants. Because the rumen bacteria in domestic Sika deer have not been comprehensively studied, it is important to investigate its rumen bacterial population in order to understand its gut health and to improve the productivity of domestic Sika deer. The rumen bacterial diversity in domestic Sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed oak leaves- (OL group) and corn stalks-based diets (CS group) were elucidated using 16S rRNA gene libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Overall, 239 sequences were examined from the two groups, 139 clones from the OL group were assigned to 57 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 100 sequences from the CS group were divided into 50 OTUs. Prevotella-like sequences belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes were the dominant bacteria in both groups (97.2% OL and 77% CS), and sequences related to Prevotella brevis were present in both groups. However, Prevotella shahii-like, Prevotella veroralis-like, Prevotella albensis-like, and Prevotella salivae-like sequences were abundant in the OL group compared to those in the CS group, while Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens-like and Prevotella ruminicola-like sequences were prevalent in the CS group. PCR-DGGE showed that bacterial communities clustered with respect to diets and the genus Prevotella was the dominant bacteria in the rumen of domestic Sika deer. However, the distribution of genus Prevotella from two groups was apparent. In addition, other fibrolytic bacteria, such as Clostridium populeti and Eubacterium cellulosolvens were found in the rumen of domestic Sika deer. The rumen of domestic Sika deer harbored unique bacteria which may represent novel species. The bacterial composition appeared to be affected by diet, and sequences related to Prevotella spp. may represent new species that may be related to the degradation of fiber biomass or tannins. Moreover, the mechanism

Optimizing the conditions for in vitro maturation and artificial activation of sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) oocytes.

PubMed

Yin, Y; Tang, L; Zhang, P; Kong, D; Wang, Z; Guan, J; Song, G; Tang, B; Li, Z

2013-02-01

With the goal of establishing experimental protocols for cloning sika deer, various conditions for in vitro maturation (IVM) and artificial activation of sika deer oocytes were examined. In vitro maturation was evaluated in seven different culture media. The highest rate of oocyte maturation was 75.4% in 10 μg/ml follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 1 μg/ml LH, 0.2 mm cysteamine and 50 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF) after 24 h of IVM. The efficiency after 24 h of IVM did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) from that observed after 20 h. Cysteamine (0.2 mm) significantly increased the maturation rates after 20 h (from 59.1% to 67.2%, p < 0.05) and after 24 h (from 63.2% to 71.6%, p < 0.05) of IVM. The IVM rates of oocytes collected during the oestrous season (75.4%) and the anoestrous season (23.3%) were significantly different at 24 h. The 20 μg/ml FSH, 2 μg/ml LH, 0.4 mm cysteamine and 100 ng/ml EGF significantly increased the maturation rates (from 23.3% to 54.2%, p < 0.01) at 24 h during the anoestrous season. For the activation experiments, the most effective method was chemical activation [ionomycin + 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP)], which promoted the development of sika deer oocytes to the blastocyst stage (32.4%). Our results indicate that in vitro matured sika deer oocytes are good candidates for parthenogenetic activation and that chemical treatment is needed for relatively efficient activation of the oocytes. These optimized conditions for IVM and parthenogenetic activation may be useful for efforts to restore populations of the endangered sika deer using the somatic cell nuclear transfer technique. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Rutting vocalizations of Formosan sika deer Cervus nippon taiouanus-acoustic structure, seasonal and diurnal variations, and individuality.

PubMed

Yen, Shih-Ching; Shieh, Bao-Sen; Wang, Yi-Ting; Wang, Ying

2013-12-01

In sika deer Cervus nippon, rutting vocalizations play an important role in breeding behavior. This study investigated two types of rutting vocalizations, the moan and the howl, of the Formosan sika deer C. n. taiouanus, including the acoustic characteristics of the vocalizations, the diurnal and seasonal variations of vocal activity, and individual acoustic variation and identification. The results showed that the sound levels were approximately 81-88 dB(A) for the moan and 92-96 dB(A) for the howl, at a distance of 7 m from the sources. From October 2006 to January 2007, eight days of continuous observations were conducted to record the type and amount of vocalizations. Both moan and howl began to occur in the middle of October and reached peaks in the middle and end of November. Thereafter, few vocalizations were recorded until mid-January 2007. Moreover, we found that 74.5% of the first portion of moan, 65.3% of the second portion of moan, and 64.2% of howl could be identified on an individual basis by using discriminant analysis with 200 iterations of cross-validation test. These results revealed that the sounds differed among individuals, and also that they could be correctly identified. Our findings add to the scientific knowledge of sika deer behavior and provide the basis for a novel method of monitoring sika deer populations.

Detection and identification of Theileria infection in sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) in China.

PubMed

He, Lan; Khan, Muhanmad Kasib; Zhang, Wen-Jie; Zhang, Qing-Li; Zhou, Yan-Qin; Hu, Min; Zhao, Junlong

2012-06-01

The sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) is a first-grade state-protected animal in China and designated a threatened species by the World Conservation Union. To detect hemoparasite infection of sika deer, blood samples were collected from 24 animals in the Hubei Province Deer Center. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the V4 hypervariable region encoding 18S rRNA was analyzed by reverse line blot hybridization assay. PCR products hybridized with Babesia / Theileria genus-specific probes but failed to hybridize with any of the Babesia or Theileria species-specific probes, suggesting the presence of a novel, or variant, species. Here 18S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes were amplified, cloned, and sequenced from 7 isolates. Alignment and BlastN of the cloned sequences revealed high similarities to the homologous 18S rRNA genes and ITS genes of Theileria cervi (AY735122), Theileria sp. CNY1A (AB012194), and Theileria sp. ex Yamaguchi (AF529272). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS sequences showed that all cloned sequences were grouped within the Theileria clade. Phylogeny based on the 18S rRNA gene divided the organisms into 2 groups. Group 1 was closest to Theileria sp. ex Yamaguchi (AF529272), and group 2 was distinct from all other identified Theileria and Babesia species. These results suggest the existence of Theileria sp. infection in sika deer in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cervine Theileria sp. in China.

Mural folliculitis and alopecia caused by infection with goat-associated malignant catarrhal fever virus in two sika deer.

PubMed

Crawford, Timothy B; Li, Hong; Rosenburg, Stuart R; Norhausen, Robert W; Garner, Michael M

2002-09-15

Two sika deer from a zoo in Florida were examined because of chronic hair loss and skin lesions. No common causes of alopecia were identified in either deer. One deer was treated with prednisone, but the condition worsened when the dosage was decreased. Both deer were euthanatized after several months because of continued disease. The predominant histologic lesion in skin specimens was granulomatous mural folliculitis. Serologic testing and sequencing of fragments produced with a consensus polymerase chain reaction assay indicated that both deer were infected with caprine herpesvirus-2, a newly recognized member of the malignant catarrhal fever group of viruses. Disease in these deer was substantially different from that typically seen following infection with ovine herpesvirus-2, the sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever virus. Findings in these deer establish the pathogenicity of caprine herpesvirus-2 in sika deer and illustrate the ability of this group of complex herpesviruses to cause a wide variety of clinical abnormalities in diverse species.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Brucellosis, Chlamydiosis, and Bluetongue Among Sika Deer in Jilin Province in China.

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Li, Jian-Ming; Zeng, Fan-Li; Zong, Ying; Leng, Xue; Shi, Kun; Diao, Nai-Chao; Li, Dong; Li, Bo-Yu; Zhao, Quan; Du, Rui

2018-04-01

Brucellosis and chlamydiosis are important zoonotic diseases and bluetongue virus (BTV) is an arthropod-borne viral disease of ruminants. They are widely distributed around the world, cause large economic losses, and significant harmful effects on humans. However, epidemiological information relating to transmission from commercial sika deer in China is limited. Therefore, from 2016 to 2017, 458 sika deer blood samples were collected from three cities in Jilin Province in China. The Brucella antigen and specific antibodies to Chlamydia and BTV were examined using RT-PCR, indirect hemagglutination assay, and ELISA, respectively. The prevalence of Brucella was found to be 12.9% (59/458) and the seroprevalence of Chlamydia and BTV was 14.4% (66/458) and 17.0% (78/458), respectively. Seasonality was considered a risk factor for the presence of Brucella or BTV in sika deer and the region was considered a risk factor for Chlamydia infection. These data provides reference values for both further research and disease control.

Caprine herpesvirus 2-associated malignant catarrhal fever of captive sika deer (Cervus nippon) in an intensive management system.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongwei; Huang, Qingrong; Hu, Xiaoliang; Chu, Wenhui; Zhang, Jianlong; Jiang, Linlin; Yu, Xin; Zhang, Xingxiao; Cheng, Shipeng

2018-02-01

Caprine herpesvirus 2 (CpHV-2) infection usually induces chronic malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in sika deer (Cervus nippon), with the primary signs of weight loss, dermatitis and alopecia. Here, we report a case of CpHV-2-associated acute MCF in a sika deer herd raised in an intensive management system distant to the reservoir goats. Affected deer developed clinical signs of high fever (41 °C) followed by nasal discharge and lameness. Severe lesions of hemorrhage, necrosis and infiltration of lymphoid cells could readily be observed in the lung, kidney, heart valves and subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon. Etiologically, identical CpHV-2 specific DNA sequences were detected in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) from the affected deer and reservoir goats. In summary, domestic goats were the reservoir of the CpHV-2, which is the causative agent of the outbreak of MCF in the three hinds. The disease was probably transmitted via aerosol infection. In addition, necrosis and inflammation in subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon was the reason for lameness. Therefore, MCF should be put into a differential diagnostic list when similar disease occurs in sika deer herds.

Effects of feeding level on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane production in growing goats (Capra hircus hircus) and Sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum).

PubMed

Na, Youngjun; Li, Dong Hua; Choi, Yongjun; Kim, Kyoung Hoon; Lee, Sang Rak

2018-03-02

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding level on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane (CH4) emissions in growing goats and Sika deer. Three growing male goats (initial BW of 22.4 ± 0.9 kg) and three growing male deer (initial BW of 20.2 ± 4.8 kg) were each allotted to a respiration-metabolism chamber for an adaptation period of 7 d and a data collection period of 3 d. An experimental diet was offered to each animal at one of three feeding levels (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of BW) in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. The chambers were used for measuring enteric CH4 emission. Nutrient digestibility decreased linearly in goats as feeding level increased, whereas Sika deer digestibility was not affected by feeding level. The enteric production of CH4 expressed as g/kg DMI, g/kg organic matter intake (OMI), and % of gross energy intake (GEI) decreased linearly with increased feeding level in goats; however, that of Sika deer was not affected by feeding level. Six equations were estimated for predicting the enteric CH4 emission from goats and Sika deer. For goat, equation 1 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH4 (g/day) = 6.2 (± 14.1) + 10.2 (± 7.01) × DMI (kg/day) + 0.0048 (± 0.0275) × DMD (g/kg) - 0.0070 (± 0.0187) × neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD; g/kg). For Sika deer, equation 4 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH4 (g/day) = - 13.0 (± 30.8) + 29.4 (± 3.93) × DMI (kg/day) + 0.046 (± 0.094) × DMD (g/kg) - 0.0363 (± 0.0636) × NDFD (g/kg). Increasing the feeding level increased CH4 production in both goats and Sika deer, and predictive models of enteric CH4 production by goats and Sika deer were estimated.

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of annexin A2 gene in sika deer antler tip.

PubMed

Xia, Yanling; Qu, Haomiao; Lu, Binshan; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Heping

2018-04-01

Molecular cloning and bioinformatics analysis of annexin A2 ( ANXA2 ) gene in sika deer antler tip were conducted. The role of ANXA2 gene in the growth and development of the antler were analyzed initially. The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to clone the cDNA sequence of the ANXA2 gene from antler tip of sika deer ( Cervus Nippon hortulorum ) and the bioinformatics methods were applied to analyze the amino acid sequence of Anxa2 protein. The mRNA expression levels of the ANXA2 gene in different growth stages were examined by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR). The nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1,020 bp encoding 339 amino acids long protein of calculated molecular weight 38.6 kDa and isoelectric point 6.09. Homologous sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Anxa2 mature protein of sika deer had the closest genetic distance with Cervus elaphus and Bos mutus . Real time RT-PCR results showed that the gene had differential expression levels in different growth stages, and the expression level of the ANXA2 gene was the highest at metaphase (rapid growing period). ANXA2 gene may promote the cell proliferation, and the finding suggested Anxa2 as an important candidate for regulating the growth and development of deer antler.

Bacterial community composition and fermentation patterns in the rumen of sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed three different diets.

PubMed

Li, Zhipeng; Wright, André-Denis G; Liu, Hanlu; Bao, Kun; Zhang, Tietao; Wang, Kaiying; Cui, Xuezhe; Yang, Fuhe; Zhang, Zhigang; Li, Guangyu

2015-02-01

Sika deer (Cervus nippon) rely on microorganisms living in the rumen to convert plant materials into chemical compounds, such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), but how the rumen bacterial community is affected by different forages and adapt to altered diets remains poorly understood. The present study used 454-pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes to examine the relationship between rumen bacterial diversity and metabolic phenotypes using three sika deer in a 3 × 3 latin square design. Three sika deer were fed oak leaves (OL), corn stover (CS), or corn silage (CI), respectively. After a 7-day feeding period, when compared to the CS and CI groups, the OL group had a lower proportion of Prevotella spp. and a higher proportion of unclassified bacteria belonging to the families Succinivibrionaceae and Paraprevotellaceae (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the concentration of isobutyrate was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the OL group than in the CS and CI groups. There was no significant change of dominant bacterial genera in the OL group after 28 days of feeding. Conversely, total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) showed an increase after 28 days of feeding, mainly due to the increasing of acetate, propionate, and valerate (P<0.05). The interplay between bacteria and metabolism in the OL group differed from that in the CS and CI groups, especially for the interaction of TVFAs and acetate/propionate. Overall, the current study suggested that Prevotella spp. played critical roles in the fermentation of feed in the rumen of sika deer. However, the differences in interplay patterns between rumen bacterial community composition and metabolic phenotypes were altered in the native and domesticated diets indicating the changed fermentation patterns in the rumen of sika deer.

Molecular cloning, expression, purification and osteoblasts proliferation activity of sika deer thymosin beta10.

PubMed

Wang, J; Liu, M; Bai, X; Zhang, H; Xu, Z; Zhao, D; Zhao, Y

2017-12-01

Thymosin beta 10 (Tβ10) is a member of the β-thymosin family. As an actin-binding peptide, thymosin β10 is involved in many important biological activities. Transcriptome sequencing results suggest that Tβ10 may play important roles in the growth of deer antler. In this study, Tβ10 cDNA was isolated from sika deer, and complete open reading frame consisting of 129 nucleotides was obtained by PCR amplification. The predicted peptide was 42 amino acids in length. The sdTβ10 cDNA was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli resulting in a 6 kDa recombinant-His tagged protein. The recombinant, non-glycosylated peptide was overexpressed in a soluble form and purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. Functional studies revealed that recombinant Tβ10 stimulated osteoblasts proliferation. This study provides the first evidence that recombinant sika deer Tβ10 promotes proliferation in an osteoblasts cell model. Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic sika deer (Cervus nippon) in northeastern China.

PubMed

Qin, Si-Yuan; Zhang, Xiao-Xuan; Cong, Wei; Zhou, Dong-Hui; Wang, Jin-Lei; Yin, Ming-Yang; Tan, Qi-Dong; Zhao, Quan; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2014-12-01

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect warm-blooded animals and humans. A serological survey was undertaken to examine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in sika deer in northeastern China. 114 (13.46%, 95% CI 11.16-15.76) out of 847 serum samples were positive to T. gondii by modified agglutination test (MAT) at a 1:25 cut-off, with titers of 1:25 in 44, 1:50 in 32, 1:100 in 17, 1:500 in 11, 1:1500 or higher in 10. These samples were collected between November 2012 and October 2013 from Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China. However, statistically significant differences were not observed between T. gondii seroprevalence and genders or regions of sika deer in the logistic regression analysis (P>0.05) and left out of the final model. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in male sika deer was 14.07% (95% CI 11.14-17.01), slightly higher than that in the female (12.38%) (95% CI 8.69-16.06) and seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in Harbin, Changchun city, Jilin city and Chifeng city were 12.02% (95% CI 7.60-16.44), 15.51% (95% CI 11.52-19.50), 12.27% (95% CI 7.23-17.31) and 12.50% (95% CI 7.38-17.63), respectively. Seasons of sampling were considered as main risk factors associated with T. gondii infection, autumn (15.32%) were more than two times (OR=1.98, 95% CI=1.18-3.33, P=0.01) at risk of acquiring T. gondii infection compared to winter (8.37%). Our results indicated a widespread exposure to T. gondii among sika deer in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in sika deer in China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First live offspring born in superovulated sika deer (Cervus nippon) after embryo vitrification.

PubMed

Wang, L; Zhou, G B; Shi, W Q; Shi, J M; Tian, X Z; Gao, C; Zhang, L; Zhu, S E; Zhang, T T; Zeng, S M; Liu, G S

2012-10-15

The rapid growth in sika deer (Cervus nippon) farming and interest in their conservation is an impetus for development of embryo transfer (ET) procedures. However, a paucity of research has prevented widespread application of ET in this species. The objective of the present study was to establish a multiple ovulation and ET procedure with both fresh and vitrified embryos in sika deer. Multiparous weaned hinds (N = 18) were used as embryo donors during the reproductive season of 2008 at a local breeding farm in China. Estrus was synchronized in donors and recipients (N = 38) by inserting a controlled internal drug release for 12 days (insertion = Day 0). Superovulation was induced with a total of 320 mg of NIH-FSH-P1 (Folltropin-V; Bioniche, Belleville, ON, Canada) given as 40 mg im every 12 h from the afternoon of Day 9 to the morning of Day 13. After estrus was detected, donors were artificially inseminated using a transcervical technique. The embryo recovery rate was 76.8% (63/82), including 1.6% (1/63), 77.8% (49/63), and 1.6% (1/63) blastocysts, morula, and eight-cell embryos, respectively. After transfer of fresh and vitrified embryos, pregnancy rates were 85.7% and 61.6% and birth rates were 64.3% and 53.9% (P > 0.05). In conclusion, we developed a satisfactory multiple ovulation and ET procedure in farmed sika deer using vitrified embryos. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellite markers from the sika deer (Cervus nippon) genome.

PubMed

Li, Y M; Bai, C Y; Niu, W P; Yu, H; Yang, R J; Yan, S Q; Zhang, J Y; Zhang, M J; Zhao, Z H

2015-09-28

Microsatellite markers are widely and evenly distributed, and are highly polymorphic. Rapid and convenient detection through automated analysis means that microsatellite markers are widely used in the construction of plant and animal genetic maps, in quantitative trait loci localization, marker-assisted selection, identification of genetic relationships, and genetic diversity and phylogenetic tree construction. However, few microsatellite markers remain to be isolated. We used streptavidin magnetic beads to affinity-capture and construct a (CA)n microsatellite DNA-enriched library from sika deer. We selected sequences containing more than six repeats to design primers. Clear bands were selected, which were amplified using non-specific primers following PCR amplification to screen polymorphisms in a group of 65 unrelated sika deer. The positive clone rate reached 82.9% by constructing the enriched library, and we then selected positive clones for sequencing. There were 395 sequences with CA repeats, and the CA repeat number was 4-105. We selected sequences containing more than six repeats to design primers, of which 297 pairs were designed. We next selected clear bands and used non-specific primers to amplify following PCR amplification. In total, 245 pairs of primers were screened. We then selected 50 pairs of primers to randomly screen for polymorphisms. We detected 47 polymorphic and 3 monomorphic loci in 65 unrelated sika deer. These newly isolated and characterized microsatellite loci can be used to construct genetic maps and for lineage testing in deer. In addition, they can be used for comparative genomics between Cervidae species.

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in five tissues of sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Yang, Chun; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Wenyuan; Lu, Xiao; Li, Chunyi

2018-03-01

DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression during tissue development and differentiation in eukaryotes. In contrast to domestic animals, epigenetic studies have been seldom conducted in wild animals. In the present study, we conducted the genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation for five tissues of sika deer using the fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (F-MSAP) technique. Overall, a total of 104,131 fragments were amplified including 41,951 methylated fragments using 32 pairs of selected primers. The average incidence of DNA methylation was approximately 38.18% in muscle, 40.32% in heart, 41.86% in liver, 41.20% in lung, and 41.68% in kidney, respectively. Also, the significant differences of the DNA methylation levels were found between the different tissue types (P<0.05), which indicates that the differences of genome-wide DNA methylation levels may be related to gene expression during tissue development and differentiation. In addition, 37 tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (T-DMRs) were identified and recovered by MSAP in five tissues, and were further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. Our study presents the first look at the T-DMRs in sika deer and represents an initial step towards understanding of epigenetic regulatory mechanism underlying tissue development and differentiation in sika deer. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Immunohistochemical localization of steroidogenic enzymes in the testis of the sika deer (Cervus nippon) during developmental and seasonal changes.

PubMed

Hayakawa, Daisuke; Sasaki, Motoki; Suzuki, Masatsugu; Tsubota, Toshio; Igota, Hiromasa; Kaji, Koichi; Kitamura, Nobuo

2010-02-01

Testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis during developmental and seasonal changes were investigated in male sika deer (Cervus nippon), a short-day seasonal breeder, to clarify the physiological mechanisms for reproductive function. The immunohistochemical localization of steroidogenic enzymes (P450scc, P450c17, 3betaHSD and P450arom), spermatogenesis and cell proliferation were analyzed in the testes of fetal (164 to 218 days of fetal age), fawn (0 years old), yearling (1 year old) and adult (more than 2 years old) male sika deer. Three kinds of steroidogenic enzymes, P450scc, P450c17 and 3betaHSD, essential for the synthesis of testosterone were located only in the Leydig cells of the testes from the fetal period, and these localizations did not change during developmental or seasonal stages. Immunoreactivity for P450arom, a key enzyme converting testosterone to estradiol, was also localized only in the Leydig cells of testes but was also further limited to the testes of yearlings and adults. Seminiferous tubules had already formed in the fetal testes examined in the present study. Spermatogenesis started in yearlings and was more active in the breeding season. In the adult sika deer testes, the Leydig cells, which displayed immunoreactivities for steroidogenic enzymes, changed to have more cytoplasm in the breeding season than in the non-breeding season. Cell proliferation of Leydig cells was hardly observed in adult testes during seasonal changes. The present results suggested that sika deer testes start to synthesize testosterone from the fetal period, that seasonal changes in testosterone and estradiol syntheses are dependent on the quantitative variation of steroidogenic enzymes synchronized with the size of Leydig cells and that estradiol synthesized in yearling and adult testes makes a contribution to the initiation and recrudescence of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis in the sika deer.

Effects of dietary forage-to-concentrate ratio on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane production in growing goats (Capra hircus hircus) and Sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum)

PubMed Central

Na, Youngjun; Li, Dong Hua; Lee, Sang Rak

2017-01-01

Objective Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of forage-to-concentrate (F:C) ratio on the nutrient digestibility and enteric methane (CH4) emission in growing goats and Sika deer. Methods Three male growing goats (body weight [BW] = 19.0±0.7 kg) and three male growing deer (BW = 19.3±1.2 kg) were respectively allotted to a 3×3 Latin square design with an adaptation period of 7 d and a data collection period of 3 d. Respiration-metabolism chambers were used for measuring the enteric CH4 emission. Treatments of low (25:75), moderate (50:50), and high (73:27) F:C ratios were given to both goats and Sika deer. Results Dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility decreased linearly with increasing F:C ratio in both goats and Sika deer. In both goats and Sika deer, the CH4 emissions expressed as g/d, g/kg BW0.75, % of gross energy intake, g/kg DM intake (DMI), and g/kg OM intake (OMI) decreased linearly as the F:C ratio increased, however, the CH4 emissions expressed as g/kg digested DMI and OMI were not affected by the F:C ratio. Eight equations were derived for predicting the enteric CH4 emission from goats and Sika deer. For goat, equation 1 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH4 (g/d) = 3.36+4.71×DMI (kg/d)−0.0036×neutral detergent fiber concentrate (NDFC, g/kg)+0.01563×dry matter digestibility (DMD, g/kg)−0.0108×neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD, g/kg). For Sika deer, equation 5 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH4 (g/d) = 66.3+27.7×DMI (kg/d)−5.91×NDFC (g/kg)−7.11× DMD (g/kg)+0.0809×NDFD (g/kg). Conclusion Digested nutrient intake could be considered when determining the CH4 generation factor in goats and Sika deer. Finally, the enteric CH4 prediction model for goats and Sika deer were estimated. PMID:28335097

Effects of dietary forage-to-concentrate ratio on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane production in growing goats (Capra hircus hircus) and Sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum).

PubMed

Na, Youngjun; Li, Dong Hua; Lee, Sang Rak

2017-07-01

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of forage-to-concentrate (F:C) ratio on the nutrient digestibility and enteric methane (CH 4 ) emission in growing goats and Sika deer. Three male growing goats (body weight [BW] = 19.0±0.7 kg) and three male growing deer (BW = 19.3±1.2 kg) were respectively allotted to a 3×3 Latin square design with an adaptation period of 7 d and a data collection period of 3 d. Respiration-metabolism chambers were used for measuring the enteric CH 4 emission. Treatments of low (25:75), moderate (50:50), and high (73:27) F:C ratios were given to both goats and Sika deer. Dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility decreased linearly with increasing F:C ratio in both goats and Sika deer. In both goats and Sika deer, the CH 4 emissions expressed as g/d, g/kg BW 0.75 , % of gross energy intake, g/kg DM intake (DMI), and g/kg OM intake (OMI) decreased linearly as the F:C ratio increased, however, the CH 4 emissions expressed as g/kg digested DMI and OMI were not affected by the F:C ratio. Eight equations were derived for predicting the enteric CH 4 emission from goats and Sika deer. For goat, equation 1 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH 4 (g/d) = 3.36+4.71×DMI (kg/d)-0.0036×neutral detergent fiber concentrate (NDFC, g/kg)+0.01563×dry matter digestibility (DMD, g/kg)-0.0108×neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD, g/kg). For Sika deer, equation 5 was found to be of the highest accuracy: CH 4 (g/d) = 66.3+27.7×DMI (kg/d)-5.91×NDFC (g/kg)-7.11× DMD (g/kg)+0.0809×NDFD (g/kg). Digested nutrient intake could be considered when determining the CH 4 generation factor in goats and Sika deer. Finally, the enteric CH 4 prediction model for goats and Sika deer were estimated.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Sika deer Cervus nippon hortulorum (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) and phylogenetic studies.

PubMed

Liu, Yan-Hua; Liu, Xin-Xin; Zhang, Ming-Hai

2016-07-01

Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck 1836) are classified in the order Artiodactyla, family Cervidae, subfamily Cervinae. At present, the phylogenetic studies of C. nippon are problematic. In this study, we first determined and described the complete mitochondrial sequence of the wild C. nippon hortulorum. The complete mitogenome sequence is 16 566 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, a putative control region (CR) and a light-strand replication origin (OL). The overall base composition was 33.4% A, 28.6% T, 24.5% C, 13.5% G, with a 62.0% AT bias. The 13 protein-coding genes encode 3782 amino acids in total. To further validate the new determined sequences and phylogeny of Sika deer, phylogenetic trees involving 15 most closely related species available in GenBank database were constructed. These results are expected to provide useful molecular data for deer species identification and further phylogenetic studies of Artiodactyla.

Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the prion protein gene in sika deer (Cervus nippon laiouanus)

PubMed Central

Jeong, Hyun-Jeong; Lee, Joong-Bok; Park, Seung-Yong; Song, Chang-Seon; Kim, Bo-Sook; Rho, Jung-Rae; Yoo, Mi-Hyun; Jeong, Byung-Hoon; Kim, Yong-Sun

2007-01-01

Polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP) have been detected in several cervid species. In order to confirm the genetic variations, this study examined the DNA sequences of the PRNP obtained from 33 captive sika deer (Cervus nippon laiouanus) in Korea. A total of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at codons 100, 136 and 226 in the PRNP of the sika deer were identified. The polymorphic site located at codon 100 has not been reported. The SNPs detected at codons 100 and 226 induced amino acid substitutions. The SNP at codon 136 was a silent mutation that does not induce any amino acid change. The genotype and allele frequencies were determined for each of the SNPs. PMID:17679779

Caprine herpesvirus-2 in association with naturally occurring malignant catarrhal fever in captive sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Keel, M Kevin; Patterson, J Gage; Noon, Ted H; Bradley, Gregory A; Collins, James K

2003-03-01

Three female sika deer from a single captive herd were submitted for postmortem examination over a 139-day period. The first 2 deer submitted were reported to have lost body mass for 20 days to 1 month before euthanasia. One of these deer had diarrhea, the other had a crusting dermatitis on the nasal planum and inner aspects of both pinnae. The third hind did not have any signs of disease before it was found seizuring and was immediately euthanatized. Microscopically, all 3 animals had a lymphocytic vasculitis typical of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), with the most severe lesions in the brain. All 3 deer were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for caprine herpesvirus 2 (CpHV-2) and were negative for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2). Two healthy goats that were housed adjacent to the deer were also PCR positive for CpHV-2 and PCR negative for OHV-2. The CpHV-2, PCR amplicons from the hinds, and the 2 healthy goats had an identical single base polymorphism. A male sika deer that was housed with the hinds and a fawn from 1 of the hinds remained asymptomatic and were PCR negative for CpHV-2. This represents the first report of mortality with MCF-like lesions in association with CpHV-2.

Sex and age differences in meat composition of Yeso sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) reared for a short period after capture in the wild.

PubMed

Hayashida, Maki; Souma, Kousaku; Sugo, Kazuki; Araki, Shin-Ichi; Ishizaka, Fumiaki; Ueda, Masami; Kasai, Takamasa; Masuko, Takayoshi

2015-02-01

Yeso sika deer captured in winter around Lake Akan in Hokkaido were reared for 8-10 months at Tokyo University of Agriculture in Abashiri. Six 1-year-old females and males and six 2-year-old or older (adult) females and males were slaughtered and their carcasses were processed. The chemical composition, mineral contents and fatty acid composition of the loin were measured. No marked influence of gender or age was noted in the chemical composition of loin. In the mineral contents, significant differences were noted. The potassium and sulfur contents were lower and the sodium content was higher in adult deer meat (P < 0.05, respectively) and the potassium content was higher in male deer meat (P < 0.05). Arsenic, cadmium or lead were not detected. In the unsaturated fatty acid, a significant interaction was detected (P < 0.05), and it was high in 1-year-old female deer meat and low in 1-year-old male deer meat. Significant gender or age differences were noted only in the mineral contents in the loin of deer reared for a short period after capture. © 2014 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Serum hormone concentrations and ovarian follicular wave emergence in Jilin sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) after synchronization of estrous cycles.

PubMed

Chen, X M; Wei, H J; Yang, Y F; Xue, H L; Zhao, W G; Zhao, M

2015-02-01

The study was conducted to investigate the serum hormone concentrations and follicular dynamics present after synchronous treatment (CIDR) in female Jilin sika deer (n = 15) of estrous cycles. Blood samples were collected to analyze the FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone during the estrous cycles. Manual transrectal ultrasonography examination was conducted at least thrice weekly to monitor the follicular wave. Ultrasonography showed that follicle development occurred in waves, and most estrous cycles in Jilin sika deer consist of one, two, or three waves. The largest follicles of the interwaves of two- and three-wave cycles were different (P < 0.05). The mean interovulatory interval was 15.0 ± 4.6 d. There was a surge in circulating FSH in two- and three-wave cycles. The emergence of the largest follicle was related to the peak of serum concentration of estradiol. Serum progesterone concentrations were not different between one- and three-wave cycles (P < 0.05). We concluded that FSH and estradiol concentration may have an important role in controlling follicular development, that the estrous cycle in Jilin sika deer is characterized by one, two, or three waves of follicular development after synchronization. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Higher sika deer density is associated with higher local abundance of Haemaphysalis longicornis nymphs and adults but not larvae in central Japan.

PubMed

Tsukada, Hideharu; Nakamura, Yoshio; Kamio, Tsugihiko; Inokuma, Hisashi; Hanafusa, Yasuko; Matsuda, Naoko; Maruyama, Tetsuya; Ohba, Takahiro; Nagata, Koji

2014-02-01

Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) is one of the most common and important arthropod disease vectors in Japan, carrying Japanese spotted fever and bovine theileriosis. The recent expansion of sika deer (Cervus nippon, Artiodactyla: Cervidae) populations, the most common wild host of H. longicornis, has also caused concern about increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases in Japan. We used generalized linear mixed model analysis to determine the relative contribution of deer density and other biological and abiotic factors on the abundance of H. longicornis ticks questing at each developmental stage. A total of 6223 H. longicornis adults, nymphs, and larvae were collected from 70 sites in three regions of central Japan. The abundance of questing adult and nymphal ticks was associated with deer density and other biotic and abiotic factors. However, the abundance of questing larvae showed no association with deer density but did show an association with other biotic and abiotic factors. These findings show that a high density of deer along with other biotic and abiotic factors is associated with increased risk of vector-borne diseases through amplified local abundance of questing nymphal and adult H. longicornis. Further, questing larvae abundance is likely regulated by environmental conditions and is likely correlated with survival potential or the distribution of other host species.

Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis E virus among wild sika deer, Cervus nippon, in Japan.

PubMed

Matsuura, Y; Suzuki, M; Yoshimatsu, K; Arikawa, J; Takashima, I; Yokoyama, M; Igota, H; Yamauchi, K; Ishida, S; Fukui, D; Bando, G; Kosuge, M; Tsunemitsu, H; Koshimoto, C; Sakae, K; Chikahira, M; Ogawa, S; Miyamura, T; Takeda, N; Li, T C

2007-01-01

We examined 976 sika deer serum samples, 159 liver tissue samples and 88 stool samples collected from 16 prefectures in Japan, and performed ELISA and RT-PCR assays to detect antibodies to HEV and HEV RNA, respectively. Although 25 (2.6%) of 976 samples were positive for anti-HEV IgG, the antibody titers were very low. The OD values ranged between 0.018 and 0.486, forming a single distribution rather than a bimodal distribution, suggesting that the antibody detected in this study was not induced by HEV infection, or that deer have low sensitivity to HEV. HEV RNA was not detected in these samples, also suggesting that deer may not play a role as an HEV reservoir.

Genome-Wide SNP Discovery and Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Farmed Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) in Northeast China Using Double-Digest Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing.

PubMed

Ba, Hengxing; Jia, Boyin; Wang, Guiwu; Yang, Yifeng; Kedem, Gilead; Li, Chunyi

2017-09-07

Sika deer are an economically valuable species owing to their use in traditional Chinese medicine, particularly their velvet antlers. Sika deer in northeast China are mostly farmed in enclosure. Therefore, genetic management of farmed sika deer would benefit from detailed knowledge of their genetic diversity. In this study, we generated over 1.45 billion high-quality paired-end reads (288 Gbp) across 42 unrelated individuals using double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq). A total of 96,188 (29.63%) putative biallelic SNP loci were identified with an average sequencing depth of 23×. Based on the analysis, we found that the majority of the loci had a deficit of heterozygotes (F IS >0) and low values of H obs , which could be due to inbreeding and Wahlund effects. We also developed a collection of high-quality SNP probes that will likely be useful in a variety of applications in genotyping for cervid species in the future. Copyright © 2017 Ba et al.

Genome-Wide SNP Discovery and Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Farmed Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) in Northeast China Using Double-Digest Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing

PubMed Central

Ba, Hengxing; Jia, Boyin; Wang, Guiwu; Yang, Yifeng; Kedem, Gilead; Li, Chunyi

2017-01-01

Sika deer are an economically valuable species owing to their use in traditional Chinese medicine, particularly their velvet antlers. Sika deer in northeast China are mostly farmed in enclosure. Therefore, genetic management of farmed sika deer would benefit from detailed knowledge of their genetic diversity. In this study, we generated over 1.45 billion high-quality paired-end reads (288 Gbp) across 42 unrelated individuals using double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq). A total of 96,188 (29.63%) putative biallelic SNP loci were identified with an average sequencing depth of 23×. Based on the analysis, we found that the majority of the loci had a deficit of heterozygotes (FIS >0) and low values of Hobs, which could be due to inbreeding and Wahlund effects. We also developed a collection of high-quality SNP probes that will likely be useful in a variety of applications in genotyping for cervid species in the future. PMID:28751500

Cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of the catalytic domain of sika deer MMP-13.

PubMed

Zhang, Xueliang; Wang, Jiawen; Liu, Meichen; Wang, Siming; Zhang, Hui; Zhao, Yu

2016-11-01

Matrix metalloproteinase 13 is one of three mammalian collagenases that are capable of initiating the degradation of interstitial collagens during wound healing. Herein, we report for the first time the molecular cloning of the catalytic domain (CD) of sika deer MMP-13, followed by protein expression in Escherichia coli and purification by affinity chromatography. The final yield was approximately 90.4 mg per liter of growth culture with a purity of 91.6%. The mass recovery during the purification and renaturation were 70.2% and 81.5%, respectively. Using gelatin zymography and a degradation assay, we found that the refolded sika deer MMP-13 (CD) could digest gelatin. The optimal pH and temperature for the enzyme bioactivity was 8.0 and 37 °C, respectively. The Km value for the enzyme-catalyzed digestion of gelatin was 136+/-8 μg/mL, and the Vmax was 4.12 × 10(3) U/μg. sdMMP13 (CD) was able to completely degrade collagen II and gelatin, and partially degrade fibronectin. The sdMMP-13 (CD) activity was significantly inhibited by several chemicals including 1, 10-phenanthroline, EDTA, Fe(2+), Cu(2+), and Mn(2+). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Molecular and Serological Survey of Rickettsiales Bacteria in Wild Sika Deer (Cervus nippon nippon) in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan: High Prevalence of Anaplasma Species.

PubMed

Wu, Dongxing; Wuritu; Yoshikawa, Yuko; Gaowa; Kawamori, Fumihiko; Ikegaya, Asaka; Ohtake, Masayoshi; Ohashi, Masataka; Shimada, Masahiko; Takada, Ayumi; Iwai, Katsuki; Ohashi, Norio

2015-01-01

We surveyed Rickettsiales bacteria, including Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Neoehrlichia, in wild sika deer (Cervus nippon nippon) from Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. In spleen samples from 187 deer, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (deer type), A. bovis, and A. centrale were successfully detected by PCR assay targeting to 16S rDNA or p44/msp2, and their positive rates were 96.3% (180/187), 53.5% (100/187), and 78.1% (146/187), respectively. Additionally, 2 or 3 Anaplasma species could be detected from a single deer in 165 spleen samples (88.2%), indicating dual or triple infection. In contrast, A. phagocytophilum (human type) 16S rDNA, Rickettsia gltA, Ehrlichia p28/omp-1, and Neoehrlichia 16S rDNA could not be amplified. The serological test of 105 deer serum samples by immunofluorescence assay showed that the detection of antibodies against antigens of A. phagocytophilum HZ (US-human isolate) and Rickettsia japonica YH were 29.5% (31/105) and 75.2% (79/105), respectively. These findings suggest that A. phagocytophilum (deer type), A. centrale, and A. bovis are highly dominant and prevalent in wild sika deer from Shizuoka, a central region of Japan, and that the antibodies against some Rickettsiales bacteria have also been retained in deer blood.

New Genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Isolated from Sika Deer and Red Deer in China.

PubMed

Huang, Jianying; Zhang, Zhenjie; Yang, Yong; Wang, Rongjun; Zhao, Jinfeng; Jian, Fuchun; Ning, Changshen; Zhang, Longxian

2017-01-01

To examine the occurrence and genotype distribution of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cervids, 615 fecal samples were collected from red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) and sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) on 10 different farms in Henan and Jilin Province. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was identified and genotyped with a nested PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA genes, showing an average infection rate of 35.9% (221/615). In this study, 25 ITS genotypes were identified including seven known genotypes (BEB6, EbpC, EbpA, D, HLJDI, HLJD-IV, and COS-I) and 18 novel genotypes (designated JLD-I to JLD-XIV, HND-I to HND-IV). Among these, BEB6 (131/221, 59.3%) was the predominant genotype ( P < 0.01), followed by HLJDI (18/221, 8.1%) and JLD-VIII (16/221, 7.2%). BEB6 has recently been detected in humans and nonhuman primates in China. The phylogenetic analysis showed that BEB6, HLJDI, HLJD-IV, COS-I, and 10 novel genotypes (JLD-VII to JLD-XIV, HND-III to HND-IV) clustered in group 2. Genotype D, EbpC, and EbpA, known to cause human microsporidiosis worldwide, clustered in group 1, the members of which have zoonotic potential, together with eight novel genotypes (JLD-I to JLD-VI, HND-I to HND-II). Therefore, deer may play a role in the transmission of E. bieneusi to humans.

Seasonal and year-round use of the Kushiro Wetland, Hokkaido, Japan by sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis).

PubMed

Takafumi, Hino; Kamii, Tatsuya; Murai, Takunari; Yoshida, Ryoto; Sato, Atsuki; Tachiki, Yasuyuki; Akamatsu, Rika; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

The sika deer ( Cervus nippon yesoensis ) population in the Ramsar-listed Kushiro Wetland has increased in recent years, and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan has decided to take measures to reduce the impact of deer on the ecosystem. However, seasonal movement patterns of the deer (i.e., when and where the deer inhabit the wetland) remain unclear. We examined the seasonal movement patterns of sika deer in the Kushiro Wetland from 2013 to 2015 by analyzing GPS location data for 28 hinds captured at three sites in the wetland. Seasonal movement patterns were quantitatively classified as seasonal migration, mixed, dispersal, nomadic, resident, or atypical, and the degree of wetland utilization for each individual was estimated. The area of overlap for each individual among intra-capture sites and inter-capture sites was calculated for the entire year and for each season. Our results showed that the movement patterns of these deer were classified not only as resident but also as seasonal migration, dispersal, and atypical. Approximately one-third of the individuals moved into and out of the wetland during the year as either seasonal migrants or individuals with atypical movement. Some of the individuals migrated to farmland areas outside the wetland (the farthest being 69.9 km away). Half of the individuals inhabited the wetland all or most of the year, i.e., 81-100% of their annual home range was within the wetland area. Even among individuals captured at the same site, different seasonal movement patterns were identified. The overlap areas of the home ranges of individuals from the same capture sites were larger than those for individuals from different capture sites (e.g., mean of annual home range overlap with intra-capture sites: 47.7% vs. inter-sites: 1.3%). To achieve more effective ecosystem management including deer management in the wetland, management plans should cover inside and outside of the wetland and separate the population into multiple

Seasonal and year-round use of the Kushiro Wetland, Hokkaido, Japan by sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis)

PubMed Central

Takafumi, Hino; Kamii, Tatsuya; Murai, Takunari; Yoshida, Ryoto; Sato, Atsuki; Tachiki, Yasuyuki; Akamatsu, Rika

2017-01-01

The sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) population in the Ramsar-listed Kushiro Wetland has increased in recent years, and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan has decided to take measures to reduce the impact of deer on the ecosystem. However, seasonal movement patterns of the deer (i.e., when and where the deer inhabit the wetland) remain unclear. We examined the seasonal movement patterns of sika deer in the Kushiro Wetland from 2013 to 2015 by analyzing GPS location data for 28 hinds captured at three sites in the wetland. Seasonal movement patterns were quantitatively classified as seasonal migration, mixed, dispersal, nomadic, resident, or atypical, and the degree of wetland utilization for each individual was estimated. The area of overlap for each individual among intra-capture sites and inter-capture sites was calculated for the entire year and for each season. Our results showed that the movement patterns of these deer were classified not only as resident but also as seasonal migration, dispersal, and atypical. Approximately one-third of the individuals moved into and out of the wetland during the year as either seasonal migrants or individuals with atypical movement. Some of the individuals migrated to farmland areas outside the wetland (the farthest being 69.9 km away). Half of the individuals inhabited the wetland all or most of the year, i.e., 81–100% of their annual home range was within the wetland area. Even among individuals captured at the same site, different seasonal movement patterns were identified. The overlap areas of the home ranges of individuals from the same capture sites were larger than those for individuals from different capture sites (e.g., mean of annual home range overlap with intra-capture sites: 47.7% vs. inter-sites: 1.3%). To achieve more effective ecosystem management including deer management in the wetland, management plans should cover inside and outside of the wetland and separate the population into multiple

Morphological and molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. from the sika deer (Cervus nippon), including two new species Sarcocystis frondea and Sarcocystis nipponi.

PubMed

Rudaitytė-Lukošienė, Eglė; Prakas, Petras; Butkauskas, Dalius; Kutkienė, Liuda; Vepštaitė-Monstavičė, Iglė; Servienė, Elena

2018-05-01

Diaphragm muscles of 25 sika deer (Cervus nippon) farmed in Lithuania were examined for sarcocysts of Sarcocystis species. Two new Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis frondea and Sarcocystis nipponi, were observed using light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and characterized by 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase (cox1) sequence analyses. By LM, sarcocysts of S. frondea and S. nipponi were ribbon-shaped and had finger-like sarcocyst wall protrusions, respectively. Under TEM, protrusions of S. frondea were about 9 × 1-1.5 μm, filled with clearly visible electron-dense substance and microtubules, type 39-like. Whereas, protrusions (about 9 × 0.2 μm) of S. nipponi arose from dome-shaped bases were filled with microtubules extending to the ground substance layer, type 9o-like. Moreover, three known Sarcocystis spp., Sarcocystis entzerothi, Sarcocystis ovalis, and Sarcocystis truncata previously described in other cervids as intermediate hosts, were characterized in sika deer. The cox1 was more suitable than 18S rDNA delimitating closely related Sarcocystis species from cervids. The phylogenetic results suggest that scavenger birds could be definitive hosts of S. frondea. According to the summarized morphological data on Sarcocystis found in the sika deer, such host should harbor at least nine different Sarcocystis species.

Sika Deer Antler Collagen Type I-Accelerated Osteogenesis in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells via the Smad Pathway

PubMed Central

Li, Na; Zhang, Min; Drummen, Gregor P. C.; Zhao, Yu; Tan, Yin Fen; Luo, Su; Qu, Xiao Bo

2016-01-01

Deer antler preparations have been used to strengthen bones for centuries. It is particularly rich in collagen type I. This study aimed to unravel part of the purported bioremedial effect of Sika deer antler collagen type I (SDA-Col I) on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The results suggest that SDA-Col I might be used to promote and regulate osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. SDA-Col I might potentially provide the basis for novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of bone injury and/or in scaffolds for bone replacement strategies. Finally, isolation of SDA-Col I from deer antler represents a renewable, green, and uncomplicated way to obtain a biomedically valuable therapeutic. PMID:27066099

Effects of deer velvet extract from Formosan sika deer on the embryonic development and anti-oxidative enzymes mRNA expression in mouse embryos.

PubMed

Cheng, Shih-Lin; Lai, Yi-Ling; Lee, Ming-Che; Shen, Perng-Chih; Liu, Shyh-Shyan; Liu, Bing-Tsan

2014-07-03

The deer velvet or its extracts has been widely used in clinic. It has been used in promoting reproductive performances and treating of oxidation and aging process. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of velvet extract from Formosan sika deer (Formosan sika deer; Cervus nippon taiouanus, FSD) velvet on mouse embryonic development and anti-oxidant ability in vitro. Mouse 4-cells embryos were divided into 16 groups for 72 h in vitro incubation. The embryonic development stages and morphology were evaluated every 12h in experimental period. The quantitative real time PCR was used to measure the CuZn-SOD, GPx and CAT mRNA expression of the blastocysts. The 4-cells embryos of hydrogen peroxide (HP) groups did not continue developing after oxidant stress challenged. The blastocyst developmental rate (90.0-90.4%, P>0.05) and normal morphological rate (84.4-85.1%, P>0.05) of the 1% and 2% DV extract groups were similar to those in the control group (90.7% and 88.8%, respectively). The embryos challenged by HP (5, 10 and 25 μM) and subsequently incubated in mHTF medium with 1% and 2% of deer velvet (DV) extracts were able to continue development; the blastocyst developmental rate of these groups were similar to that in the control group. The relative mRNA expression of the focused anti-oxidative enzymes in the mouse embryos did not significantly differ among the designed DV treatment groups (P>0.05). The FSD velvet extract in adequate concentration could promote anti-oxidative enzymes mRNA expression followed the challenge of hydrogen peroxide, relieve the mouse embryo under oxidative stress, and maintain the blastocyst developmental ability in vitro. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Straight and branched-chain fatty acids in preorbital glands of sika deer, Cervus nippon.

PubMed

Wood, William F

2004-02-01

Using GC-MS analysis, 11 major volatile compounds were found in the preorbital gland secretion from a female sika deer, Cervus nippon. These compounds are the C14 through C18 straight-chain fatty acids, (ZZ)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 12-methyltridecanoic acid, 13-methyltetradecanoic acid, 14-methylpentadecanoic acid, 14-methylhexadecanoic acid, and 15-methylhexadecanoic acid. The five branched-chain acids make up over 29% of the volatiles in the gland. This is the first time branched-chain carboxylic acids have been reported from ungulate preorbital glands.

Host-Seeking Behavior of Trombiculid Mites on Vegetation in Relation to Sika Deer.

PubMed

Tsunoda, Takashi; Takahashi, Mamoru

2015-03-01

We collected larval trombiculid mites on vegetation monthly from October 1997 to February 2000, and from the heads of sika deer culled in March 2003 in Boso Peninsula, central Japan. Two species of trombiculid mites, Neotrombicula nogamii Takahashi, Takano, Misumi, and Kikuchi and Leptotrombidium scutellare Nagayo, Miyagawa, Mitamura, and Tamiya, occurred on vegetation. Peak numbers of N. nogamii were found in January, and L. scutellare numbers peaked in November. Both species were collected predominantly on the top of Sasa bamboo stems, where they formed clusters, though N. nogamii preferred heights of 40-50 cm. Furthermore, N. nogamii and Walchia masoni (Asanuma and Saito) were collected from deer. These findings indicate that vegetation is an important substrate for some trombiculid mites awaiting hosts. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

CONTROLLING ANTLER GROWTH IN A CASTRATED INDOCHINESE SIKA DEER CERVUS NIPPON PSEUDAXIS USING A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE TRENBOLONE ACETATE AND ESTRADIOL IMPLANT.

PubMed

Raines, Janis A; Storms, Timothy

2015-12-01

A captive Indochinese sika deer (Cervus nippon pseudaxis) was castrated at the age of 5 yr. The resultant abnormal antler growth over the next few years became difficult to manage from both the veterinary and husbandry standpoints. Using a commercially available trenbolone acetate and estradiol implant marketed for domestic cattle heifers, normal mineralization of the abnormal antlers was achieved along with the expected normal casting. The deer was then maintained for 6 yr using an annual implant regimen.

The Babesia divergens Asia Lineage Is Maintained through Enzootic Cycles between Ixodes persulcatus and Sika Deer in Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Zamoto-Niikura, Aya; Tsuji, Masayoshi; Qiang, Wei; Morikawa, Shigeru; Hanaki, Ken-Ichi; Holman, Patricia J; Ishihara, Chiaki

2018-04-01

Parasites of the Babesia divergens Asia lineage, which are closely related to B. divergens in Europe and Babesia sp. strain MO1 in the United States, were recently reported in sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) in eastern Japan. To identify the tick vector(s) for this parasite, we conducted a field survey in Hokkaido, Japan, where the infection rate in sika deer is the highest in the country. A specific PCR system which detects and discriminates between lineages within B. divergens and between those lineages and Babesia venatorum showed that Ixodes persulcatus (11/822), but not sympatric Ixodes ovatus (0/595) or Haemaphysalis sp. (0/163) ticks, carried B. divergens Asia lineage. Genomic DNA was archived from salivary glands of partially engorged I. persulcatus females and three isolates of B. divergens Asia lineage were newly described. The 18S rRNA gene sequence of the isolates formed the Asia lineage cluster with those previously described in sika deer isolates. One salivary gland also contained parasites of Babesia microti U.S. lineage, which were subsequently isolated in a hamster in vivo B. venatorum (strain Etb5) was also detected in one I. persulcatus tick. The 18S rRNA sequence of Etb5 was 99.7% identical to that of B. venatorum (AY046575) and was phylogenetically positioned in a taxon composed of B. venatorum isolates from Europe, China, and Russia. The geographical distribution of I. persulcatus is consistent with that of B. divergens in sika deer in Japan. These results suggest that I. persulcatus is a principal vector for B. divergens in Japan and Eurasia, where I. persulcatus is predominantly distributed. IMPORTANCE The Babesia divergens Asia lineage of parasites closely related to B. divergens in Europe and Babesia sp. MO1 in the United States was recently reported in Cervus nippon in eastern Japan. In this study, specific PCR for the Asia lineage identified 11 positives in 822 host-seeking Ixodes persulcatus ticks, a principal vector for many tick

The inter-relationship between dietary and environmental properties and tooth wear: comparisons of mesowear, molar wear rate, and hypsodonty index of extant Sika deer populations.

PubMed

Kubo, Mugino Ozaki; Yamada, Eisuke

2014-01-01

In reference to the evolutionary trend of increasing cheek tooth height in herbivorous ungulates, the causes of dental abrasion have long been debated. Interspecific comparisons of extant ungulates have revealed that both phytoliths in grass and external abrasive matter may play important roles. Using analysis of extant sika deer living in various environments and showing continuous latitudinal variation in food habits from northern grazing to southern browsing, we quantitatively evaluated the influence of dietary and environmental properties on three dental variables: mesowear score (MS), molar wear rate, and M3 hypsodonty index. We used 547 skulls and 740 mandibles from 16 populations of sika deer to obtain the dental measurements. We found that only graminoid proportion in diet correlated with MS and the molar wear rate, implying that phytoliths in grass abrade dental tissues. In contrast, annual precipitation in habitat was not correlated with any of the dental variables. We also found a significant correlation between the molar wear rate (selective pressure for high-crowned molars) and the M3 hypsodonty index of extant sika deer, implying an evolutionary increment in molar height corresponding to the molar wear rate. Our intraspecific comparative analyses provide further support for use of mesowear analysis as a paleodiet estimation method; it not only reveals staple food types (graminoids or dicots) but also implies regional or seasonal variation in the diet of the species.

The Inter-Relationship between Dietary and Environmental Properties and Tooth Wear: Comparisons of Mesowear, Molar Wear Rate, and Hypsodonty Index of Extant Sika Deer Populations

PubMed Central

Kubo, Mugino Ozaki; Yamada, Eisuke

2014-01-01

In reference to the evolutionary trend of increasing cheek tooth height in herbivorous ungulates, the causes of dental abrasion have long been debated. Interspecific comparisons of extant ungulates have revealed that both phytoliths in grass and external abrasive matter may play important roles. Using analysis of extant sika deer living in various environments and showing continuous latitudinal variation in food habits from northern grazing to southern browsing, we quantitatively evaluated the influence of dietary and environmental properties on three dental variables: mesowear score (MS), molar wear rate, and M3 hypsodonty index. We used 547 skulls and 740 mandibles from 16 populations of sika deer to obtain the dental measurements. We found that only graminoid proportion in diet correlated with MS and the molar wear rate, implying that phytoliths in grass abrade dental tissues. In contrast, annual precipitation in habitat was not correlated with any of the dental variables. We also found a significant correlation between the molar wear rate (selective pressure for high-crowned molars) and the M3 hypsodonty index of extant sika deer, implying an evolutionary increment in molar height corresponding to the molar wear rate. Our intraspecific comparative analyses provide further support for use of mesowear analysis as a paleodiet estimation method; it not only reveals staple food types (graminoids or dicots) but also implies regional or seasonal variation in the diet of the species. PMID:24603896

Accessory corpora lutea formation in pregnant Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) investigated by examination of ovarian dynamics and steroid hormone concentrations.

PubMed

Yanagawa, Yojiro; Matsuura, Yukiko; Suzuki, Masatsugu; Saga, Shin-Ichi; Okuyama, Hideto; Fukui, Daisuke; Bando, Gen; Nagano, Masashi; Katagiri, Seiji; Takahashi, Yoshiyuki; Tsubota, Toshio

2015-01-01

Generally, sika deer conceive a single fetus, but approximately 80% of pregnant females have two corpora lutea (CLs). The function of the accessory CL (ACL) is unknown; moreover, the process of ACL formation is unclear, and understanding this is necessary to know its role. To elucidate the process of ACL formation, the ovarian dynamics of six adult Hokkaido sika deer females were examined ultrasonographically together with peripheral estradiol-17β and progesterone concentrations. ACLs formed in three females that conceived at the first estrus of the breeding season, but not in those females that conceived at the second estrus. After copulation, postconception ovulation of the dominant follicle of the first wave is induced by an increase in estradiol-17β, which leads to formation of an ACL. A relatively low concentration of progesterone after the first estrus of the breeding season is considered to be responsible for the increase in estradiol-17β after copulation.

Accessory corpora lutea formation in pregnant Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) investigated by examination of ovarian dynamics and steroid hormone concentrations

PubMed Central

YANAGAWA, Yojiro; MATSUURA, Yukiko; SUZUKI, Masatsugu; SAGA, Shin-ichi; OKUYAMA, Hideto; FUKUI, Daisuke; BANDO, Gen; NAGANO, Masashi; KATAGIRI, Seiji; TAKAHASHI, Yoshiyuki; TSUBOTA, Toshio

2014-01-01

Generally, sika deer conceive a single fetus, but approximately 80% of pregnant females have two corpora lutea (CLs). The function of the accessory CL (ACL) is unknown; moreover, the process of ACL formation is unclear, and understanding this is necessary to know its role. To elucidate the process of ACL formation, the ovarian dynamics of six adult Hokkaido sika deer females were examined ultrasonographically together with peripheral estradiol-17β and progesterone concentrations. ACLs formed in three females that conceived at the first estrus of the breeding season, but not in those females that conceived at the second estrus. After copulation, postconception ovulation of the dominant follicle of the first wave is induced by an increase in estradiol-17β, which leads to formation of an ACL. A relatively low concentration of progesterone after the first estrus of the breeding season is considered to be responsible for the increase in estradiol-17β after copulation. PMID:25482110

Mismatch repair mRNA and protein expression in intestinal adenocarcinoma in sika deer (Cervus nippon) resembling heritable non-polyposis colorectal cancer in man.

PubMed

Jahns, H; Browne, J A

2015-01-01

Intestinal adenocarcinomas seen in an inbred herd of farmed sika deer (Cervus nippon) morphologically resembled human hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Features common to both included multiple de novo sites of tumourigenesis in the proximal colon, sessile and non-polyposis mucosal changes, the frequent finding of mucinous type adenocarcinoma, lymphocyte infiltration into the neoplastic tubules and Crohn's-like lymphoid follicles at the deep margin of the tumour. HNPCC is defined by a germline mutation of mismatch repair (MMR) genes resulting in their inactivation and loss of expression. To test the hypothesis that similar MMR gene inactivation occurs in the deer tumours, the expression of the four most important MMR genes, MSH2, MLH1, MSH6 and PMS2, was examined at the mRNA level by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (n = 12) and at the protein level by immunohistochemistry (n = 40) in tumour and control tissues. All four genes were expressed equally in normal and neoplastic tissues, so MMR gene inactivation could not be implicated in the carcinogenesis of this tumour in sika deer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization and specific detection of Anaplasma species (AP-sd) in sika deer and its first detection in wild brown bears and rodents in Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Moustafa, Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed; Lee, Kyunglee; Taylor, Kyle; Nakao, Ryo; Sashika, Mariko; Shimozuru, Michito; Tsubota, Toshio

2015-12-01

A previously undescribed Anaplasma species (herein referred to as AP-sd) has been detected in sika deer, cattle and ticks in Japan. Despite being highly similar to some strains of A. phagocytophilum, AP-sd has never been detected in humans. Its ambiguous epidemiology and the lack of tools for its specific detection make it difficult to understand and interpret the prevalence of this Anaplasma species. We developed a method for specific detection, and examined AP-sd prevalence in Hokkaido wildlife. Our study included 250 sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), 13 brown bears (Ursus arctos yesoensis) and 252 rodents including 138 (Apodemus speciosus), 45 (Apodemus argenteus), 42 (Myodes rufocanus) and 27 (Myodes rutilus) were collected from Hokkaido island, northern Japan, collected during 2010 to 2015. A 770 bp and 382 bp segment of the 16S rRNA and gltA genes, respectively, were amplified by nested PCR. Results were confirmed by cloning and sequencing of the positive PCR products. A reverse line blot hybridization (RLB) based on the 16S rRNA gene was then developed for the specific detection of AP-sd. The prevalence of AP-sd by nested PCR in sika deer was 51% (128/250). We detected this Anaplasma sp. for the first time in wild brown bears and rodents with a prevalence of 15% (2/13) and 2.4% (6/252), respectively. The sequencing results of the 16S rRNA and gltA gene amplicons were divergent from the selected A. phagocytophilum sequences in GenBank. Using a newly designed AP-sd specific probe for RLB has enabled us to specifically detect this Anaplasma species. Besides sika deer and cattle, wild brown bears and rodents were identified as potential reservoir hosts for AP-sd. This study provided a high throughput molecular method that specifically detects AP-sd, and which can be used to investigate its ecology and its potential as a threat to humans in Japan. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor stimulates E2 and P4 secretion in sika deer ovarian granulosa cells at a moderate dose.

PubMed

Xing, Mingjie; Chen, Xiumin; Li, Xiaoxia; Yang, Yifeng; Wang, Xiaoxu; Cao, Xinyan; Xue, Hailong; Wang, Shiyong; Diao, Yunfei; Zhao, Weigang; Zhao, Meng; Cui, Xuezhe; Chang, Tong; Xu, Baozeng; Wei, Haijun

2018-03-01

The histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) and tumor suppressor play an important role in genome reorganization and epigenetic regulation. In this study, granulosa cells (GCs) isolated from sika deer ovaries were cultured and treated with different concentrations of trichostatin A (TSA) for 48 h. It was found that TSA inhibited GCs proliferation and induced GCs apoptosis by upregulating expression of BAX, meanwhile, downregulating expression of GLUT3, GLUT8, BCL-XL. In addition, TSA caused cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2/M phase accompanied by reducing expression of Cyclin D2 and CDK4. TSA pretreatment increased DNMT3a, DNMT1, HDAC1, and HAT1 expression, and attenuated them when TAS higher than 50 nM. The protein levels of H3K9ac and H4K8ac in GCs were increased at 48 h after TSA treatment. TSA stimulated the secretion of estradiol and progesterone at a moderate dose. Our data suggest that TSA is important as a regulator of steroid hormone synthesis in granulosa cells during follicular development in the sika deer ovary. © 2018 International Federation for Cell Biology.

Numerical investigation of bone remodelling around immediately loaded dental implants using sika deer (Cervus nippon) antlers as implant bed.

PubMed

He, Yun; Hasan, Istabrak; Keilig, Ludger; Fischer, Dominik; Ziegler, Luisa; Abboud, Marcus; Wahl, Gerhard; Bourauel, Christoph

2018-03-01

This study combines finite element method and animal studies, aiming to investigate tissue remodelling processes around dental implants inserted into sika deer antler and to develop an alternative animal consuming model for studying bone remodelling around implants. Implants were inserted in the antlers and loaded immediately via a self-developed loading device. After 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks, implants and surrounding tissue were taken out. Specimens were scanned by μCT scanner and finite element models were generated. Immediate loading and osseointegration conditions were simulated at the implant-tissue interface. A vertical force of 10 N was applied on the implant. During the healing time, density and Young's modulus of antler tissue around the implant increased significantly. For each time point, the values of displacement, stresses and strains in the osseointegration model were lower than those of the immediate loading model. As the healing time increased, the displacement of implants was reduced. The 3-week immediate loading model (9878 ± 1965 μstrain) illustrated the highest strains in the antler tissue. Antler tissue showed similar biomechanical properties as human bone in investigating the bone remodelling around implants, therefore the use of sika deer antler model is a promising alternative in implant biomechanical studies.

A relapsing fever group Borrelia sp. similar to Borrelia lonestari found among wild sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) and Haemaphysalis spp. ticks in Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Lee, Kyunglee; Takano, Ai; Taylor, Kyle; Sashika, Mariko; Shimozuru, Michito; Konnai, Satoru; Kawabata, Hiroki; Tsubota, Toshio

2014-10-01

A relapsing fever Borrelia sp. similar to Borrelia lonestari (herein referred to as B. lonestari-like) was detected from wild sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) and Haemaphysalis ticks in the eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan. The total prevalence of this Borrelia sp. in tested deer blood samples was 10.6% using conventional PCR and real-time PCR. The prevalence was significantly higher in deer fawns compared to adults (21.9% and 9.4%, respectively). Additionally, there was significant regional difference between our two sampling areas, Shiretoko and Shibetsu with 17% and 2.8% prevalence, respectively. Regional differences were also found in tick species collected from field and on deer. In the Shiretoko region, Haemaphysalis spp. were more abundant than Ixodes spp., while in Shibetsu, Ixodes spp. were more abundant. Using real-time PCR analysis, B. lonestari-like was detected from 2 out of 290 adult Haemaphysalis spp. ticks and 4 out of 76 pools of nymphs. This is the first report of a B. lonestari-like organism in Haemaphysalis spp. ticks, and the first phylogenetic analysis of this B. lonestari-like organism in Asia. Based on our results, Haemaphysalis spp. are the most likely candidates to act as a vector for B. lonestari-like; furthermore, regional variation of B. lonestari-like prevalence in sika deer may be dependent on the population distribution of these ticks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Antimicrobial-Resistant Escherichia coli from Farm-Raised Diarrheic Sika Deer in Northeastern China

PubMed Central

Li, Rui; He, Liang; Hao, Lili; Wang, Qi; Zhou, Yu; Jiang, Hongchen

2013-01-01

In China, overuse and/or abuse of antimicrobials are common in stockbreeding, which possess high risks of antimicrobial-resistant contaminations. The serogroups, major virulence genes, and antimicrobial resistant patterns of the antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) were investigated in the feces of diarrheic farm-raised sika deer from 50 farms in three Northeastern provinces of China. A total of 220 E. coli isolates were obtained and characterized. Twenty-eight O serogroups were identified from the obtained E. coli isolates with O2, O26, O128, O142 and O154 being dominant. Nearly all the isolates were resistant to at least four of the tested antimicrobials. More than 90% of the E. coli isolates carried at least one of the tested virulence genes. About 85% of the E. coli isolates carried one or more antimicrobial-resistant genes responsible for resistant phenotypes of sulfonamides, streptomycin/spectionomycin or tetracycline. The antimicrobial resistant level and pathogenic group occurrences of the obtained E. coli isolates were higher than that of livestock and wild animals reported in some developed countries. Thus, the fecal-carrying antimicrobial-resistant E. coli from the farm-raised sika deer is potentially a significant contamination source for freshwater systems and food chain, and may pose great health risks for human and animals in Northeastern China. PMID:24039919

Characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from feces of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan using PCR binary typing analysis to evaluate their potential human pathogenicity.

PubMed

Kabeya, Hidenori; Sato, Shingo; Oda, Shinya; Kawamura, Megumi; Nagasaka, Mariko; Kuranaga, Masanari; Yokoyama, Eiji; Hirai, Shinichiro; Iguchi, Atsushi; Ishihara, Tomoe; Kuroki, Toshiro; Morita-Ishihara, Tomoko; Iyoda, Sunao; Terajima, Jun; Ohnishi, Makoto; Maruyama, Soichi

2017-05-03

This study examined the potential pathogenicity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in feces of sika deer by PCR binary typing (P-BIT), using 24 selected STEC genes. A total of 31 STEC strains derived from sika deer in 6 prefectures of Japan were O-serotyped and found to be O93 (n=12), O146 (n=5), O176 (n=3), O130 (n=3), O5 (n=2), O7 (n=1), O96 (n=1), O116 (n=1), O141 (n=1), O157 (n=1) and O-untypable (n=1). Of the 31 STEC strains, 13 carried both stx1 and stx2, 5 carried only stx1, and 13 carried one or two variants of stx2. However, no Stx2 production was observed in 3 strains that carried only stx2: the other 28 strains produced the appropriate Stx. P-BIT analysis showed that the 5 O5 strains from two wild deer formed a cluster with human STEC strains, suggesting that the profiles of the presence of the 24 P-BIT genes in the deer strains were significantly similar to those in human strains. All of the other non-O157 STEC strains in this study were classified with strains from food, domestic animals and humans in another cluster. Good sanitary conditions should be used for deer meat processing to avoid STEC contamination, because STEC is prevalent in deer and deer may be a potential source of STEC causing human infections.

Differences in the methanogen population exist in sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed different diets in China.

PubMed

Li, Zhi Peng; Liu, Han Lu; Jin, Chun Ai; Cui, Xue Zhe; Jing, Yi; Yang, Fu He; Li, Guang Yu; Wright, André-Denis G

2013-11-01

Understanding the methanogen structure from sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China may be beneficial to methane mitigation. In the present preliminary study, we investigated the methanogen community in the rumen of domesticated sika deer fed either tannin-rich plants (oak leaf, OL group) or corn stalk (CS group) using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Overall, we obtained 197 clone sequences, revealing 146 unique phylotypes, which were assigned to 36 operational taxonomic units at the species level (98 % identity). Methanogens related to the genus Methanobrevibacter were the predominant phylotypes representing 83.9 % (OL library) and 85.9 % (CS library) of the clones. Methanobrevibacter millerae was the most abundant species in both libraries, but the proportion of M. millerae-related clones in the CS library was higher than in the OL library (69.5 and 51.4 %, respectively). Moreover, Methanobrevibacter wolinii-related clones (32.5 %) were predominant in the OL library. Methanobrevibacter smithii-related clones and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium-related clones accounted for 6.5 and 6.6 % in the CS library, respectively. However, these clones were absent from the OL library. The concentrations of butyrate and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly higher in the OL group, but the concentrations of acetate, propionate, and valerate and the acetate to propionate ratio in the OL group were not significantly different between the two groups. Tannin-rich plants may have affected the distribution of genus Methanobrevibacter phylotypes at the species level and the concentration and composition of SCFAs.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis taeniata and Sarcocystis pilosa n. sp. from the sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Lithuania.

PubMed

Prakas, Petras; Butkauskas, Dalius; Rudaitytė, Eglė; Kutkienė, Liuda; Sruoga, Aniolas; Pūraitė, Irma

2016-08-01

The diaphragm muscles of eight sika deer (Cervus nippon) bred in Lithuania were examined for Sarcocystis cysts. Two Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis taeniata, which were previously reported in Canadian moose (Alces alces) and Argentinean red deer (Cervus elaphus), and Sarcocystis pilosa n. sp. were described using light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), and subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase (cox1) sequences analysis. By LM, cysts of S. taeniata were 424.8 × 57.9 (200-837 × 30-100) μm in size and had a thin (up to 1 μm) and smooth cyst wall, while short ribbon-like protrusions arising from broadened cone-shaped bases were seen under TEM. Cysts of S. pilosa (by LM) were ribbon-shaped, measured 848.5 × 63.8 (350-1700 × 30-125) μm and had thin 7-8-μm long hair-like protrusions. By TEM, cyst wall was type 7a-like; protrusions arose from 0.3 μm wide dome-shaped base with minute indentations of the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane near it, the surface of protrusions seemed to be smooth, and the ground substance layer was thin (0.18-0.22 μm). The 18S rDNA, in contrast to the cox1, lacked variability to discriminate S. pilosa from closely related Sarcocystis hjorti from the red deer and moose. S. taeniata, but not S. pilosa, showed a considerable intraspecific variation in both genes analyzed. The phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rDNA and cox1 sequences suggest that canids are definitive hosts of both S. taeniata and S. pilosa. This paper represents the first identification of Sarcocystis species in the sika deer by morphological and molecular methods.

Foot-and-mouth disease in British deer: transmission of virus to cattle, sheep and deer.

PubMed

Gibbs, E P; Herniman, K A; Lawman, M J; Sellers, R F

1975-06-28

After exposure for two hours to cattle with foot-and-mouth disease, each of the five species of deer found in the British countryside became infected. Clinical disease was typical and severe in the roe and muntjac deer, with some animals dying, less severe in the sika deer and usually subclinical in the fallow and red deer. Each species transmitted disease to its own species and to cattle and sheep. The amounts of virus present in the blood, and in oesophageal/pharyngeal samples and excreted as an aerosol during the course of the infection in the deer were similar to those recorded for the sheep and cattle in the same experiment. The fallow and sika deer commonly carried virus in the pharynx beyond 28 days after exposure; some red deer also became carriers. In epidemics of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK, it is likely that deer would have such intimate contact with farm animals as occurred in this study. The natural behavior of free-living deer in the UK suggests that, although the five species are susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, they are unlikely to be an important factor in the maintenance and transmission of the virus during an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in domestic livestock.

Management of deer for experimental studies with foor-and-mouth disease virus.

PubMed

Gibbs, E P; McDiarmid, A; Rowe, J J

1975-06-07

Red, sika, fallow, roe and muntjac deer adapted to captivity in experimental units designed for working with foot-and-mouth disease. The red, sika and fallow deer readily accepted rolled oats and hay as their staple diet. This diet was replaced for the roe and muntjac deer with flaked maize, calf starter pellets and green browse. Etorphine/acepromazine ans xylazine were found to be suitable sedatives for detailed examination of the tongue and oral cavity of the various species of deer and gave adequate analgesia for the inoculation and collection of virus samples.

Comparison of Drive Counts and Mark-Resight As Methods of Population Size Estimation of Highly Dense Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Populations

PubMed Central

Takeshita, Kazutaka; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi; Igota, Hiromasa; Matsuura, Yukiko

2016-01-01

Assessing temporal changes in abundance indices is an important issue in the management of large herbivore populations. The drive counts method has been frequently used as a deer abundance index in mountainous regions. However, despite an inherent risk for observation errors in drive counts, which increase with deer density, evaluations of the utility of drive counts at a high deer density remain scarce. We compared the drive counts and mark-resight (MR) methods in the evaluation of a highly dense sika deer population (MR estimates ranged between 11 and 53 individuals/km2) on Nakanoshima Island, Hokkaido, Japan, between 1999 and 2006. This deer population experienced two large reductions in density; approximately 200 animals in total were taken from the population through a large-scale population removal and a separate winter mass mortality event. Although the drive counts tracked temporal changes in deer abundance on the island, they overestimated the counts for all years in comparison to the MR method. Increased overestimation in drive count estimates after the winter mass mortality event may be due to a double count derived from increased deer movement and recovery of body condition secondary to the mitigation of density-dependent food limitations. Drive counts are unreliable because they are affected by unfavorable factors such as bad weather, and they are cost-prohibitive to repeat, which precludes the calculation of confidence intervals. Therefore, the use of drive counts to infer the deer abundance needs to be reconsidered. PMID:27711181

Comparison of Drive Counts and Mark-Resight As Methods of Population Size Estimation of Highly Dense Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Populations.

PubMed

Takeshita, Kazutaka; Ikeda, Takashi; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi; Igota, Hiromasa; Matsuura, Yukiko; Kaji, Koichi

2016-01-01

Assessing temporal changes in abundance indices is an important issue in the management of large herbivore populations. The drive counts method has been frequently used as a deer abundance index in mountainous regions. However, despite an inherent risk for observation errors in drive counts, which increase with deer density, evaluations of the utility of drive counts at a high deer density remain scarce. We compared the drive counts and mark-resight (MR) methods in the evaluation of a highly dense sika deer population (MR estimates ranged between 11 and 53 individuals/km2) on Nakanoshima Island, Hokkaido, Japan, between 1999 and 2006. This deer population experienced two large reductions in density; approximately 200 animals in total were taken from the population through a large-scale population removal and a separate winter mass mortality event. Although the drive counts tracked temporal changes in deer abundance on the island, they overestimated the counts for all years in comparison to the MR method. Increased overestimation in drive count estimates after the winter mass mortality event may be due to a double count derived from increased deer movement and recovery of body condition secondary to the mitigation of density-dependent food limitations. Drive counts are unreliable because they are affected by unfavorable factors such as bad weather, and they are cost-prohibitive to repeat, which precludes the calculation of confidence intervals. Therefore, the use of drive counts to infer the deer abundance needs to be reconsidered.

Dexamethasone-induced recrudescence of malignant catarrhal fever and associated lymphosarcoma and granulomatous disease in a Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus).

PubMed

Heuschele, W P; Nielsen, N O; Oosterhuis, J E; Castro, A E

1985-07-01

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) was diagnosed in a 2-week-old Formosan sika deer. The fawn had been previously exposed to a clinically normal neonatal wildebeest calf from which alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 was isolated. Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 was isolated from buffy coat leukocytes and nasal and ocular secretions of the fawn during the acute illness. The fawn clinically recovered after 3 weeks. Virus was not recovered from blood at this time. Dexamethasone, given 4 months after clinical recovery, resulted in reisolation of MCF virus from blood and recrudescence of clinical MCF. The deer was euthanatized. At necropsy, pathognomonic lesions of MCF, granulomatous disease, and malignant lymphoma were observed. Antibodies to bovine leukosis viral antigens were not detected in the serum. The epidemiologic and pathogenetic importance of the findings are discussed.

Time series data of a broadleaved secondary forest in Japan as affected by deer and mass mortality of oak trees.

PubMed

Itô, Hiroki

2017-01-01

Abandonment of broadleaved secondary forests that have been used for various purposes may cause the loss of biodiversity. Some of these forests suffer from diseases such as Japanese oak wilt. An increasing number of deer also impact some of them. Monitoring and recording the status of such forests is important for their proper management. This data set provides a concrete example of temporal changes in a temperate broadleaved secondary forest. The forest has been damaged by mass mortality of oak trees caused by Japanese oak wilt disease. In addition, the forest has been under foraging pressure by sika deer ( Cervus nippon Temminck). The data set can provide information on how such a forest has changed in species composition of the canopy and sub-canopy layers and in species occurrence in the understory layer.

Effects of an increase in population of sika deer on beetle communities in deciduous forests.

PubMed

Iida, Taichi; Soga, Masashi; Koike, Shinsuke

2016-01-01

The overabundance of large herbivores is now recognized as a serious ecological problem. However, the resulting ecological consequences remain poorly understood. The ecological effects of an increase in sika deer, Cervus nippon Temminck (Cervidae), on three insect groups of beetles was investigated: ground beetles (Carabidae), carrion beetles (Silphidae), and dung beetles (Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae) on Nakanoshima Island, Hokkaido, northern Japan. We collected beetles on Nakanoshima Island (experimental site) and lakeshore areas (control site) and compared the species richness, abundance, diversity index, and community composition of beetles between the sites. Results showed that although both species diversity and abundance of carabid beetles were significantly higher at the lakeshore site, those of dung and carrion beetles were higher at the island site. It was additionally observed that abundance of larger carabid beetles was higher at the lakeshore site, whereas that of small-sized carabid beetles did not differ between the lakeshore and island sites. For dung beetles, abundance of smaller species was higher at the island site, whereas that of large species did not differ between the lakeshore and island sites. Abundance of two body sizes (small and large) of carrion beetles were both higher at the island site. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrated that an increase in deer population altered the insect assemblages at an island scale, suggesting further changes in ecosystem functions and services in this region.

[Sequencing and analysis of the complete genome of a rabies virus isolate from Sika deer].

PubMed

Zhao, Yun-Jiao; Guo, Li; Huang, Ying; Zhang, Li-Shi; Qian, Ai-Dong

2008-05-01

One DRV strain was isolated from Sika Deer brain and sequenced. Nine overlapped gene fragments were amplified by RT-PCR through 3'-RACE and 5'-RACE method, and the complete DRV genome sequence was assembled. The length of the complete genome is 11863bp. The DRV genome organization was similar to other rabies viruses which were composed of five genes and the initiation sites and termination sites were highly conservative. There were mutated amino acids in important antigen sites of nucleoprotein and glycoprotein. The nucleotide and amino acid homologies of gene N, P, M, G, L in strains with completed genomie sequencing were compared. Compared with N gene sequence of other typical rabies viruses, a phylogenetic tree was established . These results indicated that DRV belonged to gene type 1. The highest homology compared with Chinese vaccine strain 3aG was 94%, and the lowest was 71% compared with WCBV. These findings provided theoretical reference for further research in rabies virus.

Bovine virus diarrhea virus in free-living deer from Denmark.

PubMed

Nielsen, S S; Roensholt, L; Bitsch, V

2000-07-01

Free-living deer are suggested as a possible source of infection of cattle with bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) virus. To examine this hypothesis blood samples from 476 free-living deer were collected during two different periods and tested for BVD virus and antibody in Denmark. In 1995-96, 207 animals were tested. These included 149 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 29 fallow deer (Dama dama), 20 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and one sika deer (Cervus sika). For the remaining eight animals no species information was available. In 1998-99, 269 animals were tested including 212 roe deer and 57 red deer. The animals were selected from areas with a relatively high prevalence of cattle herds with a BVD persistent infection status in 1997 and 1998. All 207 samples from 1995-96 were found antibody-negative except two samples from red deer. Only 158 of the 207 samples were tested for virus and were all found negative. Of the 269 samples from 1998-99 all but one were antibody negative. The positive sample was from a red deer. All samples were virus-negative. It appears that BVD infection does not occur in roe deer in Denmark. The presence of antibody in a few red deer from various districts in Jutland probably results from cattle to deer transmission, rather than spread among deer. Hence, the possibility of free-living deer as a source of infection for cattle in Denmark seems to be remote.

Effects of PTHrP on expression of MMP9 and MMP13 in sika deer antler chondrocytes.

PubMed

Wang, Shou-Tang; Gao, Ying-Jie; Duan, Cui-Cui; Li, Dang-Dang; Tian, Xue-Chao; Zhang, Qiao-Ling; Guo, Bin; Yue, Zhan-Peng

2013-12-01

Deer antlers are the only mammalian appendages to display an annual cycle of full regeneration. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of antler regeneration. Our previous study has demonstrated that parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) can promote proliferation of antler chondrocytes and inhibit its differentiation, but the mechanism underlying such regulation is not fully understood. We have determined the role of PTHrP on the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) and MMP13 in the antler chondrocytes. The possible pathways that transduce PTHrP effects were examined. In situ hybridization showed that MMP9 and MMP13 were mainly localized in the dermal fibroblasts, perichondrium, and cartilage in the sika deer antler, of which MMP9 and MMP13 were highly expressed in the chondrocytes. Exogenous PTHrP could inhibit the expression of MMP9 and MMP13 in the antler chondrocytes. The inhibitory effect of PTHrP on MMP9 was abolished by JNK inhibitor, SP600125, while P38MAPK inhibitor SB203850 and PKC inhibitor GF109203X could rescue the inhibitory effect of PTHrP on MMP13. The results suggest that PTHrP can inhibit MMP9 expression by JNK signaling pathway and MMP13 expression by p38MAPK and PKC signaling pathways in the antler chondrocytes. Thus PTHrP is involved in the control of antler chondrocytes maturation and cartilage matrix degradation. © 2013 International Federation for Cell Biology.

Molecular identification and characterization of piroplasm species in Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), Japan.

PubMed

Elbaz, Elzahara; Moustafa, Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed; Lee, Kyunglee; Mohamed, Wessam Mohamed Ahmed; Nakao, Ryo; Shimozuru, Michito; Sashika, Mariko; Younis, Emad Elsayed Ahmed; El-Khodery, Sabry Ahmed; Tsubota, Toshio

2017-08-01

Babesia and Theileria species are tick-borne protozoan parasites that have a veterinary and zoonotic importance. In order to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of these parasites, a total of 269 sika deer blood DNA samples collected from Hokkaido, Japan, were examined for Babesia and Theileria species by touch-down PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene. Reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization was then used to detect 12 piroplasm species. The results revealed that 95.5% (257/269), 94.1% (253/269), 14.1% (38/269), 87.7% (236/269) and 11.5% (31/269) of the examined PCR products hybridized with the probes which were designed to detect all Babesia and Theileria spp., all Theileria spp., all Babesia spp., Theileria sp. Thrivae and Babesia divergens-like, respectively. The 18S rRNA gene partial sequences were divided into Theileria sp. Thrivae, T. capreoli, B. divergens-like and an undescribed Babesia species. This study showed the first detection of the undescribed Babesia sp. from Japan. Therefore, more studies are required to understand the ecology of the newly detected tick-borne pathogens in Hokkaido. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Proteins from Sika deer antler as potential modulators on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in human embryonic kidney 293 cells.

PubMed

Yang, Huihai; Li, Wei; Wang, Lulu; He, Xiaofeng; Sun, Hang; Zhang, Jing

2017-07-31

Our study aimed to investigate the protective role of SDAPR on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and its' possible mechanism in HEK293 cells. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Oxidative stress (SOD, GSH, LDH and MDA), inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-6) and apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2) expression were measured. The apoptotic cells were observed by TUNEL staining. Our study results indicated that non-cytotoxic levels of SDAPR significantly increased viability rate (LD 50 value of cisplatin is 20 μM), which improved antioxidant defence, attenuated apoptosis by decreasing expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax, increasing Bcl-2 expression and inhibiting apoptotic positive cells in HEK 293 cells. In addition, SDAPR treatment markedly inhibited the levels of TNF-α and IL-6. In conclusion, Sika deer antler protein, a potential modulator, could alleviate cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in HEK 293 cells.

Histological variations in myoepithelial cells and arrectores pilorum muscles among caudal, metatarsal and preorbital glands in Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis Heude, 1884).

PubMed

Ozaki, Nobuo; Suzuki, Masatsugu; Ohtaishi, Noriyuki

2004-03-01

The morphological characteristics of myoepithelial cells and arrectores pilorum muscles were investigated in caudal, metatarsal and preorbital glands of Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis Heude, 1884) using immunohistochemistry for alpha-smooth muscle actin. In the metatarsal, preorbital and general skin glands, myoepithelial cell layers continuously embraced the secretory epithelium, while in the caudal gland, discontinuous myoepithelial cell rows surrounded the apocrine tubules. There was a trend that the widths of the myoepithelial cells of the caudal and preorbital glands appeared to be thinner than those of the metatarsal and general skin glands. In the metatarsal gland, the arrectores pilorum muscles were highly developed and considerably larger than those in other skin glands.

The Protective Effects of Sika Deer Antler Protein on Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity.

PubMed

Yang, Huihai; Li, Wei; Wang, Lulu; Li, Wenqing; Sun, Hang; He, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Jing

2017-01-01

This study measured the effect of Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck) antler protein (SDAPR), glycoproteins (SDAG), and polysaccharides (SDAPO) on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in HEK 293 cells, and investigated the effect of SDAPR against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. ICR mice were randomly divided into five groups: control, cisplatin with vehicle, and cisplatin with SDAPR at three concentrations: 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg, p.o., 10 d. Cisplatin was injected on 7th day (25 mg/kg, i.p.). Renal function, oxidative stress, levels of inflammatory factors, and expression of apoptosis-related proteins were measured in vivo. Renal tissues were stained with TUNEL and H&E to observe renal cell apoptosis and pathological changes. Pretreatment with SDAPR (125-2000 µg/mL) significantly improved cell viability, with an EC50 of approximately 1000 µg/mL. SDAPR also ameliorated cisplatin-induced histopatholo- gic changes, and decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) (P < 0.05). Western blotting analysis showed SDAPR clearly decreased expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax, and increased the expression level of Bcl-2 (P < 0.01). Additionally, SDAPR markedly regulated oxidative stress markers and inflammatory cytokines (P<0.05). TUNEL staining showed decreased apoptosis after SDAPR treatment (P < 0.01). These results indicate that SDAPR can be an effective dietary supplement, to relieve cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by improved antioxidase activity, suppressed inflammation, and inhibited apoptosis in vivo. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Variability of Female Responses to Conspecific vs. Heterospecific Male Mating Calls in Polygynous Deer: An Open Door to Hybridization?

PubMed Central

Wyman, Megan T.; Charlton, Benjamin D.; Locatelli, Yann; Reby, David

2011-01-01

Males of all polygynous deer species (Cervinae) give conspicuous calls during the reproductive season. The extreme interspecific diversity that characterizes these vocalizations suggests that they play a strong role in species discrimination. However, interbreeding between several species of Cervinae indicates permeable interspecific reproductive barriers. This study examines the contribution of vocal behavior to female species discrimination and mating preferences in two closely related polygynous deer species known to hybridize in the wild after introductions. Specifically, we investigate the reaction of estrous female red deer (Cervus elaphus) to playbacks of red deer vs. sika deer (Cervus nippon) male mating calls, with the prediction that females will prefer conspecific calls. While on average female red deer preferred male red deer roars, two out of twenty females spent more time in close proximity to the speaker broadcasting male sika deer moans. We suggest that this absence of strict vocal preference for species-specific mating calls may contribute to the permeability of pre-zygotic reproductive barriers observed between these species. Our results also highlight the importance of examining inter-individual variation when studying the role of female preferences in species discrimination and intraspecific mate selection. PMID:21887242

Cloning, identification, and functional analysis of bone marrow stromal cell antigen-2 from sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Wang, Jiawen; Bian, Shuai; Liu, Meichun; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Siming; Bai, Xueyuan; Zhao, Daqing; Zhao, Yu

2018-06-30

BST-2(tetherin/CD317/HM1.24) has been identified as a cellular antiviral factor that inhibits the release of a wide range of enveloped viruses from infected cells. Orthologs of BST-2 have been identified in several species including humans, monkeys, cows, sheep, pigs, and mice. In this study, we cloned the gene and characterized the protein of the BST-2 homolog from sika deer (Cervus nippon). cnBST-2 shares 37.8% and 74.2% identity with the BST-2 homologs from Homo sapiens and Ovis aries, respectively. The extracellular domain of cnBST-2 has two putative N-linked glycosylation sites and three potential dimerization sites. cnBST-2 was shown to be expressed on the cell surface, like human BST-2. Exogenous expression of cnBST-2 resulted in potent inhibition of HIV-1 particle release in 293T cells; however, this activity resisted antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu. Moreover, cnBST-2 was not able to activate nuclear factor-κB, in contrast to human BST-2. This study is the first report of the isolation and characterization of BST-2 from C. nippon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of the Rumen Microbiota of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Fed Different Concentrations of Tannin Rich Plants

PubMed Central

Li, Zhipeng; Wright, André-Denis G.; Liu, Hanlu; Fan, Zhongyuan; Yang, Fuhe; Zhang, Zhigang; Li, Guangyu

2015-01-01

High throughput sequencing was used to examine the rumen microbiota of sika deer fed high (OLH) and low concentration (OLL) of tannin rich oak leaves. The results showed that Prevotella spp. were the most dominant bacteria. The most predominant methanogens were the members of the order Methanoplasmatales. The dominant rumen protozoa were Entodinium longinucleatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, and Epidinium caudatum, and the fungal communities were mostly represented by Piromyces spp. Moreover, the relative abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio spp. (P=0.026), unidentified bacteria (P=0.028), and Prevotella spp. (P=0.022) was lower in the OLH group than in the OLL group. The concentration of propionate in the OLH group was greater than in the OLL group (P=0.006). Patterns of relationships showed that methanogens belonging to the order Methanoplasmatales were negatively correlated with Treponema spp., Ent. Longinucleatum, and acetate. Methanosphaera stadtmanae was positively correlated to propionate, while Methanobrevibacter ruminantium was negatively associated with Methanobrevibacter thaueri and Methanobrevibacter millerae. Tannins altered the rumen microbes and fermentation patterns. However, the response of the entire rumen microbiota and the relationship between rumen microorganisms and the fermentation parameters were not fully understood. PMID:25955033

Deer predation on leaf miners via leaf abscission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Kazuo; Sugiura, Shinji

2008-03-01

The evergreen oak Quercus gilva Blume sheds leaves containing mines of the leaf miner Stigmella sp. (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae) earlier than leaves with no mines in early spring in Nara, central Japan. The eclosion rates of the leaf miner in abscised and retained leaves were compared in the laboratory to clarify the effects of leaf abscission on leaf miner survival in the absence of deer. The leaf miner eclosed successfully from both fallen leaves and leaves retained on trees. However, sika deer ( Cervus nippon centralis Kishida) feed on the fallen mined leaves. Field observations showed that deer consume many fallen leaves under Q. gilva trees, suggesting considerable mortality of leaf miners due to deer predation via leaf abscission. This is a previously unreported relationship between a leaf miner and a mammalian herbivore via leaf abscission.

Changes in understory species occurrence of a secondary broadleaved forest after mass mortality of oak trees under deer foraging pressure

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The epidemic of mass mortality of oak trees by Japanese oak wilt has affected secondary deciduous broadleaved forests that have been used as coppices in Japan. The dieback of oak trees formed gaps in the crown that would be expected to enhance the regeneration of shade-intolerant pioneer species. However, foraging by sika deer Cervus nippon has also affected forest vegetation, and the compound effects of both on forest regeneration should be considered when they simultaneously occur. A field study was conducted in Kyôto City, Japan to investigate how these compound effects affected the vegetation of the understory layer of these forests. The presence/absence of seedlings and saplings was observed for 200 quadrats sized 5 m ×5 m for each species in 1992, before the mass mortality and deer encroachment, and in 2014 after these effects. A hierarchical Bayesian model was constructed to explain the occurrence, survival, and colonization of each species with their responses to the gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of Quercus serrata trees. The species that occurred most frequently in 1992, Eurya japonica, Quercus glauca, and Cleyera japonica, also had the highest survival probabilities. Deer-unpalatable species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera had higher colonization rates in the gaps, while the deer-palatable species Aucuba japonica had the smallest survival probability. The gaps thus promoted the colonization of deer-unpalatable plant species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera. In the future, such deer-unpalatable species may dominate gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of oak trees. PMID:28028480

Changes in understory species occurrence of a secondary broadleaved forest after mass mortality of oak trees under deer foraging pressure.

PubMed

Itô, Hiroki

2016-01-01

The epidemic of mass mortality of oak trees by Japanese oak wilt has affected secondary deciduous broadleaved forests that have been used as coppices in Japan. The dieback of oak trees formed gaps in the crown that would be expected to enhance the regeneration of shade-intolerant pioneer species. However, foraging by sika deer Cervus nippon has also affected forest vegetation, and the compound effects of both on forest regeneration should be considered when they simultaneously occur. A field study was conducted in Kyôto City, Japan to investigate how these compound effects affected the vegetation of the understory layer of these forests. The presence/absence of seedlings and saplings was observed for 200 quadrats sized 5 m ×5 m for each species in 1992, before the mass mortality and deer encroachment, and in 2014 after these effects. A hierarchical Bayesian model was constructed to explain the occurrence, survival, and colonization of each species with their responses to the gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of Quercus serrata trees. The species that occurred most frequently in 1992, Eurya japonica , Quercus glauca , and Cleyera japonica , also had the highest survival probabilities. Deer-unpalatable species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera had higher colonization rates in the gaps, while the deer-palatable species Aucuba japonica had the smallest survival probability. The gaps thus promoted the colonization of deer-unpalatable plant species such as Symplocos prunifolia and Triadica sebifera . In the future, such deer-unpalatable species may dominate gaps that were created, expanded, or affected by the mass mortality of oak trees.

Report of Theileria luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR from cervids in Gansu, China.

PubMed

Li, Youquan; Liu, Junlong; Liu, Zhijie; Yang, Jifei; Li, Yaqiong; Li, Qian; Qin, Gege; Chen, Ze; Guan, Guiquan; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2015-05-01

Theileria parasites are important tick-borne pathogens of animals and cause huge economic losses worldwide. Here, we undertook to assess the prevalence of Theileria spp. in cervids in Gansu, China, based on PCR analysis and sequencing of the 18S rRNA genes. Molecular survey showed that Theileria luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR were frequently found in Gansu cervids, and the prevalence of T. luwenshuni was 66.7% (n = 9, 6/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 58.3% (n = 12, 7/12) in sika deer in Ningxian County, 50% (n = 10, 5/10) in sika deer and 42.9% (n = 14, 6/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County. The prevalence of Theileria sp. RSR was 77.8% (n = 9, 7/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 75% (n = 12, 9/12) in sika deer in Ningxian County, 60.0% (n = 10, 6/10) in sika deer, and 50.0% (n = 14, 7/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County. The co-prevalence of the two T. luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR was 55.6% (n = 5, 5/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 50% (n = 12, 6/12) in sika deer in Ningxian county, 50% (n = 10, 5/10) in sika deer and 35.7% (n = 14, 5/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County, respectively. No other Theileria species was found in these samples. T. luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR were detected for the first time in cervids in Gansu, China. Animal experiments showed that four sheep were inoculated with roe deer blood from Zhengning, sika deer blood from Ningxian, sika deer blood, and red deer blood from Weiyuan, respectively, and the Theileria isolated from these inoculated sheep was identified as T. luwenshuni, but Theileria sp. RSR was not detected in these sheep. Our results extend our understanding of the epidemiology of cervine theileriosis in Gansu, China, and will facilitate the implementation of measures to control theileriosis in cervids and small ruminants. This was the first report to demonstrate the occurrence of T. luwenshuni from roe deer, sika deer, and red deer worldwide.

Efficiency of semi-automated fluorescent multiplex PCRs with 11 microsatellite markers for genetic studies of deer populations.

PubMed

Bonnet, A; Thévenon, S; Maudet, F; Maillard, J C

2002-10-01

Thirty bovine and eight ovine microsatellite primer pairs were tested on four tropical deer species: Eld's and Swamp deer (highly threatened) and Rusa and Vietnamese Sika deer (economically important). Thirty markers gave an amplified product in all four species (78.9%). The number of polymorphic microsatellite markers varied among the species from 14 in Eld's deer (47%) to 20 in Swamp deer (67%). Among them, 11 microsatellite loci were multiplexed in three polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and labelled with three different fluorochromes that can be loaded in one gel-lane. To test the efficiency of the multiplex, primary genetic studies (mean number of alleles, expected heterozygosities and Fis values) were carried out on four deer populations. Parentage exclusion probability and probability of identity were computed and discussed on a Swamp deer population. These multiplexes PCRs were also tested on several other deer species and subspecies. The aim of this study is to establish a tool useful for genetic studies of population structure and diversity in four tropical deer species which with few modifications can be applied to other species of the genus Cervus.

The Development of Microbiota and Metabolome in Small Intestine of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) from Birth to Weaning

PubMed Central

Li, Zhipeng; Wang, Xiaoxu; Zhang, Ting; Si, Huazhe; Nan, Weixiao; Xu, Chao; Guan, Leluo; Wright, André-Denis G.; Li, Guangyu

2018-01-01

The dense and diverse community of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of ruminant animals plays critical roles in the metabolism and absorption of nutrients, and gut associated immune function. Understanding microbial colonization in the small intestine of new born ruminants is a vital first step toward manipulating gut function through interventions during early life to produce long-term positive effects on host productivity and health. Yet the knowledge of microbiota colonization and its induced metabolites of small intestine during early life is still limited. In the present study, we examined the microbiota and metabolome in the jejunum and ileum of neonatal sika deer (Cervus nippon) from birth to weaning at days 1, 42, and 70. The microbial data showed that diversity and richness were increased with age, but a highly individual variation was observed at day 1. Principal coordinate analysis revealed significant differences in microbial community composition across three time points in the jejunum and ileum. The abundance of Halomonas spp., Lactobacillus spp., Escherichia–Shigella, and Bacteroides spp. tended to be decreased, while the proportion of Intestinibacter spp., Cellulosilyticum spp., Turicibacter spp., Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Romboutsia spp. was significantly increased with age. For metabolome, metabolites separated from each other across the three time points in both jejunum and ileum. Moreover, the amounts of methionine, threonine, and putrescine were increased, while the amounts of myristic acid and pentadecanoic acid were decreased with age, respectively. The present study demonstrated that microbiota colonization and the metabolome becomes more developed in the small intestine with age. This may shed new light on the microbiota-metabolome-immune interaction during development. PMID:29410651

The Development of Microbiota and Metabolome in Small Intestine of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) from Birth to Weaning.

PubMed

Li, Zhipeng; Wang, Xiaoxu; Zhang, Ting; Si, Huazhe; Nan, Weixiao; Xu, Chao; Guan, Leluo; Wright, André-Denis G; Li, Guangyu

2018-01-01

The dense and diverse community of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of ruminant animals plays critical roles in the metabolism and absorption of nutrients, and gut associated immune function. Understanding microbial colonization in the small intestine of new born ruminants is a vital first step toward manipulating gut function through interventions during early life to produce long-term positive effects on host productivity and health. Yet the knowledge of microbiota colonization and its induced metabolites of small intestine during early life is still limited. In the present study, we examined the microbiota and metabolome in the jejunum and ileum of neonatal sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) from birth to weaning at days 1, 42, and 70. The microbial data showed that diversity and richness were increased with age, but a highly individual variation was observed at day 1. Principal coordinate analysis revealed significant differences in microbial community composition across three time points in the jejunum and ileum. The abundance of Halomonas spp., Lactobacillus spp., Escherichia - Shigella , and Bacteroides spp. tended to be decreased, while the proportion of Intestinibacter spp., Cellulosilyticum spp., Turicibacter spp., Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Romboutsia spp. was significantly increased with age. For metabolome, metabolites separated from each other across the three time points in both jejunum and ileum. Moreover, the amounts of methionine, threonine, and putrescine were increased, while the amounts of myristic acid and pentadecanoic acid were decreased with age, respectively. The present study demonstrated that microbiota colonization and the metabolome becomes more developed in the small intestine with age. This may shed new light on the microbiota-metabolome-immune interaction during development.

Serologic Evidence of Jamestown Canyon and Keystone Virus Infection in Vertebrates of the Delmarva Peninsula

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

as a potential tailed deer neutralized both JC and KEY viruses , amplifying host of this virus . Sika deer, and cot- Evidence based on PRN.,, titers...Bunyaviridae, Cali- fornia serogroup). Neutralizing (N) antibody to JC virus was most prevalent in white-tailed deer, sika deer, cottontail rabbits and... viruses also was found in raccoons, horses and humans. JC and/or KEY virus N antibodies were not demonstrable in sera of several other species of

Lymphoproliferation in captive wild ruminants affected with malignant catarrhal fever: 25 cases (1977-1985).

PubMed

Blake, J E; Nielsen, N O; Heuschele, W P

1990-04-01

The severity of lymphoproliferative disease associated with malignant catarrhal fever was extremely variable among 25 animals at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Severe lymphoproliferative disease was seen in 3 of 10 Formosan Sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus), 3 of 6 Indian Axis deer (Cervus a axis), 3 of 6 Barasingha deer (Cervus d duvauceli), and 1 of 3 Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus). Two Sika deer and 2 Barasingha deer had lesions morphologically indistinguishable from lymphosarcoma. Our findings were consistent with the hypothesis that alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 has oncogenic potential.

Long-term deer exclosure alters soil properties, plant traits, understory plant community and insect herbivory, but not the functional relationships among them.

PubMed

Stephan, Jörg G; Pourazari, Fereshteh; Tattersdill, Kristina; Kobayashi, Takuya; Nishizawa, Keita; De Long, Jonathan R

2017-07-01

Evidence of the indirect effects of increasing global deer populations on other trophic levels is increasing. However, it remains unknown if excluding deer alters ecosystem functional relationships. We investigated how sika deer exclosure after 18 years changed soil conditions, the understory plant community, the traits of a dominant understory plant (Sasa palmata), herbivory by three insect-feeding guilds, and the functional relationships between these properties. Deer absence decreased understory plant diversity, but increased soil organic matter and ammonium concentrations. When deer were absent, S. palmata plants grew taller, with more, larger, and tougher leaves with higher polyphenol concentrations. Deer absence led to higher leaf area consumed by all insect guilds, but lower insect herbivory per plant due to increased resource abundance (i.e., a dilution effect). This indicates that deer presence strengthened insect herbivory per plant, while in deer absence plants compensated losses with growth. Because plant defenses increased in the absence of deer, higher insect abundances in deer absence may have outweighed lower consumption rates. A path model revealed that the functional relationships between the measured properties were similar between deer absence versus presence. Taken together, deer altered the abiotic and biotic environment, thereby changing insect herbivory, which might impact upon nutrient cycling and primary productivity. These results provide evidence that deer can alter interactions between trophic levels, but that functional relationships between certain ecosystem components may remain constant. These findings highlight the need to consider how increasing global deer populations can have cascade effects that might alter ecosystem dynamics.

Intestinal adenocarcinoma in a herd of farmed Sika deer (Cervus nippon): a novel syndrome.

PubMed

Kelly, P A; Toolan, D; Jahns, H

2015-01-01

Intestinal adenocarcinomas were identified in 76 adult deer from a closed herd of 193 breeding animals grazing pasture heavily infested with bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Tumors were observed postmortem in 32 animals with rapid weight loss, and similar neoplasms were detected in a further 44 clinically normal deer at "cull." Tumors were located in distal ileum, cecum, and proximal colon and presented as single (26%) or multiple (74%), variably sized, pale-gray, firm, poorly circumscribed neoplasms with associated intestinal strictures. Histopathologically tumors were well-differentiated, locally infiltrative, low-grade adenocarcinomas of tubular (51%), mucinous (33.5%), or mixed (15.5%) types. Extraintestinal metastases were not observed. The high incidence of intestinal adenocarcinoma within this herd suggests a specific and novel syndrome, and genetic and/or environmental factors may be involved in the pathogenesis. © The Author(s) 2014.

Seasonal and Diel Activity Patterns of Eight Sympatric Mammals in Northern Japan Revealed by an Intensive Camera-Trap Survey.

PubMed

Ikeda, Takashi; Uchida, Kenta; Matsuura, Yukiko; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi; Kaji, Koichi; Koizumi, Itsuro

2016-01-01

The activity patterns of mammals are generally categorized as nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular (active at twilight), and cathemeral (active throughout the day). These patterns are highly variable across regions and seasons even within the same species. However, quantitative data is still lacking, particularly for sympatric species. We monitored the seasonal and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in Hokkaido, Japan. Through an intensive camera-trap survey a total of 13,279 capture events were recorded from eight mammals over 20,344 camera-trap days, i.e., two years. Diel activity patterns were clearly divided into four categories: diurnal (Eurasian red squirrels), nocturnal (raccoon dogs and raccoons), crepuscular (sika deer and mountain hares), and cathemeral (Japanese martens, red foxes, and brown bears). Some crepuscular and cathemeral mammals shifted activity peaks across seasons. Particularly, sika deer changed peaks from twilight during spring-autumn to day-time in winter, possibly because of thermal constraints. Japanese martens were cathemeral during winter-summer, but nocturnal in autumn. We found no clear indication of predator-prey and competitive interactions, suggesting that animal densities are not very high or temporal niche partitioning is absent among the target species. This long-term camera-trap survey was highly cost-effective and provided one of the most detailed seasonal and diel activity patterns in multiple sympatric mammals under natural conditions.

Successful low dose insemination of flow cytometrically sorted Sika (Cervus nippon) sperm in Wapiti (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Gao, Q H; Wei, H J; Han, C M; Du, H Z; Zhang, Z G; Zhao, W G; Zhang, Y; Li, S

2010-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine a practical method in Wapiti (Cervus elaphus) of using predetermined sexed Sika (Cervus nippon) semen. Semen was collected by electro-ejaculation from one stag of proven fertility and transported to the laboratory where it was retained as unsorted (control) or was separated into X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm using a modified high-speed cell sorter. Wapiti hinds (n=81) were inseminated into the uterus by rectum manipulation with 1 x 10(6) (X1 and Y1 group, respectively) or 2 x 10(6) (X2 and Y2 group, respectively) of sorted frozen-thawed and 1 x 10(7) non-sorted frozen-thawed (a commercial dose control) Sika motile sperm 60-66h after removal of intra-vaginal progesterone-impregnated CIDR devices and administration of 700IU of PMSG at the time of CIDR removal. The percentage of hinds calving after insemination was similar for X1 (38.5%), X2 (41.7%), Y1 (44.4%), Y2 (38.9%) groups (P>0.05), but higher for control (75%) treatment (P<0.05). Ultimately 15 out of the 16 Sika and Wapiti-hybrid calves produced by Wapiti hinds inseminated with Y-sorted sperm were male (93.7%) and 10/10 (100%) Sika and Wapiti-hybrid calves from hinds inseminated with X-sorted sperm were female. The sex ratio of the Sika and Wapiti-hybrid calves born to hinds inseminated with sex-sorted sperm deviated significantly (P<0.05) from 50% and 50.0% in the control group. All Sika and Wapiti-hybrid calves were born between 237 and 250d of gestation. Male and female calves in the control group had similar birth weights and weaning weights as calves from hinds inseminated with X- or Y-sorted sperm. In conclusion it can be said that normal Sika and Wapiti-hybrid calves of predicted sex can be produced after artificial insemination of Wapiti does with low numbers of sex-sorted cryopreserved Sika sperm.

Long-term occurrence of Trichuris species in wild ruminants in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Nechybová, Stanislava; Vejl, Pavel; Hart, Vlastimil; Melounová, Martina; Čílová, Daniela; Vašek, Jakub; Jankovská, Ivana; Vadlejch, Jaroslav; Langrová, Iva

2018-05-02

The aim of this study was to identify Trichuris species in wild ruminants from 32 localities in the Czech Republic using morphological and molecular methods (ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms). Trichurids were obtained from 176 wild ruminants (roe deer, sika deer, red deer, fallow deer and mouflons) that were culled between 2009 and 2017. Trichuris discolor is the predominant trichurid of all of the above-mentioned wild ruminants, whereas Trichuris ovis was identified less frequently in roe deer, fallow deer, sika deer and mouflons. Red deer were parasitised exclusively by T. discolor. Young hosts under 1 year of age were more intensively infected by trichurids than were adults (χ 2  = 32.02, p = 0.00). Trichurid prevalence results obtained through coprological methods and those based on parasitological dissections differed significantly (χ 2  = 16.26, p = 0.00). The regression analysis indicated that the eggs per gram (EPG) threshold (20 EPG) was exceeded only if the host was parasitised by more than 7 trichurid females. Full concordance between the positive results obtained by the coprological methods and those obtained via direct dissections was achieved when the number of trichurid females per host exceeded 51.

Generation of the bovine viral diarrhea virus e0 protein in transgenic astragalus and its immunogenicity in sika deer.

PubMed

Gao, Yugang; Zhao, Xueliang; Zang, Pu; Liu, Qun; Wei, Gongqing; Zhang, Lianxue

2014-01-01

The bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a single-stranded RNA virus, can cause fatal diarrhea syndrome, respiratory problems, and reproductive disorders in herds. Over the past few years, it has become clear that the BVDV infection rates are increasing and it is likely that an effective vaccine for BVDV will be needed. In this study, transgenic Astragalus was used as an alternative productive platform for the expression of glycoprotein E0. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein E0 expressed in transgenic Astragalus was detected in deer. The presence of pBI121-E0 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transcription was verified by reverse transcription- (RT-) PCR, and recombinant protein expression was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot analyses. Deer that were immunized subcutaneously with the transgenic plant vaccine developed specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against BVDV. This study provides a new method for a protein with weak immunogenicity to be used as part of a transgenic plant vaccine.

Generation of the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus E0 Protein in Transgenic Astragalus and Its Immunogenicity in Sika Deer

PubMed Central

Gao, Yugang; Zang, Pu; Liu, Qun; Wei, Gongqing

2014-01-01

The bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a single-stranded RNA virus, can cause fatal diarrhea syndrome, respiratory problems, and reproductive disorders in herds. Over the past few years, it has become clear that the BVDV infection rates are increasing and it is likely that an effective vaccine for BVDV will be needed. In this study, transgenic Astragalus was used as an alternative productive platform for the expression of glycoprotein E0. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein E0 expressed in transgenic Astragalus was detected in deer. The presence of pBI121-E0 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transcription was verified by reverse transcription- (RT-) PCR, and recombinant protein expression was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot analyses. Deer that were immunized subcutaneously with the transgenic plant vaccine developed specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against BVDV. This study provides a new method for a protein with weak immunogenicity to be used as part of a transgenic plant vaccine. PMID:24963321

Study on the Changes in Enzyme and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Concentrations in Blood Serum and Growth Characteristics of Velvet Antler during the Antler Growth Period in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Park, Jaehyun; Jeon, Byongtae; Kang, Sungki; Oh, Mirae; Kim, Myonghwa; Jang, Seyoung; Park, Pyojam; Kim, Sangwoo; Moon, Sangho

2015-09-01

This study was conducted to investigate changes in blood enzyme parameters and to evaluate the relationship between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), antler growth and body weight during the antler growth of sika deer (Cervus nippon). Serum enzyme activity and IGF-1 concentrations were measured in blood samples collected from the jugular and femoral veins at regular intervals during the antler growth period. Blood samples were taken in the morning from fasted stags (n = 12) which were healthy and showed no clinical signs of disease. Alfalfa was available ad libitum and concentrates were given at 1% of body weight to all stags. The experimental diet was provided at 9 am with water available at all times. There were no significant differences in alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase during antler growth, but alkaline phosphatase concentrations increased with antler growth progression, and the highest alkaline phosphatase concentration was obtained 55 days after antler casting. Serum IGF-1 concentrations measured from blood samples taken from the jugular vein during antler growth, determined that levels of IGF-1 was associated with body weight and antler growth patterns. Serum IGF-1 concentrations were higher at the antler cutting date than other sampling dates. Antler length increased significantly during antler growth (p<0.001), and there was a similar trend to between right and left beams. Body weight increased with antler growth but was not significant. Consequently it appeared that serum alkaline phosphatase concentration was related to antler growth and both antler growth and body weight were associated positively with IGF-1 concentrations during antler growth.

Prevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Populations of Wild Animals in Comparison with Animals Bred in Game Enclosures.

PubMed

Kubankova, Monika; Kralik, Petr; Lamka, Jiri; Zakovcik, Vladimir; Dolanský, Marek; Vasickova, Petra

2015-03-15

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is now accepted as a zoonotic virus, and domestic pigs, wild boars and deer are recognised as natural reservoirs of the pathogen. In this study, 762 animals (wild boars, fallow deer, red deer, sika deer, roe deer and mouflons) originating from the wild and from game enclosures were tested for the presence of HEV RNA by qRT-PCR. HEV RNA was detected in wild boars (96/450), red deer (2/169), roe deer (1/30) and mouflons (5/39). The sequence relationship between HEV isolates from wild boars and domestic pigs or humans indicate a circulation of HEV in the Czech Republic.

Evaluation of Deer Mirrors for Reducing Deer-Vehicle Collisions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-05-01

Deer mirrors were placed in 12 random 0.5-mile test sections along 14.8 miles of I-95 between Topsham and Gardiner, Maine, to test the effectiveness of the mirrors in reducing deer-vehicle collisions. In nearly 4 years, 11 deer-vehicle collisions wer...

Spatial and temporal trends of deer harvest and deer-vehicle accidents in Ohio

Treesearch

Aaron L. Iverson; Louis R. Iverson

1999-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus} have been increasing dramatically in the eastern United States, with concomitant increases in impacts resulting from deer browsing and deer-vehicle collisions. In Ohio, the number of deer were estimated at near zero in 1940 to over 450,000 in 1995. We analyzed estimates of deer harvest and deer-vehicle...

Interactive effects of deer exclusion and exotic plant removal on deciduous forest understory communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bourg, Norman; McShea, William J.; Herrmann, Valentine; Stewart, Chad M.

2017-01-01

Mammalian herbivory and exotic plant species interactions are an important ongoing research topic, due to their presumed impacts on native biodiversity. The extent to which these interactions affect forest understory plant community composition and persistence was the subject of our study. We conducted a 5-year, 2 × 2 factorial experiment in three mid-Atlantic US deciduous forests with high densities of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and exotic understory plants. We predicted: (i) only deer exclusion and exotic plant removal in tandem would increase native plant species metrics; and (ii) deer exclusion alone would decrease exotic plant abundance over time. Treatments combining exotic invasive plant removal and deer exclusion for plots with high initial cover, while not differing from fenced or exotic removal only plots, were the only ones to exhibit positive richness responses by native herbaceous plants compared to control plots. Woody seedling metrics were not affected by any treatments. Deer exclusion caused significant increases in abundance and richness of native woody species >30 cm in height. Abundance changes in two focal members of the native sapling community showed that oaks (Quercus spp.) increased only with combined exotic removal and deer exclusion, while shade-tolerant maples (Acer spp.) showed no changes. We also found significant declines in invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) abundance in deer-excluded plots. Our study demonstrates alien invasive plants and deer impact different components and life-history stages of the forest plant community, and controlling both is needed to enhance understory richness and abundance. Alien plant removal combined with deer exclusion will most benefit native herbaceous species richness under high invasive cover conditions while neither action may impact native woody seedlings. For larger native woody species, only deer exclusion is needed for such increases. Deer exclusion directly

A survey of free-ranging deer in Ireland for serological evidence of exposure to bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine herpes virus-1, bluetongue virus and Schmallenberg virus.

PubMed

Graham, David A; Gallagher, Clare; Carden, Ruth F; Lozano, Jose-Maria; Moriarty, John; O'Neill, Ronan

2017-01-01

Deer are an important wildlife species in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland having colonised most regions across the island of Ireland. In comparison to cattle and sheep which represent the main farmed ruminant species on the island, there is a lack of data concerning their exposure, as measured by the presence of antibodies, to important viral pathogens of ruminants. A study was therefore undertaken to investigate the seroprevalence of wild deer to four viruses, namely bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). Two panels of sera were assembled; Panel 1 comprised 259 samples (202 collected in the Republic of Ireland and 57 in Northern Ireland) between 2013 and 2015, while Panel 2 comprised 131 samples collected in the Republic of Ireland between 2014 and 2015. Overall sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) were sampled most commonly (54.8%), followed by fallow deer ( Dama dama ) (35.3%), with red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) (4.3%) and hybrid species (0.3%) sampled less frequently, with the species not being recorded for the remaining 5.3% of deer sampled. Age was not recorded for 96 of the 390 deer sampled. 196 of the remainder were adults, while 68 and 30 were yearlings and calves, respectively. Using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, true prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated as 9.9%, (6.8-13.0% CI), SBV; 1.5% (0.1-3.0% CI), BoHV-1; 0.0%, 0-1.7% CI), BVDV; and 0.0%, (0.01-0.10% CI), BTV. The results indicate a very low seroprevalence for both BVDV and BoHV-1 in the wild deer tested within the study and, are consistent with a very low prevalence in Ireland. While serological cross-reaction with cervid herpesviruses cannot be excluded, the results in both cases suggest that the presence of these viruses in deer is not a significant risk to their control and eradication from the cattle population. This is important given the ongoing programme

Questing height of nymphs of the bush tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, and its closely related species, H. mageshimaensis: correlation with body size of the host.

PubMed

Tsunoda, T; Tatsuzawa, S

2004-05-01

The questing height (i.e. ambush height) of ticks on a plant plays an important role in host selection. To test the hypothesis that the questing height of ticks in a locality had adapted to the body size of the host in that locality, we examined the questing height of nymphs of the ticks, Haemaphysalis longicornis and H. mageshimaensis, at 7 locations in Japan. Sika deer, Cervus nippon, is the primary host of these ticks and there is considerable geographical variation in the body size of sika deer. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the questing height in the field was influenced by the height of the plants and by the body size of deer at a location. However, the questing height of ticks at some locations may have been constrained by the height of the plants and might not be the same as their intrinsic questing height. When ticks were placed in vertical glass tubes in the laboratory, the questing height of ticks from a locality was correlated with the mean body size of deer at that locality. Therefore, the prominent cue determining the questing height of H. longicornis and H. mageshimaensis seems to be the body size of the host deer.

White-tailed deer

Treesearch

Paul E. Johns; John C. Kilgo

2005-01-01

from a public relations standpoint, the white-tailed deer (Odocileus virginiamus) is probably the most important wildlife species occurring on the Savannah River Site (SRS). The SRS deer herd has been the subject of more scientific investigations than any comparable deer population in the world, resulting in more than 125 published papers. Each year...

Deer Velvet

MedlinePlus

... activity (as an aphrodisiac), and treat male sexual performance problems (erectile dysfunction, ED). Women use deer velvet to reduce the dose of ... combinations, deer velvet is used to improve athletic performance; to improve ... reproductive disorders including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), ED, and ...

Epidemiological study of relapsing fever borreliae detected in Haemaphysalis ticks and wild animals in the western part of Japan.

PubMed

Furuno, Kiwa; Lee, Kyunglee; Itoh, Yukie; Suzuki, Kazuo; Yonemitsu, Kenzo; Kuwata, Ryusei; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Watarai, Masahisa; Maeda, Ken; Takano, Ai

2017-01-01

The genus Borrelia comprises arthropod-borne bacteria, which are infectious agents in vertebrates. They are mainly transmitted by ixodid or argasid ticks. In Hokkaido, Japan, Borrelia spp. were found in deer and Haemaphysalis ticks between 2011 and 2013; however, the study was limited to a particular area. Therefore, in the present study, we conducted large-scale surveillance of ticks and wild animals in the western part of the main island of Japan. We collected 6,407 host-seeking ticks from two regions and 1,598 larvae obtained from 32 engorged female ticks and examined them to elucidate transovarial transmission. In addition, we examined whole blood samples from 190 wild boars and 276 sika deer, as well as sera from 120 wild raccoons. We detected Borrelia spp. in Haemaphysalis flava, Haemaphysalis megaspinosa, Haemaphysalis kitaokai, Haemaphysalis longicornis, and Haemaphysalis formosensis. In addition, we isolated a strain from H. megaspinosa using Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly medium. The minimum infection rate of ticks was less than 5%. Transovarial transmission was observed in H. kitaokai. Phylogenetic analysis of the isolated strain and DNA fragments amplified from ticks identified at least four bacterial genotypes, which corresponded to the tick species detected. Bacteria were detected in 8.4%, 15%, and 0.8% of wild boars, sika deer, and raccoons, respectively. In this study, we found seasonal differences in the prevalence of bacterial genotypes in sika deer during the winter and summer. The tick activity season corresponds to the season with a high prevalence of animals. The present study suggests that a particular bacterial genotype detected in this study are defined by a particular tick species in which they are present.

Deer hunting and television: are tv shows creating expectations among deer hunters?

Treesearch

Joshua D. Agee; Craig A. Miller

2009-01-01

Throughout the past two decades new media outlets emphasizing trophy deer hunting have come to dominate hunting culture. Using data collected through a mail survey of Illinois deer hunters (n = 2,683, 78.5-percent response), we tested two hypotheses to determine factors that contribute to preference for hunting trophy deer. In particular, we examined the relationship...

Correlation of TBE Incidence with Red Deer and Roe Deer Abundance in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Knap, Nataša; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana

2013-01-01

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a virus infection which sometimes causes human disease. The TBE virus is found in ticks and certain vertebrate tick hosts in restricted endemic localities termed TBE foci. The formation of natural foci is a combination of several factors: the vectors, a suitable and numerous enough number of hosts and in a habitat with suitable vegetation and climate. The present study investigated the influence of deer on the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. We were able to obtain data from deer culls. Using this data, the abundance of deer was estimated and temporal and spatial analysis was performed. The abundance of deer has increased in the past decades, as well as the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. Temporal analysis confirmed a correlation between red deer abundance and tick-borne encephalitis occurrence. Additionally, spatial analysis established, that in areas with high incidence of tick-borne encephalitis red deer density is higher, compared to areas with no or few human cases of tick-borne encephalitis. However, such correlation could not be confirmed between roe deer density and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. This is presumably due to roe deer density being above a certain threshold so that availability of tick reproduction hosts has no apparent effect on ticks' host finding and consequently may not be possible to correlate with incidence of human TBE. PMID:23776668

Relative deer density and sustainability: a conceptual framework for integrating deer management with ecosystem management

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta; Susan L. Stout

1997-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations and harvests of white-tailed deer have increased dramatically in the eastern United States on public and private lands during the 20th century (Porter 1992, Kroll 1994). Recognition of the impacts of deer on ecosystem components (deCalesta 1997) and controversy over management of deer...

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland

PubMed Central

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. PMID:25993468

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland.

PubMed

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. © L. Witkowski et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2015.

Health status of mule deer and white-tailed deer herds on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Creekmore, T.E.; Franson, J.C.; Sileo, L.

1994-12-31

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal is a fenced, 6,900-ha Superfund site under remediation by the US Army and the Shell Oil Company. A variety of environmental contaminants including organochlorine pesticides, metals, and nerve-gas-production by-products are in the soil or in the water on the site. The authors evaluated the health of 18 radio-collared deer (13 mule deer [Odocoileus hemionus] and 5 white-tailed deer [O. virginianus]) collected by gunshot. Prior to collection, more than 4,000 locations of the 18 deer were plotted during a period of more than 2 years. Blood samples from the euthanized animals were collected for serologic, hematologic, andmore » contaminant evaluations. Necropsies were preformed and tissues collected for histopathologic examinations and environmental contaminants analyses. Results indicate that the physical conditions of the mule deer were fair/good and of the white-tailed deer were good. Antibody prevalence against epizootic hemorrhagic disease serotype 2 was 85% and bovine virus diarrhea 56%. Two mule deer had severe testicular atrophy, and one of these animals also had antler deformities. Three mule deer had alopecia with dermatitis and hyperkeratosis. Results of heavy metal, and organochlorine pesticide analyses from blood and tissue samples and other analyses will be presented.« less

Neospora caninum in Axis Deer ( Axis axis ) and Fallow Deer ( Dama dama ) in Northern Mexico.

PubMed

De La Torre, Jose R; Bautista-Piña, Christian; Alfonso Ortega-S, J; Cantu-Covarruvias, Antonio; Genoveva Alvarez-Ojeda, Maria; Romero-Salas, Dora; Henke, Scott E; Hilton, Clayton D; Hewitt, David G; De Young, Randy W; Campbell, Tyler A; Bryant, Fred C

2017-01-01

Serum samples from 18 axis deer ( Axis axis ) and 19 fallow deer ( Dama dama ) were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Neospora caninum antibodies. Two axis (11%) and two fallow deer (11%) were positive for N. caninum antibodies.

Lions and prions and deer demise.

PubMed

Miller, Michael W; Swanson, Heather M; Wolfe, Lisa L; Quartarone, Fred G; Huwer, Sherri L; Southwick, Charles H; Lukacs, Paul M

2008-01-01

Contagious prion diseases--scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease of several species in the deer family--give rise to epidemics that seem capable of compromising host population viability. Despite this prospect, the ecological consequences of prion disease epidemics in natural populations have received little consideration. Using a cohort study design, we found that prion infection dramatically lowered survival of free-ranging adult (>2-year-old) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): estimated average life expectancy was 5.2 additional years for uninfected deer but only 1.6 additional years for infected deer. Prion infection also increased nearly fourfold the rate of mountain lions (Puma concolor) preying on deer, suggesting that epidemics may alter predator-prey dynamics by facilitating hunting success. Despite selective predation, about one fourth of the adult deer we sampled were infected. High prevalence and low survival of infected deer provided a plausible explanation for the marked decline in this deer population since the 1980s. Remarkably high infection rates sustained in the face of intense predation show that even seemingly complete ecosystems may offer little resistance to the spread and persistence of contagious prion diseases. Moreover, the depression of infected populations may lead to local imbalances in food webs and nutrient cycling in ecosystems in which deer are important herbivores.

The effect of terrain and female density on survival of neonatal white-tailed deer and mule deer fawns.

PubMed

Bonar, Maegwin; Manseau, Micheline; Geisheimer, Justin; Bannatyne, Travis; Lingle, Susan

2016-07-01

Juvenile survival is a highly variable life-history trait that is critical to population growth. Antipredator tactics, including an animal's use of its physical and social environment, are critical to juvenile survival. Here, we tested the hypothesis that habitat and social characteristics influence coyote (Canis latrans) predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) fawns in similar ways during the neonatal period. This would contrast to winter when the habitat and social characteristics that provide the most safety for each species differ. We monitored seven cohorts of white-tailed deer and mule deer fawns at a grassland study site in Alberta, Canada. We used logistic regression and a model selection procedure to determine how habitat characteristics, climatic conditions, and female density influenced fawn survival during the first 8 weeks of life. Fawn survival improved after springs with productive vegetation (high integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values). Fawns that used steeper terrain were more likely to survive. Fawns of both species had improved survival in years with higher densities of mule deer females, but not with higher densities of white-tailed deer females, as predicted if they benefit from protection by mule deer. Our results suggest that topographical variation is a critical resource for neonates of many ungulate species, even species like white-tailed deer that use more gentle terrain when older. Further, our results raise the possibility that neonatal white-tailed fawns may benefit from associating with mule deer females, which may contribute to the expansion of white-tailed deer into areas occupied by mule deer.

Spatially distinct responses within willow to bark stripping by deer: effects on insect herbivory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Motonobu; Nakamura, Masahiro

2015-10-01

Within individual plants, cervid herbivory may cause positive or negative plant-mediated effects on insect herbivores, depending on where it occurs. Using a combination of field observations and artificial bark-stripping experiments in Hokkaido, Japan, we examined the plant-mediated effects of bark stripping by sika deer ( Cervus nippon yesoensis) on insect herbivory in two spatially distinct parts of willow ( Salix udensis) trees: resprouting leaves below bark-stripping wounds and canopy leaves above. Natural and artificial bark stripping stimulated resprouting from trunks below wounds. Resprouting leaves on bark-stripped trees had lower total phenolics, condensed tannin, and C/N ratios than did canopy leaves on control trees. Herbivory rates were higher in resprouting leaves on bark-stripped trees than in canopy leaves on controls. Conversely, above-wound canopy leaves on bark-stripped trees had higher total phenolics than did those on controls, while herbivory rates were lower in the canopy leaves of bark-stripped trees than in those on controls. These results demonstrate that plant-mediated effects of bark stripping diverge between plant tissues below and above wounds in individual willow trees. We submit that focusing on multiple plant parts can elucidate plant-mediated effects at the whole-plant scale.

Deer density and disease prevalence influence transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in White-tailed Deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Samuel, Michael D.; Richards, Bryan J.; Storm, Daniel J.; Rolley, Robert E.; Shelton, Paul; Nicholas S. Keuler,; Timothy R. Van Deelen,

2013-01-01

Host-parasite dynamics and strategies for managing infectious diseases of wildlife depend on the functional relationship between disease transmission rates and host density. However, the disease transmission function is rarely known for free-living wildlife, leading to uncertainty regarding the impacts of diseases on host populations and effective control actions. We evaluated the influence of deer density, landscape features, and soil clay content on transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in young (<2-year-old) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in south-central Wisconsin, USA. We evaluated how frequency-dependent, density-dependent, and intermediate transmission models predicted CWD incidence rates in harvested yearling deer. An intermediate transmission model, incorporating both disease prevalence and density of infected deer, performed better than simple density- and frequency-dependent models. Our results indicate a combination of social structure, non-linear relationships between infectious contact and deer density, and distribution of disease among groups are important factors driving CWD infection in young deer. The landscape covariates % deciduous forest cover and forest edge density also were positively associated with infection rates, but soil clay content had no measurable influences on CWD transmission. Lack of strong density-dependent transmission rates indicates that controlling CWD by reducing deer density will be difficult. The consequences of non-linear disease transmission and aggregation of disease on cervid populations deserves further consideration.

Country, Cover or Protection: What Shapes the Distribution of Red Deer and Roe Deer in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem?

PubMed Central

Heurich, Marco; Brand, Tom T. G.; Kaandorp, Manon Y.; Šustr, Pavel; Müller, Jörg; Reineking, Björn

2015-01-01

The Bohemian Forest Ecosystem encompasses various wildlife management systems. Two large, contiguous national parks (one in Germany and one in the Czech Republic) form the centre of the area, are surrounded by private hunting grounds, and hunting regulations in each country differ. Here we aimed at unravelling the influence of management-related and environmental factors on the distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in this ecosystem. We used the standing crop method based on counts of pellet groups, with point counts every 100 m along 218 randomly distributed transects. Our analysis, which accounted for overdispersion as well as zero inflation and spatial autocorrelation, corroborated the view that both human management and the physical and biological environment drive ungulate distribution in mountainous areas in Central Europe. In contrast to our expectations, protection by national parks was the least important variable for red deer and the third important out of four variables for roe deer; protection negatively influenced roe deer distribution in both parks and positively influenced red deer distribution in Germany. Country was the most influential variable for both red and roe deer, with higher counts of pellet groups in the Czech Republic than in Germany. Elevation, which indicates increasing environmental harshness, was the second most important variable for both species. Forest cover was the least important variable for roe deer and the third important variable for red deer; the relationship for roe deer was positive and linear, and optimal forest cover for red deer was about 70% within a 500 m radius. Our results have direct implications for the future conservation management of deer in protected areas in Central Europe and show in particular that large non-intervention zones may not cause agglomerations of deer that could lead to conflicts along the border of protected, mountainous areas. PMID:25781942

Country, cover or protection: what shapes the distribution of red deer and roe deer in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem?

PubMed

Heurich, Marco; Brand, Tom T G; Kaandorp, Manon Y; Šustr, Pavel; Müller, Jörg; Reineking, Björn

2015-01-01

The Bohemian Forest Ecosystem encompasses various wildlife management systems. Two large, contiguous national parks (one in Germany and one in the Czech Republic) form the centre of the area, are surrounded by private hunting grounds, and hunting regulations in each country differ. Here we aimed at unravelling the influence of management-related and environmental factors on the distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in this ecosystem. We used the standing crop method based on counts of pellet groups, with point counts every 100 m along 218 randomly distributed transects. Our analysis, which accounted for overdispersion as well as zero inflation and spatial autocorrelation, corroborated the view that both human management and the physical and biological environment drive ungulate distribution in mountainous areas in Central Europe. In contrast to our expectations, protection by national parks was the least important variable for red deer and the third important out of four variables for roe deer; protection negatively influenced roe deer distribution in both parks and positively influenced red deer distribution in Germany. Country was the most influential variable for both red and roe deer, with higher counts of pellet groups in the Czech Republic than in Germany. Elevation, which indicates increasing environmental harshness, was the second most important variable for both species. Forest cover was the least important variable for roe deer and the third important variable for red deer; the relationship for roe deer was positive and linear, and optimal forest cover for red deer was about 70% within a 500 m radius. Our results have direct implications for the future conservation management of deer in protected areas in Central Europe and show in particular that large non-intervention zones may not cause agglomerations of deer that could lead to conflicts along the border of protected, mountainous areas.

Deer Tracks in the City?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quigley, Cassie Fay; Beeman-Cadwallader, Nicole; Riggs, Morgan; Rodriguez, Antonia; Buck, Gayle

2009-01-01

"Why would a deer print be in the city?" wondered a student. She had noticed the track near a grocery store that morning with her mother. She was familiar with deer and had noticed their prints on a trip to a local museum; however, she had never seen a deer in the city before this experience. As she retold the story to her classmates, her question…

The Hickory Run deer exclosure

Treesearch

Ted J. Grisez

1959-01-01

The damage that deer can do to both planted and natural tree seedlings is vividly demonstrated by a l/l0-acre fenced exclosure at Hickory Run State Park in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Here, by comparing the growth of trees that have been browsed by deer with the growth of trees that have been protected from deer by the fence, one can see the injurious effects of...

Rabies in Captive Deer, Pennsylvania, USA, 2007–2010

PubMed Central

Tack, Danielle M.; Longenberger, Allison; Simeone, Aliza; Moll, Mària E.; Deasy, Marshall P.; Blanton, Jesse D.; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2012-01-01

Since January 2007, a total of 11 rabid deer from 4 deer farms have been identified in 2 neighboring Pennsylvania counties. Vaccination of deer against rabies, decreasing wildlife animal contact with deer, and education of deer farmers may prevent further cases of rabies in captive deer and exposures to humans. PMID:22260956

What do deer eat and why

Treesearch

Lowell K. Halls

1984-01-01

Food selection by white-tailed deer is mainly a function of seasonal availability and relative abundance of plants and plant parts, palatability, appetite, and nutritional factors. In addition to consuming food plants, deer meet their nutritional needs by synthesizing microbial symbionts in the stomach. Nutrients most frequently deficient in deer diet are crude protein...

Spatial interactions of yarded White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, M.E.; Sargeant, G.A.

2008-01-01

We examined the spatial interactions of nine female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in two deeryards (winter aggregations) in northeastern Minnesota during February-April 1999. Global positioning system (GPS) collars yielded seven pair-wise comparisons of deer that were located at the same time (???1 minute apart) and mat used overlapping areas. Deer traveled separately and did not associate with one another. Within overlapping areas, comparisons of distances between deer and distances between random locations indicated deer moved without regard to each other. Similarly, comparisons of observed and expected probabilities of deer using areas overlapping those of other deer also evinced that deer moved independently.

Deer Island Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requires that a broad base of EWN understanding and support be built . The Deer Island Aquatic...USACE) requires that a broad base of EWN understanding and support be built . The Deer Island Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project (Deer Island AERP...Mississippi Wetlands Restoration Projects). The project received additional funding through several public laws in response to hurricane damages

Tolazoline-induced apnea in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Mortenson, Jack Alan; Robison, Jason Andrew

2011-03-01

Eighteen mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and six Columbia black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) were held in pens and repeatedly anesthetized from April 2004 through June 2005 as part of an external parasite study. Deer were anesthetized using a combination of Telazol and xylazine hydrochloride (HCL) administered intramuscularly. Tolazoline HCL was slowly administered at 4 mg/kg intravenously to reverse the effects of xylazine with good results. For 17 of the 19 mule deer anesthesias in the fall of 2004, a mean dose of 7.3 mg/kg of intravenous tolazoline (range 6.1-8.4 mg/kg) was given by mistake. This paper describes clinical signs of apnea, muscle tensing, and fasciculations immediately following intravenous administration of tolazoline HCL in mule deer (O. hemionus) at 1.5-3 times the recommended dose. Mean dose for black-tailed deer during this time was 8.1 mg/kg (range 5.5-12.4 mg/kg) with no clinical signs as seen in the mule deer. Based on these findings, intravenous tolazoline use in mule deer is recommended at < or = 4 mg/kg.

Health status and relative exposure of mule deer and white-tailed deer to soil contaminants at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Creekmore, T.E.; Franson, J.C.; Whittaker, D.G.

1999-02-01

The authors evaluated the health of 18 radio-collared deer [13 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 5 white-tailed deer (O. virginianus)] from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, near Denver, Colorado, USA, a Superfund site contaminated with a variety of materials, including organochlorine pesticides, metals and nerve gas production by-products. Radio-collared deer were tracked for 1 to 3 years (1989--1992) to identify relative exposure to contaminants based on telemetry locations plotted on grid maps depicting known soil contaminant concentrations. At the end of the study, all animals were in fair or good body condition at the time of necropsy. Mean ages of mulemore » deer and white-tailed deer were 7.4 and 10.6 years, respectively. At necropsy, tissues were collected from the deer for serology, histopathology, and analysis for eight chlorinated hydrocarbons and two metals. Detectable residues of mercury were found in the kidneys of 10 deer, dieldrin was found in fat, liver, and brain, and DDE was found in the muscle of one animal. Relative exposure estimates derived from telemetry and soil contamination data were correlated with tissue levels of dieldrin and mercury. Two mule deer had severe testicular atrophy, and one of these animals also had antler deformities. The prevalence of antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease serotype 2 was 85%.« less

Deer Habitat in the Ozark Forests of Arkansas

Treesearch

Mitchell J. Rogers; Lowell K. Halls; James G. Dickson

1990-01-01

Two enclosures of 590 and 675 acres were constructed and stocked with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to determine the deer carrying capacity of an Ozark mountain forest and to evaluate the impact of winter food plots on deer survival and productivity. Deer diets varied considerably within and among years, and they were closely related to habitat type and...

Observations of captive Rocky Mountain mule deer behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halford, D.K.; Arthur, W.J. III; Alldredge, A.W.

1987-01-31

Observations were made near Fort Collins, Colorado on the behavior of a captive herd of Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus). Comparisons in general behavior patterns were made between captive and wild deer. Similar behavior was exhibited by captive and wild deer. Captive deer (as well as other species) may be useful for study of certain behavioral aspects of their wild counterparts.

Comparative cardiopulmonary effects of carfentanil-xylazine and medetomidine-ketamine used for immobilization of mule deer and mule deer/white-tailed deer hybrids.

PubMed Central

Caulkett, N A; Cribb, P H; Haigh, J C

2000-01-01

Three mule deer and 4 mule deer/white-tailed deer hybrids were immobilized in a crossover study with carfentanil (10 microg/kg) + xylazine (0.3 mg/kg) (CX), and medetomidine (100 microg/kg) + ketamine (2.5 mg/kg) (MK). The deer were maintained in left lateral recumbency for 1 h with each combination. Deer were immobilized with MK in 230+/-68 s (mean +/- SD) and with CX in 282+/-83 seconds. Systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressure were significantly higher with MK. Heart rate, PaO2, PaCO2, pH, and base excess were not significantly different between treatments. Base excess and pH increased significantly over time with both treatments. Both treatments produced hypoventilation (PaCO2 > 50 mm Hg) and hypoxemia (PaO2 < 60 mm Hg). PaO2 increased significantly over time with CX. Body temperature was significantly (P<0.05) higher with CX compared to MK. Ventricular premature contractions, atrial premature contractions, and a junctional escape rhythm were noted during CX immobilization. No arrhythmias were noted during MK immobilization. Quality of immobilization was superior with MK, with no observed movement present for the 60 min of immobilization. Movement of the head and limbs occurred in 4 animals immobilized with CX. The major complication observed with both of these treatments was hypoxemia, and supplemental inspired oxygen is recommended during immobilization. Hyperthermia can further complicate immobilization with CX, reinforcing the need for supplemental oxygen. PMID:10680659

Failure of fallow deer (Dama dama) to develop chronic wasting disease when exposed to a contaminated environment and infected mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Rhyan, Jack C; Miller, Michael W; Spraker, Terry R; McCollum, Matt; Nol, Pauline; Wolfe, Lisa L; Davis, Tracy R; Creekmore, Lynn; O'Rourke, Katherine I

2011-07-01

We monitored a herd of fallow deer (Dama dama) for evidence of prion infection for 7 yr by periodic postmortem examination of animals from the herd. The fallow deer were exposed to the chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent from mule deer by living in a paddock considered contaminated with infectivity from its history of housing CWD infected deer and, after the first year of the study, by comingling with infected mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). At least 8 of 12 mule deer serving as sentinels for prion transmission and 25 additional mule deer serving as sources of infectivity developed clinical CWD or were otherwise confirmed to be infected with CWD via lymphoid tissue immunohistochemistry (IHC). In contrast, none of the 41 exposed fallow deer showed clinical signs suggestive of CWD, IHC staining of disease-associated prion in lymphoid or brain tissues, or evidence of spongiform degeneration in sections of brain stem at the level of the obex when sampled 18 mo to 7 yr after entering the mule deer paddock. The absence of clinical disease and negative IHC results in fallow deer housed in the same contaminated paddock for up to 7 yr and almost continuously exposed to CWD-infected mule deer for up to 6 yr suggests a species barrier or other form of resistance preventing fallow deer infection by the CWD agent or delaying progression of the disease in this species.

White-tailed deer ecology and management on Fire Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Underwood, H.B.

2005-01-01

Deer populations have grown dramatically on Fire Island National Seashore (FIlS) since 1983. Trend data reveal a dichotomy in deer dynamics. In the eastern half of the island, deer density appears to have stabilized between 25-35 deer/km2. In the western half of the island, deer densities are 3-4 times as high in residential communities. Concomitant with that increase has been a general decline in physical stature of some animals, visible impacts on island vegetation, especially in the Sunken Forest, and a perceived increase in the frequency of human and deer interactions. Intensive research on FIlS has shown that deer occupy relatively predictable home ranges throughout the year, but can and do move up and down the island. Impacts of deer on vegetation are most dramatic in the Sunken Forest. Most obvious are the effects of browsing on the herb layer of the Sunken Forest. The least obvious, but perhaps more significant impact is the stark lack of regeneration of canopy tree species since about 1970, which coincides with the initiation of the deer population irruption. A number of herbs and shrubs have been greatly reduced in the understory, and their propagules from the soil. Deer do not readily transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme disease to other organisms, but deer are important hosts for adult ticks which underscores their importance in the transmission pathway of the disease to humans. Deer on FIlS, while occasionally docile, are still wild animals and should be treated as such. Some animals are relatively unafraid of humans due to the absence of predation and a lack of harassment. This in turn has contributed to a longstanding tradition of feeding deer by many residents and visitors, particularly in western portions of the island. Feeding affects both the behavior and population dynamics of deer inhabiting Fire Island. Recent efforts to reduce deer feeding by visitors and residents have been very effective. Ongoing experiments with Porcine Zona Pellucida

Hybrid Poplar Plantations Outgrow Deer Browsing Effects

Treesearch

Daniel A. Netzer

1984-01-01

Good plantation establishment techniques along with fast growing clones result in minimal deer damage to hybrid poplar plantations. Although deer prefer certain clones, as food becomes scarce they eventually browse all clones. With proper establishment trees grow to or beyond the reach of browsing deer in the first year and well beyond in the second. Poorly...

Managing white-tailed deer: eastern North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Kelly F.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Fuller, Angela K.; Hurst, Jeremy E.; Rosenberry, Christopher S.

2014-01-01

Many studies have documented that coyotes (Canis latrans) are the greatest source of natural mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates (<3 months old). With the range expansion of coyotes eastward in North America, many stakeholders are concerned that coyote predation may be affecting deer populations adversely. We hypothesized that declines in neonate survival, perhaps caused by increasing coyote predation, could be offset by adjusting or eliminating antlerless harvest allocations. We used a stochastic, age-based population simulation model to evaluate combinations of low neonate survival rates, severe winters, and low adult deer survival rates to determine the effectiveness of reduced antlerless harvest at stabilizing deer populations. We found that even in regions with high winter mortality, reduced antlerless harvest rates could stabilize deer populations with recruitment and survival rates reported in the literature. When neonate survival rates were low (25%) and yearling and adult female survival rates were reduced by 10%, elimination of antlerless harvests failed to stabilize populations. Our results suggest increased deer mortality from coyotes can be addressed through reduced hunting harvest of adult female deer in most circumstances throughout eastern North America. However, specific knowledge of adult female survival rates is important for making management decisions in areas where both neonate and adult survival may be affected by predation and other mortality factors.

Keep forage low to improve deer habitat

Treesearch

Robert M. Blair

1968-01-01

Depending on their age and how they are managed, southern pine plantations can provide sizable amounts of forage for deer. Since millions of acres of upland deer habitat are already in plantations, and millions more are slated for planting, the browse they yield will become increasingly important to southern deer herds--and to the sportsmen who are interested in seeing...

Health status and relative exposure of mule deer and white-tailed deer to soil contaminants at the rocky mountain arsenal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Creekmore, Terry E.; Whittaker, Donald G.; Roy, Richard R.; Franson, J. Christian; Baker, Dan L.

1999-01-01

We evaluated the health of 18 radio-collared deer [13 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 5 white-tailed deer (O. virginianus)] from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, near Denver, Colorado, USA, a Superfund site contaminated with a variety of materials, including organochlorine pesticides, metals, and nerve gas production by-products. Radio-collared deer were tracked for 1 to 3 years (1989–1992) to identify relative exposure to contaminants based on telemetry locations plotted on grid maps depicting known soil contaminant concentrations. At the end of the study, all animals were in fair or good body condition at the time of necropsy. Mean ages of mule deer and white-tailed deer were 7.4 (range 4–12) and 10.6 years (range 5–17), respectively. At necropsy, tissues were collected from the deer for serology, histopathology, and analysis for eight chlorinated hydrocarbons and two metals. Detectable residues of mercury were found in the kidneys of 10 deer (range 0.055–0.096 μg/g), dieldrin was found in fat (n = 9) (range 0.02–0.72 μg/g), liver (n = 4) (range 0.017–0.12 μg/g), and brain (n = 1, 0.018 μg/g), and DDE was found in the muscle of one animal (0.02 μg/g). Relative exposure estimates derived from telemetry and soil contamination data were correlated with tissue levels of dieldrin (p < 0.001) and mercury (p = 0.05). Two mule deer had severe testicular atrophy, and one of these animals also had antler deformities. The prevalence of antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease serotype 2 was 85%.

Mule deer and pronghorn migration in western Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sawyer, H.; Lindzey, F.; McWhirter, D.

2005-01-01

Migratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) populations rely on seasonal ranges to meet their annual nutritional and energetic requirements. Because seasonal ranges often occur great distances apart and across a mix of vegetation types and land ownership, maintaining migration corridors to and from these ranges can be difficult, especially if managers do not have detailed information on mule deer and pronghorn seasonal movements. We captured, radiomarked, and monitored mule deer (n = 171) and pronghorn (n = 34) in western Wyoming to document seasonal distribution patterns and migration routes. Mule deer and pronghorn migrated 20-158 km and 116-258 km, respectively, between seasonal ranges. These distances represented the longest recorded migrations for either species. We identified a number of bottlenecks along the migration routes of mule deer and pronghorn, but the most critical appeared to be the 1.6-km-wide Trapper's Point bottleneck, which was used by both mule deer and pronghorn during their spring and autumn migrations. Housing developments and roadways apparently have reduced the effective width of this bottleneck to <0.8 km. We estimate 2,500-3,500 mule deer and 1,500-2,000 pronghorn move through the bottleneck twice a year during spring and autumn migrations. Identification and protection of migration corridors and bottlenecks will be necessary to maintain mule deer and pronghorn populations throughout their range.

Chemical immobilization of North American mule deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lange, Robert E.; Nielsen, Leon; Haigh, Jerry C.; Fowler, Murray E.

1983-01-01

The choice of agents for chemical immobilization of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a problem with a simple and effective solution, in my opinion. I recommend combinations of etorphine hydrochloride (M199©) and xylazine hydrochloride (Rompun©) administered intravenously and reversed intravenously. I have used this combination on hundreds of mule deer and have supervised its use on hundreds more. It is a forgiving combination in terms of safety to the deer. I have never seen a mortality in mule deer that I could blame on this combination of drugs, which, in my experience, has performed well under a wide variety of environmental, physiological and organizational conditions.

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

PubMed Central

Mortensen, David A; Smithwick, Erica A H; Kalisz, Susan; McShea, William J; Bourg, Norman A; Parker, John D; Royo, Alejandro A; Abrams, Marc D; Apsley, David K; Blossey, Bernd; Boucher, Douglas H; Caraher, Kai L; DiTommaso, Antonio; Johnson, Sarah E; Masson, Robert; Nuzzo, Victoria A

2018-01-01

Abstract Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g. white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east-central and north-eastern USA and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density) and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer-access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favoured three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favoured three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and 15 native plant species. Overall, native

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Averill, Kristine M.; Mortensen, David A.; Smithwick, Erica A. H.

Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g., white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east central andmore » northeastern United States and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density), and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover, and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favored three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favored three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and fifteen native plant species

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

DOE PAGES

Averill, Kristine M.; Mortensen, David A.; Smithwick, Erica A. H.; ...

2017-12-07

Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g., white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east central andmore » northeastern United States and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density), and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover, and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favored three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favored three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and fifteen native plant species

Large-scale model-based assessment of deer-vehicle collision risk.

PubMed

Hothorn, Torsten; Brandl, Roland; Müller, Jörg

2012-01-01

Ungulates, in particular the Central European roe deer Capreolus capreolus and the North American white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, are economically and ecologically important. The two species are risk factors for deer-vehicle collisions and as browsers of palatable trees have implications for forest regeneration. However, no large-scale management systems for ungulates have been implemented, mainly because of the high efforts and costs associated with attempts to estimate population sizes of free-living ungulates living in a complex landscape. Attempts to directly estimate population sizes of deer are problematic owing to poor data quality and lack of spatial representation on larger scales. We used data on >74,000 deer-vehicle collisions observed in 2006 and 2009 in Bavaria, Germany, to model the local risk of deer-vehicle collisions and to investigate the relationship between deer-vehicle collisions and both environmental conditions and browsing intensities. An innovative modelling approach for the number of deer-vehicle collisions, which allows nonlinear environment-deer relationships and assessment of spatial heterogeneity, was the basis for estimating the local risk of collisions for specific road types on the scale of Bavarian municipalities. Based on this risk model, we propose a new "deer-vehicle collision index" for deer management. We show that the risk of deer-vehicle collisions is positively correlated to browsing intensity and to harvest numbers. Overall, our results demonstrate that the number of deer-vehicle collisions can be predicted with high precision on the scale of municipalities. In the densely populated and intensively used landscapes of Central Europe and North America, a model-based risk assessment for deer-vehicle collisions provides a cost-efficient instrument for deer management on the landscape scale. The measures derived from our model provide valuable information for planning road protection and defining hunting quota. Open

[Research progress on molecular genetics of forest musk deer].

PubMed

Jie, Hang; Zheng, Cheng-li; Wang, Jian-ming; Feng, Xiao-lan; Zeng, De-jun; Zhao, Gui-jun

2015-11-01

Forest musk deer is one of the large-scale farming musk deer animals with the largest population at the same time. The male musk deer can secrete valuable medicines, which has high medicinal and economic value. Due to the loss of habitat and indiscriminate hunting, the numbers of wild population specie and the distribution have been drastically reduced. Therefore, in-depth understanding of the molecular genetics progress of forest musk deer will pave a way for musk deer protection and breeding. In this review, the progress associated with the molecular marker, genetic classification, artificial breeding, musk secretion and disease in past decades were reviewed, in order to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent molecular genetic researches in forest musk deer.

Adenoviral hemorrhagic disease in California mule deer, 1990-2014.

PubMed

Woods, Leslie W; Schumaker, Brant A; Pesavento, Patricia A; Crossley, Beate M; Swift, Pamela K

2018-03-01

We reviewed case records from the California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) laboratory and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) spanning 25 years (1990-2014) for all deer accessions submitted to CAHFS for pathology and/or histopathology, with and without a diagnosis of adenoviral hemorrhagic disease (AHD), in order to determine the prevalence of AHD in California. We also examined spatial and temporal distribution, age, and mule deer subspecies in deer that died from AHD. Of 483 deer submitted to CAHFS for diagnostic testing in 1990-2014, 17.2% were diagnosed with confirmed AHD, and 26.5% were confirmed plus suspected cases of AHD. Columbian black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus), particularly fawns and juveniles, were most frequently affected. Deer adenovirus ( Odocoileus adenovirus 1; OdAdV-1) was detected by immunohistochemistry in archived CDFW formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from deer that died in mortality events in 1981, 1983, and 1986-1987. OdAdV-1 is a common cause of hemorrhagic disease mortality events in California deer, and mortality as a result of AHD is documented as early as 1981.

Experimental contagious ecthyma in mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn and wapiti.

PubMed

Lance, W R; Hibler, C P; DeMartini, J

1983-07-01

Hand-reared mule deer fawns (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus), pronghorn fawns (Antilocapra americana) and wapiti calves (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) were exposed to contagious ecthyma lesion material obtained from Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) to determine the susceptibility and pathogenesis in these species. All four species developed mucocutaneous proliferative lesions of the oral cavity, grossly and histologically compatible with contagious ecthyma. The limited clinical responses to the virus indicated that contagious ecthyma would not seriously impact free-ranging individuals.

A Common Parvovirus in Deer from California, USA.

PubMed

Li, Linlin; Woods, Leslie; Gerstenberg, Greg; Deng, Xutao; Delwart, Eric

2016-10-01

We characterize the genome of the first reported deer parvovirus, Ungulate tetraparvovirus 5, which we detected by PCR in multiple tissues from 2/9 California mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus californicus) with hair loss syndrome (HLS) and in 4/12 deer without HLS, suggesting this common infection does not cause HLS.

Fatal Case of Deer Tick Virus Encephalitis

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Norma P.; Wang, Heng; Dupuis, Michelle; Hull, Rene; Ebel, Gregory D.; Gilmore, Emily J.; Faust, Phyllis L.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Deer tick virus is related to Powassan virus, a tickborne encephalitis virus. A 62-year-old man presented with a meningoencephalitis syndrome and eventually died. Analyses of tissue samples obtained during surgery and at autopsy revealed a widespread necrotizing meningoencephalitis. Nucleic acid was extracted from formalin-fixed tissue, and the presence of deer tick virus was verified on a flavivirus-specific polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) assay, followed by sequence confirmation. Immunohistochemical analysis with antisera specific for deer tick virus identified numerous immunoreactive neurons, with prominent involvement of large neurons in the brain stem, cerebellum, basal ganglia, thalamus, and spinal cord. This case demonstrates that deer tick virus can be a cause of fatal encephalitis. PMID:19439744

Fatal case of deer tick virus encephalitis.

PubMed

Tavakoli, Norma P; Wang, Heng; Dupuis, Michelle; Hull, Rene; Ebel, Gregory D; Gilmore, Emily J; Faust, Phyllis L

2009-05-14

Deer tick virus is related to Powassan virus, a tickborne encephalitis virus. A 62-year-old man presented with a meningoencephalitis syndrome and eventually died. Analyses of tissue samples obtained during surgery and at autopsy revealed a widespread necrotizing meningoencephalitis. Nucleic acid was extracted from formalin-fixed tissue, and the presence of deer tick virus was verified on a flavivirus-specific polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) assay, followed by sequence confirmation. Immunohistochemical analysis with antisera specific for deer tick virus identified numerous immunoreactive neurons, with prominent involvement of large neurons in the brain stem, cerebellum, basal ganglia, thalamus, and spinal cord. This case demonstrates that deer tick virus can be a cause of fatal encephalitis. 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society

Can wolves help save Japan's mountain forests?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2017-01-01

Japan’s wolves were extinct by 1905. Today Japan's mountain forests are being killed by overabundant sika deer and wild boars. Since the early 1990s, the Japan Wolf Association has proposed wolf reintroduction to Japan to restore rural ecology and to return a culturally important animal. In this article I discuss whether the return of wolves could help save Japan's mountain forests.

Deployment of deer-resistant western redcedar (Thuja plicata)

Treesearch

John Russell

2008-01-01

Protecting planted western redcedar (Thuja plicata) seedlings from deer browse in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia is estimated to cost up to CAN$ 25 million annually. Recent studies linking deer browse and needle monoterpenes has resulted in the initiation of a breeding program for deer-resistant western redcedar at Cowichan Lake Research...

Results of deer exclosure studies in northeastern Pennsylvania

Treesearch

E.L. Shafer; T. J. Grisez; Ed Sowa

1961-01-01

To demonstrate how deer browsing affects natural tree seedling and sprout reproduction, two groups of deer exclosures were established in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Study of these exclosures after seven growing seasons confirms what other studies elsewhere have found: that when deer are too numerous for their natural food supply, it is...

Will Culling White-Tailed Deer Prevent Lyme Disease?

PubMed

Kugeler, K J; Jordan, R A; Schulze, T L; Griffith, K S; Mead, P S

2016-08-01

White-tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white-tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not representative to the vast majority of areas with high human Lyme disease risk. Robust evidence linking deer control to reduced human Lyme disease risk is lacking. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend deer population reduction as a Lyme disease prevention measure, except in specific ecologic circumstances. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Will Culling White-Tailed Deer Prevent Lyme Disease?

PubMed Central

Kugeler, K. J.; Jordan, R. A.; Schulze, T. L.; Griffith, K. S.; Mead, P. S.

2015-01-01

Summary White-tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white-tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not representative to the vast majority of areas with high human Lyme disease risk. Robust evidence linking deer control to reduced human Lyme disease risk is lacking. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend deer population reduction as a Lyme disease prevention measure, except in specific ecologic circumstances. PMID:26684932

Setting objectives for managing Key deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diefenbach, Duane R.; Wagner, Tyler; Stauffer, Glenn E.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is responsible for the protection and management of Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) because the species is listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The purpose of the ESA is to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. There are a host of actions that could possibly be undertaken to recover the Key deer population, but without a clearly defined problem and stated objectives it can be difficult to compare and evaluate alternative actions. In addition, management goals and the acceptability of alternative management actions are inherently linked to stakeholders, who should be engaged throughout the process of developing a decision framework. The purpose of this project was to engage a representative group of stakeholders to develop a problem statement that captured the management problem the FWS must address with Key deer and identify objectives that, if met, would help solve the problem. In addition, the objectives were organized in a hierarchical manner (i.e., an objectives network) to show how they are linked, and measurable attributes were identified for each objective. We organized a group of people who represented stakeholders interested in and potentially affected by the management of Key deer. These stakeholders included individuals who represented local, state, and federal governments, non-governmental organizations, the general public, and local businesses. This stakeholder group met five full days over the course of an eight-week period to identify objectives that would address the following problem:“As recovery and removal from the Endangered Species list is the purpose of the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs a management approach that will ensure a sustainable, viable, and healthy Key deer population. Urbanization has affected the behavior and population dynamics of the Key deer and the amount and characteristics

Mountain lions prey selectively on prion-infected mule deer

PubMed Central

Krumm, Caroline E.; Conner, Mary M.; Hobbs, N. Thompson; Hunter, Don O.; Miller, Michael W.

2010-01-01

The possibility that predators choose prey selectively based on age or condition has been suggested but rarely tested. We examined whether mountain lions (Puma concolor) selectively prey upon mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) infected with chronic wasting disease, a prion disease. We located kill sites of mountain lions in the northern Front Range of Colorado, USA, and compared disease prevalence among lion-killed adult (≥2 years old) deer with prevalence among sympatric deer taken by hunters in the vicinity of kill sites. Hunter-killed female deer were less likely to be infected than males (odds ratios (OR) = 0.2, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.1–0.6; p = 0.015). However, both female (OR = 8.5, 95% CI = 2.3–30.9) and male deer (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1–10) killed by a mountain lion were more likely to be infected than same-sex deer killed in the vicinity by a hunter (p < 0.001), suggesting that mountain lions in this area actively selected prion-infected individuals when targeting adult mule deer as prey items. PMID:19864271

Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic relationships of deer (Odocoileus spp.) in western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, Matthew A.

1991-01-01

Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer and black-tailed deer) and Odocoileus virginanus (white-tailed deer) are sympatric in western North America and are characterized by distinct morphology, behavior, and allozyme allele frequencies. However, there is discordance among nuclear and mitochondrial genetic relationships, as mule deer (O. h. hemionus) and white-tailed deer have similar mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which is very different from that of black-tailed deer (O. h. columbianus, O. h. sitkensis). I expanded previous studies to clarify the genetic relationships of these groups by determining mtDNA haplotype and allozyme genotypes for 667 deer from several locations in northwestern North America. Different mtDNA haplotypes in mule deer, black-tailed deer, and white-tailed deer indicate that mitochondrial gene flow is restricted. Allozyme allele frequencies indicate that there is also restriction of nuclear gene flow between O. virginianus and O. hemionus, and to a lesser extent between mule deer and black-tailed deer. There is a low level of introgressive hybridization of mtDNA from mule deer and black-tailed deer into white-tailed deer populations and considerable interbreeding of mule deer and black-tailed deer in a contact zone. The discordance of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes is apparent only if mtDNA sequence divergences, and not haplotype frequencies, are considered.

Chronic wasting disease in a Wisconsin white-tailed deer farm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keane, D.P.; Barr, D.J.; Bochsler, P.N.; Hall, S.M.; Gidlewski, T.; O'Rourke, K. I.; Spraker, T.R.; Samuel, M.D.

2008-01-01

In September 2002, chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disorder of captive and wild cervids, was diagnosed in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from a captive farm in Wisconsin. The facility was subsequently quarantined, and in January 2006 the remaining 76 deer were depopulated. Sixty animals (79%) were found to be positive by immunohistochemical staining for the abnormal prion protein (PrPCWD) in at least one tissue; the prevalence of positive staining was high even in young deer. Although none of the deer displayed clinical signs suggestive of CWD at depopulation, 49 deer had considerable accumulation of the abnormal prion in the medulla at the level of the obex. Extraneural accumulation of the abnormal protein was observed in 59 deer, with accumulation in the retropharyngeal lymph node in 58 of 59 (98%), in the tonsil in 56 of 59 (95%), and in the rectal mucosal lymphoid tissue in 48 of 58 (83%). The retina was positive in 4 deer, all with marked accumulation of prion in the obex. One deer was considered positive for PrPCWD in the brain but not in the extraneural tissue, a novel observation in white-tailed deer. The infection rate in captive deer was 20-fold higher than in wild deer. Although weakly related to infection rates in extraneural tissues, prion genotype was strongly linked to progression of prion accumulation in the obex. Antemortem testing by biopsy of rectoanal mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (or other peripheral lymphoid tissue) may be a useful adjunct to tonsil biopsy for surveillance in captive herds at risk for CWD infection.

Stream-crossing structure for deer fence

Treesearch

Robert M. Blair; James A. Hays; Louis Brunett

1963-01-01

Stream crossings are the most vulnerable points in a deer-proof fence. When an inadequately constructed crossing washes out, enclosed deer may escape and unwanted animals enter. Structures of the type described here have withstood 2 years of frequent, severe flooding in the pine-hardwood hills of central Louisiana.

Tuberculosis in wild and captive deer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Deer are found on every continent, save for Antarctica and Australia. Of the over 50 species of deer worldwide, tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis has been documented in at least 14. The broad host range of M. bovis includes most mammals, including humans and livestock. Eradication programs hav...

Deer damage in central hardwoods: a potential problem

Treesearch

Nancy G. Tilghman; David A. Marquis

1989-01-01

A major part of the diet of white-tailed deer consists of herbaceous plants, acorns, other tree fruits, and the twigs of trees and shrubs. Deer browsing on young tree seedlings can influence the success of regeneration in forest stands. Excessive deer browsing is not a major problem in the central hardwood forest type, except in parts of Pennsylvania and, to a lesser...

Metabolic responses associated with deer hunting.

PubMed

Peterson, A T; Steffen, J; Terry, L; Davis, J; Porcari, J P; Foster, C

1999-12-01

Deer hunting is a popular recreational activity with a high rate of cardiovascular events. Previous studies have demonstrated large HR responses during deer hunting. This study compared the HR and metabolic costs of maximal treadmill (TM) exercise with those of hiking while deer hunting and while dragging a deer. Healthy male volunteers (N = 16) performed a maximal TM exercise test, a 0.8-km hiking test, and a 0.4-km dragging test over lightly rolling terrain. VO2 was measured by portable spirometry and HR by radiotelemetry. HR averaged 74.0 +/- 7.0% and 89.1 +/- 4.5% of peak TM HR during the hike and drag, respectively. The peak HR observed during hiking and dragging was 83.2 +/- 6.0% and 94.9 +/- 4.2% of peak TM HR, respectively. VO2 averaged 62.2 +/- 15.8% and achieved a peak of 77.2 +/- 19.0% of TM VO2 while hiking. This corresponded to 86.8 +/- 17.3% and 108.1 +/- 22.3% of ventilatory threshold (VT), respectively. VO2 averaged 72.3 +/- 21.0% and achieved a peak of 91.2 +/- 21.4% of peak TM VO2 while dragging the deer. This corresponded to 101.5 +/- 27.7% and 128.5 +/- 26.8% of VT, respectively. The VO2/HR relationship showed significant (P < 0.05) difference between the dragging test and the TM test with a disproportionately high HR. The VO2/HR relationship between the hiking and TM tests was comparable. In part, the previously described large HR responses and high rate of cardiovascular complications associated with deer hunting may attributable to the elevated metabolic costs of associated activities.

Carcass and meat characteristics from farm-raised and wild fallow deer (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus): A review.

PubMed

Kudrnáčová, Eva; Bartoň, Luděk; Bureš, Daniel; Hoffman, Louwrens C

2018-07-01

Deer species are utilised for food, hunting and other products throughout the world. Consumers are typically exposed to venison derived predominantly from both farm-raised or wild fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The production of venison under farm conditions, compared to the meat of deer hunted in the wild, allows for a regular supply of a consistently good meat. It is lean, tasty, and rich in proteins and minerals, with a low content of fat and cholesterol. Overall, the worldwide demand for meat is still growing, and both the potential of farming deer species and their use as meat producers have led to an increased interest in venison. The current knowledge about various factors (e.g. nutrition, age, sex, condition, season) affecting venison and game meat has significantly increased during past decades but information regarding the interaction between production system or pre- and post-slaughter handling and ultimate deer meat quality are still very limited. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison of 2 techniques for estimating deer density

USGS Publications Warehouse

Storm, G.L.; Cottam, D.F.; Yahner, R.H.; Nichols, J.D.

1977-01-01

We applied mark-resight and area-conversion methods to estimate deer abundance at a 2,862-ha area in and surrounding the Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site during 1987-1991. One observer in each of 11 compartments counted marked and unmarked deer during 65-75 minutes at dusk during 3 counts in each of April and November. Use of radio-collars and vinyl collars provided a complete inventory of marked deer in the population prior to the counts. We sighted 54% of the marked deer during April 1987 and 1988, and 43% of the marked deer during November 1987 and 1988. Mean number of deer counted increased from 427 in April 1987 to 582 in April 1991, and increased from 467 in November 1987 to 662 in November 1990. Herd size during April, based on the mark-resight method, increased from approximately 700-1,400 from 1987-1991, whereas the estimates for November indicated an increase from 983 for 1987 to 1,592 for 1990. Given the large proportion of open area and the extensive road system throughout the study area, we concluded that the sighting probability for marked and unmarked deer was fairly similar. We believe that the mark-resight method was better suited to our study than the area-conversion method because deer were not evenly distributed between areas suitable and unsuitable for sighting within open and forested areas. The assumption of equal distribution is required by the area-conversion method. Deer marked for the mark-resight method also helped reduce double counting during the dusk surveys.

Serosurvey for antibodies to malignant catarrhal fever-associated viruses in free-living and captive cervids in Germany.

PubMed

Frölich, K; Li, H; Müller-Doblies, U

1998-10-01

A total of 486 serum samples collected from several species of both free-living and captive cervids in Germany was examined for antibodies against malignant catarrhal fever (MCF)-associated viruses (MCFV) by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). Eleven (2%) of these samples were positive for antibodies against MCFV. Among 157 serum samples collected from 16 different species of captive deer including four (7%) of 54 fallow deer and one (7%) of 14 sika deer (Cervus nippon) were seropositive. Among 329 samples from three species of free-ranging deer, including 253 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 22 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 54 fallow deer (Cervus dama), only fallow deer were antibody-positive. Of the 25 fallow deer samples collected between 1990 and 1993, four (16%) were seropositive. Among 29 free-ranging fallow deer samples collected in the hunting period 1996-1997, antibodies to MCFV were detected in two (7%) of these sera. All of these fallow deer samples were collected from a circumscribed area in northern Germany. In the same area a high seroprevalence (72%) to MCFV was observed in domestic sheep (n = 50). Among 20 sheep samples (buffy coat) and 15 fallow deer samples (spleen or lymph nodes) examined for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) by PCR, all 20 sheep samples examined were OvHV-2 positive, but all of the 15 fallow deer samples, including seven seropositive deer, were OvHV-2 negative.

Dominance of the Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype BEB6 in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) in China and a brief literature review

PubMed Central

Zhao, Wei; Wang, Jianguang; Yang, Ziyin; Liu, Aiqin

2017-01-01

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most frequently diagnosed microsporidian species in humans and is also found in a wide range of animals. It is considered to be an important but neglected zoonotic pathogen. With the development of deer bred in captivity, the number of deer has been increasing in recent years in China and there are more people involved in this work. The aims of this study were to determine prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), and to assess their potential zoonotic transmission. A total of 122 fecal specimens were collected from 104 red deer and 18 roe deer from three deer farms in Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces, China. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected and genotyped by PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene. The average infection rate was 8.2% (10/122), with 7.7% (8/104) for red deer and 11.1% (2/18) for roe deer. Two genotypes were identified: a known genotype BEB6 (n = 9) and a novel genotype named HLJD-VI (n = 1). This is the first report of E. bieneusi infection in Siberian roe deer. The fact that genotype BEB6 was detected previously in one human case of microsporidiosis, and that genotype HLJD-VI fell into zoonotic group 1, suggest the possibility of transmission to humans. A brief review of E. bieneusi genotypes in deer worldwide shows that 40 genotypes have been found in seven deer species, with genotype BEB6 being predominant. PMID:29267159

77 FR 41939 - Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-17

...-0379; Airspace Docket No. 12-ANM-7 Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT AGENCY... action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT... System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT...

Social organization in deer: Implications for localized management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, William F.; Mathews, Nancy E.; Underwood, H. Brian; Sage, Richard W.; Behrend, Donald F.

1991-11-01

Populations of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) inhabiting many state and national parks and suburban areas have grown to the point that they conflict with human activities. Conflicts range from destruction of vegetation through browsing to public perception that diseases carried by deer pose threats to human health. Traditional modes of hunting to control populations are inappropriate in many of these areas because of intense human development and activity. This article explores an alternative approach for population reduction based on deer social organization. Female white-tailed deer are highly philopatric and female offspring remain near their dams for life. This suggests that a population expands slowly as a series of overlapping home ranges in a form analogous to the petals on a rose. Incorporating the rose petal concept into a model of population growth shows that removal of deer by family unit can potentially alleviate conflicts in localized areas for as many as 10 15 yr.

77 FR 61248 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-09

...-0379; Airspace Docket No. 12-ANM-7 Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT AGENCY: Federal... at Deer Lodge-City- County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate... procedures at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight...

Observations on coyote-mule deer interactions at Rocky Flats, Colorado

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alldredge, A.W.; Arthur, W.J. III

1980-01-01

Observations of interactions between coyotes (Canis latrans) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in N-central Colorado indicated that, upon discovering a coyote close to a herd, mule deer would become alert, bunch together and either flee or pursue the coyote. Two observations of coyotes attacking deer indicated that the rump was the probable point of attack and in one case the deer began a defense using its front hooves.

Weak Population Structure in European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Evidence of Introgressive Hybridization with Siberian Roe Deer (C. pygargus) in Northeastern Poland

PubMed Central

Olano-Marin, Juanita; Plis, Kamila; Sönnichsen, Leif; Borowik, Tomasz; Niedziałkowska, Magdalena; Jędrzejewska, Bogumiła

2014-01-01

We investigated contemporary and historical influences on the pattern of genetic diversity of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). The study was conducted in northeastern Poland, a zone where vast areas of primeval forests are conserved and where the European roe deer was never driven to extinction. A total of 319 unique samples collected in three sampling areas were genotyped at 16 microsatellites and one fragment (610 bp) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. Genetic diversity was high, and a low degree of genetic differentiation among sampling areas was observed with both microsatellites and mtDNA. No evidence of genetic differentiation between roe deer inhabiting open fields and forested areas was found, indicating that the ability of the species to exploit these contrasting environments might be the result of its phenotypic plasticity. Half of the studied individuals carried an mtDNA haplotype that did not belong to C. capreolus, but to a related species that does not occur naturally in the area, the Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus). No differentiation between individuals with Siberian and European mtDNA haplotypes was detected at microsatellite loci. Introgression of mtDNA of Siberian roe deer into the genome of European roe deer has recently been detected in eastern Europe. Such introgression might be caused by human-mediated translocations of Siberian roe deer within the range of European roe deer or by natural hybridization between these species in the past. PMID:25271423

Coyote removal, understory cover, and survival of white-tailed deer neonates

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Mark Vukovich; H. Scott Ray; Christopher E. Shaw; Charles Ruth

2014-01-01

Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates has led to reduced recruitment in many deer populations in southeastern North America. This low recruitment combined with liberal antlerless deer harvest has resulted in declines in some deer populations, and consequently, increased interest in coyote population control. We...

Evaluating immunocontraception for managing suburban white-tailed deer in Irondequoit, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rudolph, B.A.; Porter, W.F.; Underwood, H.B.

2000-01-01

Immunocontraception is frequently proposed as an alternative to lethal removal of females for deer management. However, little information is available for evaluating the potential of applying immunocontraceptives to free-ranging populations. Our objectives were to estimate effort required to apply porcine zona pellucida (PZP) to individual deer and assess the utility of using immunocontraception to control growth of deer populations. The study was conducted in a 43-km2 suburban community with about 400 deer. Effort per deer was measured as time required to capture and mark deer, and then to apply booster immunocontraceptive treatments by remote injection. Estimates of numbers of females to treat to control population growth were based on the generalized sustained-yield (SY) model adapted for contraception of females. The SY curve was calibrated using data on deer abundance acquired from aerial population surveys and nutritional condition of females removed by a concurrent culling program. Effort was influenced by 4 factors: deer population density, approachability of individual deer, access to private and public land, and efficacy of the contraceptive treatment. Effort and deer density were inversely related. Cumulative effort for treatment increased exponentially because some deer were more difficult to approach than others. Potential of using immunocontraception at low deer population densities (<25% ecological carrying capacity) is limited by the interaction of the proportion of breeding-age females in the population and treatment efficacy, as well as encounter rates. Immunocontraception has the best potential for holding suburban deer populations between 30 and 70% of ecological carrying capacity, but is likely to be useful only in localized populations when the number of females to be treated is small (e.g., <200 deer).

White-tailed deer migration and its role in wolf predation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoskinson, R.L.; Mech, L.D.

1976-01-01

Seventeen white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were radio-tagged in winter yards and tracked for up to 17 months each (881 locations) from January 1973 through August 1974 in the central Superior National Forest of NE Minnesota following a drastic decline in deer numbers. Ten vyolves (Canis lupus) from 7 packs in the same area were radiotracked before and/or during the same period (703 locations). Deer had winter ranges averaging 26.4 ha. Spring migration took place from 26 March to 23 April and was related to loss of snow cover. Deer generally migrated ENE in straight-line distances of 10.0 to 38.0 km to summer ranges. Two fawns did not migrate. Arrival on summer ranges was between 19 April and 18 May, and summer ranges varied from 48.1 to 410.4 ha. Migration back to the same winter yards took place in early December, coincident with snow accumulation and low temperatures. Social grouping appeared strongest during migration and winter yarding. Survival of the radio-tagged deer was studied through 1 May 1975. Four deer were killed by wolves, one was poached, and one drowned. Mean age of the captured deer was 5.4 years and estimated minimum survival after capture was 2.6 years, giving an estimated total minimum survival of 8.0 years. This unusually high survival rate appeared to be related to the fact that both winter and summer ranges of these deer were situated along wolf-pack territory edges rather than in centers. In addition, most summer ranges of the radio-tagged deer were along major waterways where the deer could escape wolves.

Winter fasting and refeeding effects on urine characteristics in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.; Karns, P.D.

1987-01-01

The effects of dietary protein, fasting, and refeeding on urinary characteristics of 9 captive, female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied from 23 February to 3 May 1984. Urinary sodium (na) and potassium (K) were diminished in fasted deer after 2 and 4 weeks. Renal excretion of Na and K were lower, whereas urinary phosphorus (P) was higher in fasted deer compared to deer fed high protein-high energy (HPHE) diets. Urinary P excretion of the fasted deer was also greater than in a low protein-high energy (LPHE)-fed group. Urinary area excretion of fasted deer was similar to that of deer fed low and high protein diets. One fasted deer died during the study and exhibited notably high excretion of urea, Na, K, and calcium (Ca). No effects of the 2 levels of dietary protein on urinary characteristics were detected. Urinary Na:C and K:C ratios wer significantly correlated with Na and K intake. Urinalysis has potential as a sensitive means of monitoring the nutritional status of white-tailed deer. Data are presented as reference values for interpretation of data from deer under less controlled circumstances.

Can coyotes affect deer populations in Southeastern North America?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilgo, J., C.; Ray, H., Scott; Ruth, Charles

2010-07-01

ABSTRACT The coyote (Canis latrans) is a recent addition to the fauna of eastern North America, and in many areas coyote populations have been established for only a decade or two. Although coyotes are known predators of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in their historic range, effects this new predator may have on eastern deer populations have received little attention. We speculated that in the southeastern United States, coyotes may be affecting deer recruitment, and we present 5 lines of evidence that suggest this possibility. First, the statewide deer population in South Carolina has declined coincident with the establishment and increasemore » in the coyote population. Second, data sets from the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina indicate a new mortality source affecting the deer population concurrent with the increase in coyotes. Third, an index of deer recruitment at SRS declined during the period of increase in coyotes. Fourth, food habits data from SRS indicate that fawns are an important food item for coyotes during summer. Finally, recent research from Alabama documented significant coyote predation on fawns there. Although this evidence does not establish cause and effect between coyotes and observed declines in deer recruitment, we argue that additional research should proactively address this topic in the region. We identified several important questions on the nature of the deer–coyote relationship in the East.« less

Influence of landscape characteristics on migration strategies of white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grovenburg, T.W.; Jacques, C.N.; Klaver, R.W.; Deperno, C.S.; Brinkman, T.J.; Swanson, C.C.; Jenks, J.A.

2011-01-01

A trade-off exists for migrating animals as to whether to migrate or remain residents. Few studies have documented relationships between landscape variables and deer migration strategies. From 2000 to 2007 we captured 267 adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at 7 study sites in Minnesota and South Dakota and monitored 149 individuals through ≥3 seasonal migration periods (585 deer-migration seasons). All deer classified as obligate migrators with ≥3 migrations (range 3–9 migration seasons) maintained their obligate status for the duration of the study. Multinomial logistic odds ratios from generalized estimating equations indicated that the odds of being a resident increased by 1.4 and 1.3 per 1-unit increase in forest patch density and mean area, respectively, compared to migrating deer. Odds of being an obligate migrator increased by 0.7 and 0.8 per 1-unit decrease in forest patch density and mean area, respectively, compared to resident or conditional migrating deer. Areas inhabited by resident deer were characterized by greater number of forest patches per 100 ha and larger mean forest patch area than conditional and obligate migrant areas. Odds of migrating increased by 1.1 per 1-unit increase in deer winter severity index. Migration behavior of white-tailed deer varied among regions, and land-cover and landscape characteristics provided predictive indicators of migration strategies for deer that could have important implications for conservation, metapopulation dynamics, and species management.

Movement patterns of rural and suburban white-tailed deer in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaughan, C.R.; DeStefano, S.

2005-01-01

We used satellite land cover data and the program FRAGSTATS toquantify land cover types and calculate the amount of forest edge available in suburban and rural regions of northeastern and northwestern Massachusetts. Cover categories included forest cover, open canopy vegetation, and non-deer habitat. We calculated all edge segments where forest cover abutted open canopy cover. Our open canopy vegetation category was calculated both with and without low intensity suburban development. We then compared these findings to movement data from 53 (13 males, 40 females) adult radio-marked white-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusmonitored biweekly and diurnally from January 2001 to January 2003. The range of movements of suburban deer in eastern Massachusetts showed no difference to that of suburban deer in western Massachusetts (P = 0.7). However, the ranges for suburban deer in both eastern and western Massachusetts were 10 times less than those of deer in rural western Massachusetts (P = 0.001).Our findings suggest that landscape configuration, as described by the amount and distribution of edge due to suburban development, which is related to the amount and distribution of resources such as food and cover, affects migratory behavior of white-tailed deer, allowsdeer to have smaller ranges, and contributes to high deer densities.Inclusion of suburban edge in habitat models will increase our understanding of deer-habitat relationships for management of deer in urbanizing environments. ?? 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Comparative anatomy of the accessory ciliary ganglion in mammals.

PubMed

Kuchiiwa, S; Kuchiiwa, T; Suzuki, T

1989-01-01

The orbits of 13 mammalian species (pig, sika deer, domestic sheep, horse, cat, fox, racoon dog, marten, rat, rabbit, crab-eating macaque, japanese macaque and man) were stained with silver nitrate and dissected under a dissecting microscope with special attention to the presence and location of the accessory ciliary ganglion. Some preparations were stained with thionin and examined as whole-mounts in a transmission microscope. The accessory ciliary ganglion was present in all 13 species, although the number and degree of development varied greatly from species to species. The accessory ciliary ganglion could be readily differentiated from the main ciliary ganglion in the following respects: it was located on the short ciliary nerve, and it had no root derived directly from the inferior trunk of the oculomotor nerve and it never attaches to this nerve. In many species, ganglion cells were also scattered in the short ciliary nerves in the stained whole preparations. In a few species, there were one or more small ganglia on the nerve to the inferior oblique muscle.

Chronic wasting disease drives population decline of white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edmunds, David; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Schumaker, Brant; Lindzey, Frederick G.; Cook, Walter; Kreeger, Terry J.; Grogan, Ronald; Cornish, Todd

2016-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invariably fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. Despite a 100% fatality rate, areas of high prevalence, and increasingly expanding geographic endemic areas, little is known about the population-level effects of CWD in deer. To investigate these effects, we tested the null hypothesis that high prevalence CWD did not negatively impact white-tailed deer population sustainability. The specific objectives of the study were to monitor CWD-positive and CWD-negative white-tailed deer in a high-prevalence CWD area longitudinally via radio-telemetry and global positioning system (GPS) collars. For the two populations, we determined the following: a) demographic and disease indices, b) annual survival, and c) finite rate of population growth (λ). The CWD prevalence was higher in females (42%) than males (28.8%) and hunter harvest and clinical CWD were the most frequent causes of mortality, with CWD-positive deer over-represented in harvest and total mortalities. Survival was significantly lower for CWD-positive deer and separately by sex; CWD-positive deer were 4.5 times more likely to die annually than CWD-negative deer while bucks were 1.7 times more likely to die than does. Population λ was 0.896 (0.859–0.980), which indicated a 10.4% annual decline. We show that a chronic disease that becomes endemic in wildlife populations has the potential to be population-limiting and the strong population-level effects of CWD suggest affected populations are not sustainable at high disease prevalence under current harvest levels.

"The Deer Hunter": Rhetoric of the Warrior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushing, Janice Hocker; Frentz, Thomas S.

1980-01-01

Analyzes "The Deer Hunter" in terms of a psychological/ritual model of criticism. Argues that the rhetorical force of the film is explained by men's participation in rituals, such as deer hunting, which affect the patterns of psychological change they experience during and after war. (JMF)

Summer trapping method for mule deer. [Nevada Test Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giles, K.R.

1979-07-01

A summer mule deer trapping method which uses modified Clover traps in a circular corral with water as a bait is described. Drug restraint was used to facilitate safe handling of mule deer by the investigator. Fifteen mule deer were safely captured and outfitted with radio transmitters, ear tags, and reflective markers, and their movements monitored to determine migration patterns.

The impact of deer browsing on Allegheny hardwood regeneration

Treesearch

David A. Marquis

1974-01-01

To evaluate the impact of deer browsing on Allegheny hardwood regeneration, surveys were made of vegetation inside and outside deer exclosures in 13 stands that had been clearcut 5 to 16 years earlier. The surveys showed that browsing by white-tailed deer has resulted in regeneration failures in 25 to 40 percent of the areas studied. Pin cherry and sugar maple were the...

Pathophysiology of white-tailed deer vaccinated with porcine zona pellucida immunocontraceptive

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtis, P.D.; Richmond, M.E.; Miller, L.A.; Quimby, F.W.

2007-01-01

White-tailed deer (n = 14 treated, n = 7 control) were examined postmortem to identify any possible pathophysiology resulting from PZP immunocontraception vaccination. Deer were treated twice in 1997; given a booster in 1998, with six being revaccinated in September 2000. Granulomas were found at injection sites of most deer, even 2 years post-treatment. Eosinophilic oophoritis occurred in 6 of 8 (75%) deer vaccinated in 1998, and 3 of 6 (50%) revaccinated in 2000. The 2000 revaccinates without oophoritis, had significantly fewer normal secondary follicles than control females (P = 0.03), and deer in the1998 treatment group (P = 0.04). PZP immunocontraceptive vaccine elicited ovarian pathologies in deer similar to those observed in other species. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slash helps protect seedlings from deer browsing

Treesearch

Ted J. Grisez

1960-01-01

Foresters and landowners in the northern and eastern states are vitally concerned with the destructive browsing of forest regeneration by large numbers of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Attempts to prevent over-populations of deer have been made through legislative and administrative measures with varying success, but more direct...

Investigation of anatomical anomalies in Hanford Site mule deer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tiller, B.L.; Cadwell, L.L.; Poston, T.M.

Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), common residents of the Hanford Site, are an important part of the shrub-steppe ecosystem as well as being valued for aesthetics and hunting. Because mule deer have been protected from hunting on the Site for 50 years, the herd has developed unique population characteristics, including a large number of old animals and males with either large or atypically developed antlers, in contrast to other herds in the semi-arid regions of the Northwest. Hanford Site mule deer have been studied since 1991 because of the herd`s unique nature and high degree of public interest.more » A special study of the mule deer herd was initiated in 1993 after observations were made of a relatively large number of male deer with atypical, velvet-covered antlers. This report specifically describes our analyses of adult male deer found on the Site with atypical antlers. The report includes estimates of population densities and composition; home ranges, habitat uses, and dietary habits; natural and human-induced causes of mortality; and the herd`s overall health and reproductive status.« less

Home range location of white-tailed deer.

Treesearch

Michael E. Nelson

1979-01-01

Deer migrations and home range traditions indicated that home range location is determined more by early social experience, learning, and tradition than by an innate ability to select the best habitat. Different deer preferred the same or similar habitat but such selection was a secondary influence on home range location.

Host defense responses associated with experimental hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer.

PubMed

Quist, C F; Howerth, E W; Stallknecht, D E; Brown, J; Pisell, T; Nettles, V F

1997-07-01

Our objectives were to examine the immunity conferred by epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 (EHDV-2) infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and determine if this immunity was protective during challenge with homologous (EHDV-2) or heterologous (bluetongue virus serotype 10; BTV-10) virus. Trials were conducted in the fall of 1992 and 1993. In the first experiment, naive white-tailed deer were infected intradermally and subcutaneously with EHDV-2 and monitored via physical examinations, complete blood counts, alpha and beta interferon (IFN) assays, viral isolation, and serology. Infected deer had a wide range of clinical signs in response to infection. Eleven of the 16 deer had body temperature elevations > or = 0.5 C between post-infection day (PID) 4 and 8. Infected deer had decreased lymphocyte counts between PID 6 and 10 that returned to normal levels by PID 17. Severely lymphopenic animals had the most severe clinical signs; five of 10 deer with lymphocyte counts less than 1000 cells/microliters succumbed to the infection. Viremia was detected in all 16 EHDV-2 infected animals by PID 4, and peak viremias occurred between PID 4 and PID 10. Three deer remained viremic until PID 56, the study endpoint. Interferon was first detected between PID 2 and 6. Peak alpha and beta IFN levels coincided with peak viremia in 11 deer. Precipitating and neutralizing antibodies were detected in infected deer by PID 10. In the second experiment, convalescent deer were challenged subcutaneously and intradermally with either EHDV-2 or BTV-10 and similarly monitored. Virus was detected in the blood of all four deer challenged with BTV-10, but viremia was not detected in three EHDV-2-challenged deer. Temperature fluctuations, blood cell parameter changes, and IFN and antibody responses seen in BTV-10-challenged deer were similar to those seen in the initial experiment. Deer challenged with EHDV-2 had mildly increased temperatures, but minimal IFN response

137Cs levels in deer following the Three Mile Island accident.

PubMed

Field, R W

1993-06-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus) tongues were assayed to assess whether or not significant widespread 137Cs contamination occurred in the vicinity of Three Mile Island Nuclear Station as a result of the 1979 accident. White-tailed deer tongues harvested from 10 Pennsylvania counties more than 88 km away from Three Mile Island had significantly higher 137Cs levels than deer tongues harvested from counties surrounding the nuclear plant. The mean deer tongue 137Cs levels found in Pennsylvania white-tailed deer were lower than 137Cs levels found in deer from other parts of the U.S. sampled shortly after culmination of major atmospheric nuclear testing. These findings support the conclusions of previous studies suggesting that only minimal quantities of 137Cs escaped from the damaged Three Mile Island plant after the accident.

Merogonic stages of Theileria cervi in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Wood, Jason; Johnson, Eileen M; Allen, Kelly E; Campbell, Gregory A; Rezabek, Grant; Bradway, Daniel S; Pittman, Louis L; Little, Susan E; Panciera, Roger J

2013-09-01

In February 2012, 12 farmed mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were moved from a facility in southwestern Oklahoma to a facility in southeastern Oklahoma that housed 100 farmed white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Between the third and fifth weeks, 9 of the 12 mule deer had died, 4 of which were submitted for necropsy. The deer were heavily infested with Amblyomma americanum (lone star ticks). Hematologic data from 1 deer revealed severe anemia, leukocytosis, and intraerythrocytic hemoparasites consistent with Theileria spp. Microscopically, the liver, lymph nodes, and spleen contained multifocally distributed, enlarged monocytic cells whose cytoplasm was replaced by developing meronts in various stages of merogony. It appears that, upon arrival, the Theileria cervi-naïve mule deer became infested with large numbers of Theileria-infected lone star ticks leading to massive exposure of the mule deer to sporozoites of the protozoan, resulting in an acute hemolytic crisis and fatalities. The merogonic stages of T. cervi are also described. The lack of earlier reports of merogony may be due to the fact that only a single, short-lived, merogonic cycle follows exposure to sporozoites and thus merogonic stages are demonstrable for only a short period. Polymerase chain reaction testing of paraffin-embedded tissue yielded a 507-bp amplicon sequence that was 100% identical with the sequence of T. cervi previously reported from white-tailed deer in Oklahoma and from elk in Wisconsin and Indiana.

Population density influences dispersal in female white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lutz, Clayton L.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Rosenberry, Christopher S.

2015-01-01

Dispersal behavior in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predominantly occurs in 1-year-old males; however, females of the same age also disperse. The timing of female dispersal during fawning season and low dispersal rates suggest that competition for mates and reduced inbreeding are not ultimate causes of female dispersal, as suggested for males. We proposed that female dispersal is the result of competition for space when pregnant females seek to isolate themselves before and after parturition. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a meta-analysis of female dispersal rates from 12 populations of white-tailed deer and predicted dispersal rate and distance were positively related to deer density. We found a positive relationship between dispersal rate and deer per forested km2 and between dispersal distance and deer per forested km2. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that female dispersal is density-dependent and caused by the exclusion of subordinate 1-year-olds as adult females seek isolation before and after parturition.

Impacts of white-tailed deer on red trillium (Trillium recurvatum): defining a threshold for deer browsing pressure at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pavlovic, Noel B.; Leicht-Young, Stacey A.; Grundel, Ralph

2014-01-01

Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been a concern for land managers in eastern North America because of their impacts on native forest ecosystems. Managers have sought native plant species to serve as phytoindicators of deer impacts to supplement deer surveys. We analyzed experimental data about red trillium (Trillium recurvatum), large flowered trillium (T. grandiflorum), nodding trillium (T. cernuum), and declined trillium (T. flexipes) growth in paired exclosure (fenced) plots and control (unfenced) plots from 2002 to 2010 at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The latter two species lacked replication, so statistical analysis was not possible. All red trillium plants were surveyed for height-to-leaf, effects of browsing, and presence of flowers. Data from individuals in 2009 demonstrated a sigmoidal relationship between height-to-leaf and probability of flowering. The relationship on moraine soils was shifted to taller plants compared to those on sand substrates, with respectively 50 percent flowering at 18 and 16 cm and 33 percent flowering at 16 and 14 cm height-to-leaf. On a plot basis, the proportion of plants flowering was influenced by height to leaf, duration of protection, and deviation in rainfall. The proportion of plants flowering increased ninefold in exclosures (28 percent) compared to control plots (3 percent) over the 8 years of protection. The mean height-to-leaf was a function of the interaction between treatment and duration, as well as red trillium density. Changes in height-to-leaf in control plots from year to year were significantly influenced by an interaction between change in deer density and change in snowfall depth. There was a significant negative correlation between change in deer density and snowfall depth. Plants in the exclosures increased in height at a rate of 1.5 cm yr−1 whereas control plants decreased in height by 0.9 cm yr−1. In all, 78 percent of the control plots lacked flowering

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, Pamela J.; Granfors, Diane A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Landscape heterogeneity reduces coyote predation on white-tailed deer fawns

Treesearch

William D. Gulsby; John C. Kilgo; Mark Vukovich; James A. Martin

2017-01-01

Coyote (Canis latrans) predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns in southeastern North America has led to deer population declines in some areas. Research or management efforts initiated in response to coyote predation on fawns have primarily focused on implementation of reduced antlerless deer harvest or coyote control to mitigate population...

Population characteristics of a central Appalachian white tailed deer herd

Treesearch

Tyler A. Campbell; Benjamin R. Laseter; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller; Karl V. Miller

2005-01-01

Reliable estimates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population parameters are needed for effective population management. We used radiotelemetrv to compare survival and cause-specific mortality rates between male and female white-tailed deer and present reproductive data for a high-density deer herd in the central Appalachians of West Virginia during...

The draft genome sequence of forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii).

PubMed

Fan, Zhenxin; Li, Wujiao; Jin, Jiazheng; Cui, Kai; Yan, Chaochao; Peng, Changjun; Jian, Zuoyi; Bu, Ping; Price, Megan; Zhang, Xiuyue; Shen, Yongmei; Li, Jing; Q, Wenhua; Yue, Bisong

2018-04-01

The forest musk deer, Moschus berezovskii, is one of seven musk deer (Moschus spp.) and is distributed in Southwest China. Akin to other musk deer, the forest musk deer has been traditionally and is currently hunted for its musk (i.e., global perfume industry). Considerable hunting pressure and habitat loss have caused significant population declines. Consequently, the Chinese government commenced captive breeding programs for musk harvesting in the 1950s. However, the prevalence of fatal diseases is considerably restricting population increases. Disease severity and extent are exacerbated by inbreeding and genetic diversity declines in captive musk deer populations. It is essential that knowledge of captive and wild forest musk deer populations' immune system and genome be gained in order to improve their physical and genetic health. We have thus sequenced the whole genome of the forest musk deer, completed the genomic assembly and annotation, and performed preliminary bioinformatic analyses. A total of 407 Gb raw reads from whole-genome sequencing were generated using the Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform. The final genome assembly is around 2.72 Gb, with a contig N50 length of 22.6 kb and a scaffold N50 length of 2.85 Mb. We identified 24,352 genes and found that 42.05% of the genome is composed of repetitive elements. We also detected 1,236 olfactory receptor genes. The genome-wide phylogenetic tree indicated that the forest musk deer was within the order Artiodactyla, and it appeared as the sister clade of four members of Bovidae. In total, 576 genes were under positive selection in the forest musk deer lineage. We provide the first genome sequence and gene annotation for the forest musk deer. The availability of these resources will be very useful for the conservation and captive breeding of this endangered and economically important species and for reconstructing the evolutionary history of the order Artiodactyla.

Ecologically sound management: aspects of modern sustainable deer farming systems.

PubMed

Pearse, A J; Drew, K R

1998-01-01

Modern deer farming systems have become increasingly intensive allowing strategic feeding for production and genetic improvement programmes. Meeting feeding standards that account for changing nutritional demands related to seasonality and reproductive state is critical. As the industry matures there is a growing awareness of the balance between retaining natural behaviour in producing breeding stock on larger extensive holdings and intensification systems for performance in young stock. Stocking rates are critical determinants of success as land use and capability needs are matched with an increasing stratification of stock type and purpose. Food product safety and welfare considerations of farmed deer are being driven by consumer demands. Farm quality assurance and codes of practice are developing to ensure that deer farming meets and exceeds international expectations of land use and deer welfare in modern deer farming systems.

Protection of tree seedlings from deer browsing

Treesearch

Jeffrey S. Ward; George R. Stephens

1995-01-01

Browsing by large deer herds has seriously impaired successful regeneration on some Connecticut forests. Six plots were established in 1990 to examine the effectiveness of 5 deer browsing protection devices for 5 tree species. Protective devices included plastic mesh sleeves (60-cm), Reemay (spunbonded polypropylene) sleeves (60-cm), Tubex tree shelters (120 and 180-cm...

Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence in Free-Ranging Deer in Canada.

PubMed

Weger, S; Elkin, B; Lindsay, R; Bollinger, T; Crichton, V; Andonov, A

2017-06-01

Hepatitis E virus infection (HEV) is an important public health concern not only in traditional endemic areas, but also in some industrialized countries where both domesticated and wild animals have been recognized as potential zoonotic reservoirs implicated in HEV transmission. While the prevalence of infection in the deer population in Europe and Asia has been thoroughly investigated, it remains largely undetermined in North America. We assessed the presence of HEV in three different species of free-range deer in Canada. The seroprevalence of HEV among deer in Canada was 8.8% in white-tailed deer, 4.5% in mule deer and 3.2% in caribou. Hepatitis E virus RNA was not detected. Overall, data indicate that HEV infection occurs in deer in Canada. The absence of viraemia and the low seroprevalence especially in barren-ground caribou which is an important part of the diet in many northern communities suggests that the risk of zoonotic transmission may be less pronounced compared to other countries. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Minimizing capture-related stress on white-tailed deer with a capture collar

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Kunkel, K.E.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.

1990-01-01

We compared the effect of 3 capture methods for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on blood indicators of acute excitement and stress from 1 February to 20 April 1989. Eleven adult females were captured by Clover trap or cannon net between 1 February and 9 April 1989 in northeastern Minnesota [USA]. These deer were fitted with radio-controlled capture collars, and 9 deer were recaptured 7-33 days later. Trapping method affected serum cortisol (P < 0.0001), hemoglobin (Hb) (P < 0.06), and packed cell volume (PCV) (P < 0.07). Cortisol concentrations were lower (P < 0.0001) in capture-collared deer (0.54 .+-. 0.07 [SE] .mu.g/dL) compared to Clover-trapped (4.37 .+-. 0.69 .mu.g/dL) and cannon-netted (3.88 .+-. 0.82 .mu.g/dL) deer. Capture-collared deer were minimally stressed compared to deer captured by traditional methods. Use of the capture collar should permit more accurate interpretation of blood profiles of deer for assessement of condition and general health.

Epizootic canine distemper virus infection among wild mammals.

PubMed

Kameo, Yuki; Nagao, Yumiko; Nishio, Yohei; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Nakano, Hitoshi; Suzuki, Kazuo; Une, Yumi; Sato, Hiroshi; Shimojima, Masayuki; Maeda, Ken

2012-01-27

In the spring of 2007, seven raccoon dogs and a weasel were captured near the city of Tanabe in Wakayama prefecture, Japan. The causative agent of the animals' death 1-2 days after capture was identified as canine distemper virus (CDV) by virus isolation, immunostaining with an anti-CDV polyclonal antibody, and a commercially available CDV antigen-detection kit. Sequence analysis of hemagglutinin genes indicated the isolated viruses belong to genotype Asia-1 and possess the substitution from tyrosine (Y) to histidine (H) at position 549 that is associated with the spread of CDV to non-canine hosts. A serosurvey for CDV was then conducted among wild animals in the region. The animals assayed consisted of 104 raccoons, 41 wild boars, 19 raccoon dogs, five Sika deer, two badgers, one weasel, one marten, one Siberian weasel and one fox. Virus-neutralization (VN) tests showed that, except for fox and weasel, all of the species assayed had VN antibodies to CDV. Interestingly, 11 of the 41 wild boars (27%) and two of the five Sika deer assayed possessed VN antibodies to CDV. These findings indicate that CDV infection was widespread among wild mammals during this epizootic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Bancerz-Kisiel, A; Szczerba-Turek, A; Platt-Samoraj, A; Socha, P; Szweda, W

2014-01-01

Free-living animals are an important environmental reservoir of pathogens dangerous for other animal species and humans. One of those is Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, the causative agent of yersiniosis--foodborne, enzootic disease, significant for public health. The purpose of the study was to identify bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) obtained during the 2010/2011 hunting season in north-eastern Poland. From among 48 rectal swabs obtained from 24 roe deer, two strains of Y enterocolitica from one animal were isolated. Although both belonged to biotype 1A they were identified as different serotypes. The strain obtained from cold culture (PSB) belonged to serotype 0:5, while the strain isolated from warm culture (ITC) was regarded as nonidentified (NI), what may suggest mixed infection in that animal. The presence of ystB gene, coding for YstB enterotoxin, directly related to Y enterocolitica pathogenicity was detected in both strains using triplex PCR. The effect of the examination of 32 swabs obtained from 16 red deer was the isolation of two Y enterocolitica strains from two different animals. Both belonged to biotype 1A with NI serotype, but were originated from different types of culture. They gave positive results in case of products of a size corresponding to the ystB gene. No amplicons corresponding to ail and ystA genes were found. Roe deer and red deer may carry and shed Y. enterocolitica, what seems to be important in aspect of an environmental reservoir of this pathogen. The Y enterocolitica strains isolated from wild ruminants had the amplicons of the ystB gene, what suggest they can be potential source of Y enterocolitica infection for humans.

Effect of white-tailed deer on songbirds within managed forests in Pennsylvania

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta

1994-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have been maintained at high densities in Pennsylvania for several decades with unknown effects on songbirds and their habitats. I evaluated effects of white-tailed deer density on songbird species richness, abundance, and habitat. I simulated 4 deer densities (3.7, 7.9, 14.9, and 24.9 deer/km...

Forestry and deer in the pine region of New Jersey

Treesearch

S. Little; G. R. Moorhead; H. A. Somes

1958-01-01

Forestry and deer affect each other's welfare. Forestry and other land-use practices, particularly farming, affect deer chiefly by modifying the supplies of available food and protective cover. On the other side, an overabundance of deer can overbrowse and eliminate the most palatable and nutritious food species. If these are trees that could be valuable for...

Mandibular osteomyelitis in red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) and fallow deer (Dama dama): occurrence and associated factors in free-living populations in southern Spain.

PubMed

Azorit, Concepción; Oya, Antonia; Tellado, Sierra; Carrasco, Rafael; Moro, Javier

2012-01-01

The prevalence of mandibular osteomyelitis, which results in a condition called lumpy jaw, and factors associated with its occurrence were investigated in syntopic free-living populations of red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) in Spain. The study material consisted of 3,586 mandibles from 2,548 red deer and 1,038 fallow deer shot during sport hunting, herd management culls, and programs for population control between 1988 and 1997 (period 1) and 2002 and 2009 (period 2) in eastern Sierra Morena, southern Spain. Disease prevalence ranged from 0.36% to 10.91% among age groups. Older animals were significantly more likely to be affected than younger ones. Red deer stags had higher prevalence than other groups. There was a significantly higher prevalence in period 1, probably associated with differences in climatic and population conditions. High population densities of female red deer contributed significantly to occurrence of disease. Intensive herd management and poor environmental conditions were considered risk factors that increased susceptibility to disease. The study of this affliction could be useful for monitoring general herd welfare and ecologic changes in Mediterranean ecosystems.

Using GPS telemetry to determine roadways most susceptible to deer-vehicle collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kramer, David W.; Prebyl, Thomas J.; Stickles, James H.; Osborn, David A.; Irwin, Brian J.; Nibbelink, Nathan P.; Warren, Robert J.; Miller, Karl V.

2016-01-01

More than 1 million wildlife-vehicle collisions occur annually in the United States. The majority of these accidents involve white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and result in >US $4.6 billion in damage and >200 human fatalities. Prior research has used collision locations to assess sitespecific as well as landscape features that contribute to risk of deer-vehicle collisions. As an alternative approach, we calculated road-crossing locations from 25 GPS-instrumented white-tailed deer near Madison, Georgia (n=154,131 hourly locations). We identified crossing locations by creating movement paths between subsequent GPS points and then intersecting the paths with road locations. Using AIC model selection, we determined whether 10 local and landscape variables were successful at identifying areas where higher frequencies of deer crossings were likely to occur. Our findings indicate that traffic volume, distance to riparian areas, and the amount of forested area influenced the frequency of road crossings. Roadways that were predominately located in wooded landscapes and 200–300 m from riparian areas were crossed frequently. Additionally, we found that areas of low traffic volume (e.g., county roads) had the highest frequencies of deer crossings. Analyses utilizing only records of deer-vehicle collision locations cannot separate the relative contribution of deer crossing rates and traffic volume. Increased frequency of road crossings by deer in low-traffic, forested areas may lead to a greater risk of deer-vehicle collision than suggested by evaluations of deer-vehicle collision frequency alone.

Can managers compensate for coyote predation of white-tailed deer?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Kelly F.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Fuller, Angela K.; Hurst, Jeremy E.; Rosenberry, Christopher S.

2014-01-01

Many studies have documented that coyotes (Canis latrans) are the greatest source of natural mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates (<3 months old). With the range expansion of coyotes eastward in North America, many stakeholders are concerned that coyote predation may be affecting deer populations adversely. We hypothesized that declines in neonate survival, perhaps caused by increasing coyote predation, could be offset by adjusting or eliminating antlerless harvest allocations. We used a stochastic, age-based population simulation model to evaluate combinations of low neonate survival rates, severe winters, and low adult deer survival rates to determine the effectiveness of reduced antlerless harvest at stabilizing deer populations. We found that even in regions with high winter mortality, reduced antlerless harvest rates could stabilize deer populations with recruitment and survival rates reported in the literature. When neonate survival rates were low (25%) and yearling and adult female survival rates were reduced by 10%, elimination of antlerless harvests failed to stabilize populations. Our results suggest increased deer mortality from coyotes can be addressed through reduced hunting harvest of adult female deer in most circumstances throughout eastern North America. However, specific knowledge of adult female survival rates is important for making management decisions in areas where both neonate and adult survival may be affected by predation and other mortality factors.

"Atypical" chronic wasting disease in PRNP genotype 225FF mule deer.

PubMed

Wolfe, Lisa L; Fox, Karen A; Miller, Michael W

2014-07-01

We compared mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) of two different PRNP genotypes (225SS, 225FF) for susceptibility to chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the face of environmental exposure to infectivity. All three 225SS deer had immunohistochemistry (IHC)-positive tonsil biopsies by 710 days postexposure (dpe), developed classic clinical signs by 723-1,200 dpe, and showed gross and microscopic pathology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results, and IHC staining typical of prion disease in mule deer. In contrast, although all three 225FF deer also became infected, the two individuals surviving >720 dpe had consistently negative biopsies, developed more-subtle clinical signs of CWD, and died 924 or 1,783 dpe. The 225FF deer were "suspect" by ELISA postmortem but showed negative or equivocal IHC staining of lymphoid tissues; both clinically affected 225FF deer had spongiform encephalopathy in the absence of IHC staining in the brain tissue. The experimental cases resembled three cases encountered among five additional captive 225FF deer that were not part of our experiment but also died from CWD. Aside from differences in clinical disease presentation and detection, 225FF mule deer also showed other, more-subtle, atypical traits that may help to explain the rarity of this genotype in natural populations, even in the presence of enzootic CWD.

Deer population in the Central Superior National Forest, 1967-1985.

Treesearch

Michael E. Nelson; L. David Mech

1986-01-01

Deer were aerially censused each winter from 1976 through 1985 in a 400 sq. km. area near Isabella, Minnesota, in the central Superior National Forest; a correction factor based on aerial observability of radio-tagged deer in the same region was then applied to the census figures. Deer numbers, which had reached an estimated 3.6/sq. km., declined drastically in the...

Evaluation of vaginal implants for mule deer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garrott, R.A.; Bartmann, R.M.

1984-01-01

It is difficult to obtain information on the biology of the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during the first several months of life because of the seclusive nature of fawns. Radio-transmitter implants were placed in the vaginas of mule deer to facilitate determining the time and location of parturition and to evaluate the effects on dams in the Piceance Basin, northwest Colorado.

Distribution of Wild Mammal Assemblages along an Urban–Rural–Forest Landscape Gradient in Warm-Temperate East Asia

PubMed Central

Saito, Masayuki; Koike, Fumito

2013-01-01

Urbanization may alter mammal assemblages via habitat loss, food subsidies, and other factors related to human activities. The general distribution patterns of wild mammal assemblages along urban–rural–forest landscape gradients have not been studied, although many studies have focused on a single species or taxon, such as rodents. We quantitatively evaluated the effects of the urban–rural–forest gradient and spatial scale on the distributions of large and mid-sized mammals in the world's largest metropolitan area in warm-temperate Asia using nonspecific camera-trapping along two linear transects spanning from the urban zone in the Tokyo metropolitan area to surrounding rural and forest landscapes. Many large and mid-sized species generally decreased from forest landscapes to urban cores, although some species preferred anthropogenic landscapes. Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Japanese badger (Meles anakuma), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) generally dominated the mammal assemblage of the forest landscape. Raccoon (Procyon lotor), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) dominated the mammal assemblage in the intermediate zone (i.e., rural and suburban landscape). Cats (feral and free-roaming housecats; Felis catus) were common in the urban assemblage. The key spatial scales for forest species were more than 4000-m radius, indicating that conservation and management plans for these mammal assemblages should be considered on large spatial scales. However, small green spaces will also be important for mammal conservation in the urban landscape, because an indigenous omnivore (raccoon dog) had a smaller key spatial scale (500-m radius) than those of forest mammals. Urbanization was generally the most important factor in the distributions of mammals, and it is necessary to consider the spatial

Distribution of wild mammal assemblages along an urban-rural-forest landscape gradient in warm-temperate East Asia.

PubMed

Saito, Masayuki; Koike, Fumito

2013-01-01

Urbanization may alter mammal assemblages via habitat loss, food subsidies, and other factors related to human activities. The general distribution patterns of wild mammal assemblages along urban-rural-forest landscape gradients have not been studied, although many studies have focused on a single species or taxon, such as rodents. We quantitatively evaluated the effects of the urban-rural-forest gradient and spatial scale on the distributions of large and mid-sized mammals in the world's largest metropolitan area in warm-temperate Asia using nonspecific camera-trapping along two linear transects spanning from the urban zone in the Tokyo metropolitan area to surrounding rural and forest landscapes. Many large and mid-sized species generally decreased from forest landscapes to urban cores, although some species preferred anthropogenic landscapes. Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reeves' muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Japanese badger (Meles anakuma), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) generally dominated the mammal assemblage of the forest landscape. Raccoon (Procyon lotor), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) dominated the mammal assemblage in the intermediate zone (i.e., rural and suburban landscape). Cats (feral and free-roaming housecats; Felis catus) were common in the urban assemblage. The key spatial scales for forest species were more than 4000-m radius, indicating that conservation and management plans for these mammal assemblages should be considered on large spatial scales. However, small green spaces will also be important for mammal conservation in the urban landscape, because an indigenous omnivore (raccoon dog) had a smaller key spatial scale (500-m radius) than those of forest mammals. Urbanization was generally the most important factor in the distributions of mammals, and it is necessary to consider the spatial scale of

White-tailed deer in the southern forest habitat

Treesearch

Lowell K. Halls

1969-01-01

White-tailed deer were once nearly exterminated in the South. In the past several decades, however, improvements in game management and changes in land use patterns have enabled populations to recover. The deer today are more numerous than at any time since white men settled the country

Sarcoptic mange in red deer from Spain: improved surveillance or disease emergence?

PubMed

Oleaga, A; Casais, R; González-Quirós, P; Prieto, M; Gortázar, C

2008-06-14

Concern about emerging diseases has risen in recent years, and multihost situations have become increasingly relevant for wildlife management and conservation. We present data on Asturias, northern Spain, where 80 mangy red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been found since the beginning of the epizootic in chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) in 1993. We combine field and necropsy data with the results of a serosurvey using an in-house ELISA test to evaluate if deer mange due to Sarcoptes scabiei is an emerging disease in this area. The mean number of deer mange cases per year was 5, with a maximum of 16. No significant relationship was detected between monthly temperatures, rainfall or number of days with snow cover and the annual number of sarcoptic mange cases in red deer. Only 4 mangy red deer (5%) were detected outside the limits of scabietic chamois distribution during the same year, and all were less than 2500 m away from that limit. The longest distance reported between two consecutive mangy deer locations was 18 km. Mange cases were significantly more frequent in stags than in hinds and in adults than in juvenile deer. The time of the first mange detection in chamois in each sector, year with minimum number of chamois recorded, year with maximum chamois population decline rate and chamois density offered no significant correlation with red deer mange cases appearance moment and frequency. In the mange affected area, ELISA testing of 327 blood samples from hunter-harvested deer without obvious mange-compatible lesions revealed only 4 seropositive animals. All 83 sera from hunting preserves without clinical cases yielded negative ELISA results. According to these epidemiological data mange does not seem to threaten red deer populations in Asturias. However, continued monitoring of deer health and ELISA testing for sarcoptic mange is advisable.

Reliability and precision of pellet-group counts for estimating landscape-level deer density

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta

2013-01-01

This study provides hitherto unavailable methodology for reliably and precisely estimating deer density within forested landscapes, enabling quantitative rather than qualitative deer management. Reliability and precision of the deer pellet-group technique were evaluated in 1 small and 2 large forested landscapes. Density estimates, adjusted to reflect deer harvest and...

The Netherlands strain of BTV serotype 8 in white-tailed deer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To determine the susceptibility of U.S. white-tailed deer to the European strain of BTV-8 (EU-BTV-8) isolated in The Netherlands, eight seronegative deer were injected subcutaneously in the neck and intradermally in the inner left leg. Two deer were sham inoculated to serve as uninfected controls an...

Endemic chronic wasting disease causes mule deer population decline in Wyoming.

PubMed

DeVivo, Melia T; Edmunds, David R; Kauffman, Matthew J; Schumaker, Brant A; Binfet, Justin; Kreeger, Terry J; Richards, Bryan J; Schätzl, Hermann M; Cornish, Todd E

2017-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and moose (Alces alces shirasi) in North America. In southeastern Wyoming average annual CWD prevalence in mule deer exceeds 20% and appears to contribute to regional population declines. We determined the effect of CWD on mule deer demography using age-specific, female-only, CWD transition matrix models to estimate the population growth rate (λ). Mule deer were captured from 2010-2014 in southern Converse County Wyoming, USA. Captured adult (≥ 1.5 years old) deer were tested ante-mortem for CWD using tonsil biopsies and monitored using radio telemetry. Mean annual survival rates of CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer were 0.76 and 0.32, respectively. Pregnancy and fawn recruitment were not observed to be influenced by CWD. We estimated λ = 0.79, indicating an annual population decline of 21% under current CWD prevalence levels. A model derived from the demography of only CWD-negative individuals yielded; λ = 1.00, indicating a stable population if CWD were absent. These findings support CWD as a significant contributor to mule deer population decline. Chronic wasting disease is difficult or impossible to eradicate with current tools, given significant environmental contamination, and at present our best recommendation for control of this disease is to minimize spread to new areas and naïve cervid populations.

Endemic chronic wasting disease causes mule deer population decline in Wyoming

PubMed Central

DeVivo, Melia T.; Edmunds, David R.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Schumaker, Brant A.; Binfet, Justin; Kreeger, Terry J.; Richards, Bryan J.; Schätzl, Hermann M.; Cornish, Todd E.

2017-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and moose (Alces alces shirasi) in North America. In southeastern Wyoming average annual CWD prevalence in mule deer exceeds 20% and appears to contribute to regional population declines. We determined the effect of CWD on mule deer demography using age-specific, female-only, CWD transition matrix models to estimate the population growth rate (λ). Mule deer were captured from 2010–2014 in southern Converse County Wyoming, USA. Captured adult (≥ 1.5 years old) deer were tested ante-mortem for CWD using tonsil biopsies and monitored using radio telemetry. Mean annual survival rates of CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer were 0.76 and 0.32, respectively. Pregnancy and fawn recruitment were not observed to be influenced by CWD. We estimated λ = 0.79, indicating an annual population decline of 21% under current CWD prevalence levels. A model derived from the demography of only CWD-negative individuals yielded; λ = 1.00, indicating a stable population if CWD were absent. These findings support CWD as a significant contributor to mule deer population decline. Chronic wasting disease is difficult or impossible to eradicate with current tools, given significant environmental contamination, and at present our best recommendation for control of this disease is to minimize spread to new areas and naïve cervid populations. PMID:29049389

Endemic chronic wasting disease causes mule deer population decline in Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeVivo, Melia T.; Edmunds, David R.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Schumaker, Brant A.; Binfet, Justin; Kreeger, Terry J.; Richards, Bryan J.; Schatzl, Hermann M.; Cornish, Todd

2017-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and moose (Alces alces shirasi) in North America. In southeastern Wyoming average annual CWD prevalence in mule deer exceeds 20% and appears to contribute to regional population declines. We determined the effect of CWD on mule deer demography using age-specific, female-only, CWD transition matrix models to estimate the population growth rate (λ). Mule deer were captured from 2010–2014 in southern Converse County Wyoming, USA. Captured adult (≥ 1.5 years old) deer were tested ante-mortem for CWD using tonsil biopsies and monitored using radio telemetry. Mean annual survival rates of CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer were 0.76 and 0.32, respectively. Pregnancy and fawn recruitment were not observed to be influenced by CWD. We estimated λ= 0.79, indicating an annual population decline of 21% under current CWD prevalence levels. A model derived from the demography of only CWD-negative individuals yielded; λ = 1.00, indicating a stable population if CWD were absent. These findings support CWD as a significant contributor to mule deer population decline. Chronic wasting disease is difficult or impossible to eradicate with current tools, given significant environmental contamination, and at present our best recommendation for control of this disease is to minimize spread to new areas and naïve cervid populations.

Large Impact of Eurasian Lynx Predation on Roe Deer Population Dynamics

PubMed Central

Andrén, Henrik; Liberg, Olof

2015-01-01

The effects of predation on ungulate populations depend on several factors. One of the most important factors is the proportion of predation that is additive or compensatory respectively to other mortality in the prey, i.e., the relative effect of top-down and bottom-up processes. We estimated Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) kill rate on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) using radio-collared lynx. Kill rate was strongly affected by lynx social status. For males it was 4.85 ± 1.30 S.E. roe deer per 30 days, for females with kittens 6.23 ± 0.83 S.E. and for solitary females 2.71 ± 0.47 S.E. We found very weak support for effects of prey density (both for Type I (linear) and Type II (non-linear) functional responses) and of season (winter, summer) on lynx kill rate. Additionally, we analysed the growth rate in a roe deer population from 1985 to 2005 in an area, which lynx naturally re-colonized in 1996. The annual roe deer growth rate was lower after lynx re-colonized the study area, but it was also negatively influenced by roe deer density. Before lynx colonized the area roe deer growth rate was λ = 1.079 (± 0.061 S.E.), while after lynx re-colonization it was λ = 0.94 (± 0.051 S.E.). Thus, the growth rate in the roe deer population decreased by Δλ = 0.14 (± 0.080 S.E.) after lynx re-colonized the study area, which corresponded to the estimated lynx predation rate on roe deer (0.11 ± 0.042 S.E.), suggesting that lynx predation was mainly additive to other mortality in roe deer. To conclude, this study suggests that lynx predation together with density dependent factors both influence the roe deer population dynamics. Thus, both top-down and bottom-up processes operated at the same time in this predator-prey system. PMID:25806949

Effects of winter fasting and refeeding on white-tailed deer blood profiles

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.; Karns, P.D.

1987-01-01

This study examined the effects of dietary protein, fasting, and refeeding on blood characteristics of 9 nonpregnant, female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in captivity from 23 February to 3 May 1984. Percent weight loss was greater in fasted deer than in deer fed diets of 2 crude protein levels. Fasting effects were also observed for hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV), cholesterol, triglycerides, serum urea nitrogen (SUN), potassium (K), glucose, phosphorus (P), insulin, thyroxine (T4), and total protein (TP). Refeeding influenced cholesterol, sodium (Na), and calcium (Ca). Hemoglobin, PCV, Ca, P, and albumin varied with time in fasted deer. Changes over time in the fed deer occurred for several hematological and serum characteristics. Data are presented to serve as reference values for better understanding of data collected from free-ranging deer under less known conditions.

A deer (subfamily Cervinae) genetic linkage map and the evolution of ruminant genomes.

PubMed Central

Slate, Jon; Van Stijn, Tracey C; Anderson, Rayna M; McEwan, K Mary; Maqbool, Nauman J; Mathias, Helen C; Bixley, Matthew J; Stevens, Deirdre R; Molenaar, Adrian J; Beever, Jonathan E; Galloway, Susan M; Tate, Michael L

2002-01-01

Comparative maps between ruminant species and humans are increasingly important tools for the discovery of genes underlying economically important traits. In this article we present a primary linkage map of the deer genome derived from an interspecies hybrid between red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus). The map is approximately 2500 cM long and contains >600 markers including both evolutionary conserved type I markers and highly polymorphic type II markers (microsatellites). Comparative mapping by annotation and sequence similarity (COMPASS) was demonstrated to be a useful tool for mapping bovine and ovine ESTs in deer. Using marker order as a phylogenetic character and comparative map information from human, mouse, deer, cattle, and sheep, we reconstructed the karyotype of the ancestral Pecoran mammal and identified the chromosome rearrangements that have occurred in the sheep, cattle, and deer lineages. The deer map and interspecies hybrid pedigrees described here are a valuable resource for (1) predicting the location of orthologs to human genes in ruminants, (2) mapping QTL in farmed and wild deer populations, and (3) ruminant phylogenetic studies. PMID:11973312

Infectious Disease and Grouping Patterns in Mule Deer.

PubMed

Mejía Salazar, María Fernanda; Waldner, Cheryl; Stookey, Joseph; Bollinger, Trent K

2016-01-01

Infectious disease dynamics are determined, to a great extent, by the social structure of the host. We evaluated sociality, or the tendency to form groups, in Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) from a chronic wasting disease (CWD) endemic area in Saskatchewan, Canada, to better understand factors that may affect disease transmission. Using group size data collected on 365 radio-collared mule deer (2008-2013), we built a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to evaluate whether factors such as CWD status, season, habitat and time of day, predicted group occurrence. Then, we built another GLMM to determine factors associated with group size. Finally, we used 3 measures of group size (typical, mean and median group sizes) to quantify levels of sociality. We found that mule deer showing clinical signs of CWD were less likely to be reported in groups than clinically healthy deer after accounting for time of day, habitat, and month of observation. Mule deer groups were much more likely to occur in February and March than in July. Mixed-sex groups in early gestation were larger than any other group type in any season. Groups were largest and most likely to occur at dawn and dusk, and in open habitats, such as cropland. We discuss the implication of these results with respect to sociobiology and CWD transmission dynamics.

Evaluating a strategy to deliver vaccine to white-tailed deer at a landscape level

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, Justin W.; Blass, Chad R.; Walter, W. David; Anderson, Charles W.; Lavelle, Michael J.; Hall, Wayne H.; VerCauterren, Kurt C.

2016-01-01

Effective delivery of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals to wildlife populations is needed when zoonotic diseases pose a risk to public health and natural resources or have considerable economic consequences. The objective of our study was to develop a bait-distribution strategy for potential delivery of oral bovine tuberculosis (bTB) vaccine to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) where deer are reservoirs for the disease. During 17 February and 2 March 2011, we created a grid of experimental bait stations (n = 64) on Sandhill Wildlife Management Area, Wisconsin, USA, to assess station densities needed to attract and deliver placebo baits to free-ranging white-tailed deer and look for associations among deer density, number of bait stations per deer, and bait consumption. We placed 1 L of commercially available alfalfa cubes at bait stations 652 m apart, and monitored stations with motion-activated cameras for 5 days to document visitation and consumption by deer and nontarget species. Deer discovered 38% of all bait stations within 37 hr, on average (SE = 3.91 hr), and consumed variable amounts of bait at each station. Deer were documented in 94% of all photographs of wildlife at bait stations. We found no correlation between bait consumption and deer density or the number of bait stations per deer. We provide the first information on use of baits by free-ranging deer and nontarget wildlife to eventually vaccinate deer against bTB at a landscape level. The results of this study can further the development of strategies in delivery of pharmaceuticals to free-ranging white-tailed deer.

Ecology and management of white-tailed deer in a changing world.

PubMed

McShea, William J

2012-02-01

Due to chronic high densities and preferential browsing, white-tailed deer have significant impacts on woody and herbaceous plants. These impacts have ramifications for animals that share resources and across trophic levels. High deer densities result from an absence of predators or high plant productivity, often due to human habitat modifications, and from the desires of stakeholders that set deer management goals based on cultural, rather than biological, carrying capacity. Success at maintaining forest ecosystems require regulating deer below biological carrying capacity, as measured by ecological impacts. Control methods limit reproduction through modifications in habitat productivity or increase mortality through increasing predators or hunting. Hunting is the primary deer management tool and relies on active participation of citizens. Hunters are capable of reducing deer densities but struggle with creating densities sufficiently low to ensure the persistence of rare species. Alternative management models may be necessary to achieve densities sufficiently below biological carrying capacity. Regardless of the population control adopted, success should be measured by ecological benchmarks and not solely by cultural acceptance. © 2012 New York Academy of Sciences.

Wolf, Canis lupus, visits to white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, summer ranges: Optimal foraging?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demma, D.J.; Mech, L.D.

2009-01-01

We tested whether Wolf (Canis lupus) visits to individual female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) summer ranges during 2003 and 2004 in northeastern Minnesota were in accord with optimal-foraging theory. Using GPS collars with 10- to 30-minute location attempts on four Wolves and five female deer, plus eleven VHF-collared female deer in the Wolves' territory, provided new insights into the frequency of Wolf visits to summer ranges of female deer. Wolves made a mean 0.055 visits/day to summer ranges of deer three years and older, significantly more than their 0.032 mean visits/day to ranges of two-year-old deer, which generally produce fewer fawns, and most Wolf visits to ranges of older deer were much longer than those to ranges of younger deer. Because fawns comprise the major part of the Wolf's summer diet, this Wolf behavior accords with optimal-foraging theory.

Physiological assessment of deer populations by analysis of urine in snow

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.

1989-01-01

We compared the nutritional status of free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 3 natural yards and 1 yard where deer were supplementally fed from 1 January to 31 March 1985 in northeastern Minnesota. We monitored deer nutritonal status by sequential collection and chemical analysis of urine in snow (snow-urine) for urea nitrogen (U), sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P). Dilution of urine by snow was corrected by comparing these data as ratios to creatinine (C). All deer remained in an early phase of undernutrition; however, declining trends of U:C, Na:C, and K:C in 2 natural yards indicated increasingly inadequate nutrition as winter progressed. Unaltered values of these ratios and P.C in snow-urine collected from the third natural yard reflected stable levels of nutrient availability. Significant (P < 0.05) elevations of Na:C, K:C, and P:C in 2 natural yards with similar snow regimes suggested initiation of nutritional recovery in deer during late March. In contrast, deep snow in the third natural yard restricted feeding activity and was associated with ratios that remained diminished. Elevated U:C, Na:C, and K:C provided physiological evidence of the higher nutritional status of supplementally fed deer throughout winter and their ability to increase nutrient intake during late March despite prolonged deep snow cover. Frequent and quantitative assessments of the physiological status of deer by snow-urine analysis provided an improved understanding of the relationship between snow cover and the nutritional well-being of these deer.

Habitat selection by Eld's deer following relocation to a patchy landscape.

PubMed

Pan, Duo; Song, Yan-Ling; Zeng, Zhi-Gao; Bravery, Benjamin D

2014-01-01

An emerging issue in wildlife conservation is the re-establishment of viable populations of endangered species in suitable habitats. Here, we studied habitat selection by a population of Hainan Eld's deer (Cervus eldi) relocated to a patchy landscape of farmland and forest. Hainan Eld's deer were pushed to the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but their population expanded rapidly from 26 to more than 1000 individuals by 2003 through effective reserve protection. As part of a wider relocation and population management strategy, 131 deer were removed from the reserve and reintroduced into a farmland-forest landscape in 2005. Habitat use under a context of human disturbance was surveyed by monitoring 19 radio-collared animals. The majority of deer locations (77%) were within 0.6-2 km of villages. Annual home ranges of these collared deer averaged 725 ha (SD 436), which was 55% of the size of the reserve from which they had originated. The annual home ranges contained 54% shrub-grassland, 26% forest and 15% farmland. The relocated deer population selected landscape comprising slash-and-burn agriculture and forest, and avoided both intensively farmed areas and areas containing only forest. Within the selected landscape, deer preferred swiddens and shrub-grasslands. Forests above 300 m in elevation were avoided, whereas forests below 300 m in elevation were overrepresented during the dry season and randomly used during the wet season. Our findings show that reintroduced deer can utilize disturbed habitats, and further demonstrate that subsistence agroforest ecosystems have the capacity to sustain endangered ungulates.

An evaluation of a mitigation strategy for deer-vehicle collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bissonette, John A.; Rosa, Silvia

2012-01-01

High mule deer Odocoileus hemionus mortality in southwestern Utah led to the establishment of a mitigation strategy with two major objectives: 1) reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions and 2) restoration of landscape connectivity to facilitate wildlife movement across the roaded landscape. During our study, we assessed the effectiveness of the mitigation measures in reducing mule deer mortality in the following ways: 1) we compared the number of deer-vehicle collisions in the newly fenced area with a control area without fencing; 2) we analyzed the ‘end-of-the-fence’ problem, defined here as increased mortality of mule deer at the ends of the 2.4-m high exclusion fences; and 3) we evaluated the frequency of animal crossings of the new underpasses using remotely-sensed cameras and compared them with crossing frequency rates for a 20-year-old control underpass. We compared six years of pre-construction mortality (during 1998-2003) with two years of post-construction data on mortality (during 2005-2006) and found a 98.5% decline in deer mortalities in the treatment (i.e. fenced, jump-outs and underpasses) vs a 2.9% decline in the control (i.e. no fences, no jump-outs and no underpasses). We detected no end-of-the-fence problems related to deer mortality. Migratory movements during fall and spring were clearly reflected in the use of underpass. Overall results demonstrated that the mitigation strategy was effective and reduced the number of deer-vehicle accidents, while allowing wildlife movement across the landscape.

Mule deer and energy development-Long-term trends of habituation and abundance.

PubMed

Sawyer, Hall; Korfanta, Nicole M; Nielson, Ryan M; Monteith, Kevin L; Strickland, Dale

2017-11-01

As the extent and intensity of energy development in North America increases, so do disturbances to wildlife and the habitats they rely upon. Impacts to mule deer are of particular concern because some of the largest gas fields in the USA overlap critical winter ranges. Short-term studies of 2-3 years have shown that mule deer and other ungulates avoid energy infrastructure; however, there remains a common perception that ungulates habituate to energy development, and thus, the potential for a demographic effect is low. We used telemetry data from 187 individual deer across a 17-year period, including 2 years predevelopment and 15 years during development, to determine whether mule deer habituated to natural gas development and if their response to disturbance varied with winter severity. Concurrently, we measured abundance of mule deer to indirectly link behavior with demography. Mule deer consistently avoided energy infrastructure through the 15-year period of development and used habitats that were an average of 913 m further from well pads compared with predevelopment patterns of habitat use. Even during the last 3 years of study, when most wells were in production and reclamation efforts underway, mule deer remained >1 km away from well pads. The magnitude of avoidance behavior, however, was mediated by winter severity, where aversion to well pads decreased as winter severity increased. Mule deer abundance declined by 36% during the development period, despite aggressive onsite mitigation efforts (e.g. directional drilling and liquid gathering systems) and a 45% reduction in deer harvest. Our results indicate behavioral effects of energy development on mule deer are long term and may affect population abundance by displacing animals and thereby functionally reducing the amount of available habitat. © 2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Oxygen isotope variations in phosphate of deer bones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luz, Boaz; Cormie, Allison B.; Schwarcz, Henry P.

1990-06-01

Variations of δ 18O of bone phosphate (δ p) of white tailed deer were studied in samples with wide geographic distribution in North America. Bones from the same locality have similar isotopic values, and the difference between specimens (0.4‰) is not large relative to the measurement error (0.3‰). The total range of δ p values is about 12‰. This indicates that deer use water from a relatively small area, and thus their δ p indicates local environmental conditions. Multiple regression analysis between oxygen isotope composition of deer bone phosphate and of local relative humidity and precipitation (δ w) yields a high correlation coefficient (0.95). This correlation is significantly better than the linear correlation (0.81) between δ p and δ w of precipitation alone. Thus δ p depends on both isotopic composition of precipitation and on relative humidity. This is because deer obtain most of their water from leaves, the isotopic composition of which is partly controlled by relative humidity through evaporation/transpiration.

Alternative feeding strategies and potential disease transmission in Wisconsin white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, A.K.; Samuel, M.D.; VanDeelen, T.R.

2008-01-01

We conducted experimental feeding using 3 feeding methods (pile, spread, trough) and 2 quantities (rationed, ad libitum) of shelled corn to compare deer activity and behavior with control sites and evaluate potential direct and indirect transmission of infectious disease in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in central Wisconsin, USA. Deer use was higher at 2 of the feeding sites than at natural feeding areas (P ??? 0.02). Deer spent a higher proportion of time (P < 0.01) feeding at pile (49%) and spread (61%) treatments than at natural feeding areas (36%). We found higher deer use for rationed than ad libitum feeding quantities and feeding intensity was greatest at rationed piles and lowest at ad libitum spreads. We also observed closer pairwise distances (???0.3 m) among deer when corn was provided in a trough relative to spread (P=0.03). Supplemental feeding poses risks for both direct and indirect disease transmission due to higher deer concentration and more intensive use relative to control areas. Concentrated feeding and contact among deer at feeding sites can also increase risk for disease transmission. Our results indicated that restrictions on feeding quantity would not mitigate the potential for disease transmission None of the feeding strategies we evaluated substantially reduced the potential risk for disease transmission and banning supplemental feeding to reduce transmission is warranted.

Conserving migratory mule deer through the umbrella of sage-grouse

USGS Publications Warehouse

Copeland, H. E.; Sawyer, H.; Monteith, K. L.; Naugle, D.E.; Pocewicz, Amy; Graf, N.; Kauffman, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Conserving migratory ungulates in increasingly human-dominated landscapes presents a difficult challenge to land managers and conservation practitioners. Nevertheless, ungulates may receive ancillary benefits from conservation actions designed to protect species of greater conservation priority where their ranges are sympatric. Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocerus urophasianus), for example, have been proposed as an umbrella species for other sagebrush (Artemesia spp.)-dependent fauna. We examined a landscape where conservation efforts for sage-grouse overlap spatially with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) to determine whether sage-grouse conservation measures also might protect important mule deer migration routes and seasonal ranges. We conducted a spatial analysis to determine what proportion of migration routes, stopover areas, and winter ranges used by mule deer were located in areas managed for sage-grouse conservation. Conservation measures overlapped with 66–70% of migration corridors, 74–75% of stopovers, and 52–91% of wintering areas for two mule deer populations in the upper Green River Basin of Wyoming. Of those proportions, conservation actions targeted towards sage-grouse accounted for approximately half of the overlap in corridors and stopover areas, and nearly all overlap on winter ranges, indicating that sage-grouse conservation efforts represent an important step in conserving migratory mule deer. Conservation of migratory species presents unique challenges because although overlap with conserved lands may be high, connectivity of the entire route must be maintained as barriers to movement anywhere within the migration corridor could render it unviable. Where mule deer habitats overlap with sage-grouse core areas, our results indicate that increased protection is afforded to winter ranges and migration routes within the umbrella of sage-grouse conservation, but this protection is contingent on concentrated developments within core areas not

Eld's deer translocated to human-inhabited areas become nocturnal.

PubMed

Pan, Duo; Teng, Liwei; Cui, Fangjie; Zeng, Zhigao; Bravery, Benjamin D; Zhang, Qiong; Song, Yanling

2011-02-01

As human populations expand and nonhuman animals decline, understanding the interactions between people and wildlife is essential. For endangered species, appreciating the effect of human disturbance can be important for their conservation. However, a human disturbance angle is often absent from ecological research, despite growing evidence of the negative impact of nonfatal human interference. Here, we monitored Hainan Eld's deer living within a reserve and translocated animals living amongst villagers. We show that translocated deer deviated from a crepuscular activity pattern and became increas-. ingly nocturnal, and most active when villagers were not. It appears that translocated deer adapted over time to human disturbance and this pattern is similar to that of other species during periods of hunting. People do not pose an actual threat to Eld's deer, but their presence triggered a response akin to predator avoidance and may be interfering with broader aspects of their biology and conservation.

Management of eastern hemlock for deer wintering areas

Treesearch

Russell S. Reay

2000-01-01

Hemlock stands provide superior winter cover for white-tailed deer. When a site is suitable for the support of a hemlock community, a decision to undertake active management is appropriate, however the difficulty of securing adequate hemlock regeneration must guide and govern the timber management plan. The need to maintain deer wintering areas creates some limitations...

36. DETAILS FOR SCREENING MACHINERY, DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION, METROPOLITAN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

36. DETAILS FOR SCREENING MACHINERY, DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION, METROPOLITAN WATER AND SEWERAGE BOARD, METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE WORKS, DECEMBER 1909. Aperture card 6611-1 - Deer Island Pumping Station, Boston, Suffolk County, MA

Polonium assimilation and retention in mule deer and pronghorn antelope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sejkora, K.J.

Excretion kinetics and tissue distribution of polonium-210 in mule deer and pronghorn were studied. Each animal in a captive herd of 7 mule deer and 2 pronghorn received an intraruminal injection of 4.4 ..mu..Ci of polonium chloride. Feces and urine were collected periodically over a 43-day period and daily excretion rate for each pathway was regressed as a function of time. Assimilation fractions of 0.40 and 0.51 were calculated for mule deer (n=2) and 0.60 for a pronghorn. Body burden retention functions were calculated from integrated excretion rate functions. Polonium burdens in muscle, liver, and kidney were calculated as amore » fraction of body burden from serially-sacrificed animals. Background tissue burdens in mule deer were comparable to those of other ruminants reported in the literature. Hypothetical cases were assumed which combined feeding rate of mule deer, forage concentrations of polonium, retention function, tissue burden fraction, and human intake to estimate human radiation dose. 26 references.« less

Escherichia coli Survival in, and Release from, White-Tailed Deer Feces

PubMed Central

Fry, Jessica; Ives, Rebecca L.; Rose, Joan B.

2014-01-01

White-tailed deer are an important reservoir for pathogens that can contribute a large portion of microbial pollution in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. The scarcity of experimental data on survival of microorganisms in and release from deer feces makes prediction of their fate and transport less reliable and development of efficient strategies for environment protection more difficult. The goal of this study was to estimate parameters for modeling Escherichia coli survival in and release from deer (Odocoileus virginianus) feces. Our objectives were as follows: (i) to measure survival of E. coli in deer pellets at different temperatures, (ii) to measure kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets at different rainfall intensities, and (iii) to estimate parameters of models describing survival and release of microorganisms from deer feces. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study E. coli survival in deer pellets at three temperatures and to estimate parameters of Chick's exponential model with temperature correction based on the Arrhenius equation. Kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets were measured at two rainfall intensities and used to derive the parameters of Bradford-Schijven model of bacterial release. The results showed that parameters of the survival and release models obtained for E. coli in this study substantially differed from those obtained by using other source materials, e.g., feces of domestic animals and manures. This emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive studies of survival of naturally occurring populations of microorganisms in and release from wildlife animal feces in order to achieve better predictions of microbial fate and transport in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. PMID:25480751

Escherichia coli survival in, and release from, white-tailed deer feces.

PubMed

Guber, Andrey K; Fry, Jessica; Ives, Rebecca L; Rose, Joan B

2015-02-01

White-tailed deer are an important reservoir for pathogens that can contribute a large portion of microbial pollution in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. The scarcity of experimental data on survival of microorganisms in and release from deer feces makes prediction of their fate and transport less reliable and development of efficient strategies for environment protection more difficult. The goal of this study was to estimate parameters for modeling Escherichia coli survival in and release from deer (Odocoileus virginianus) feces. Our objectives were as follows: (i) to measure survival of E. coli in deer pellets at different temperatures, (ii) to measure kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets at different rainfall intensities, and (iii) to estimate parameters of models describing survival and release of microorganisms from deer feces. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study E. coli survival in deer pellets at three temperatures and to estimate parameters of Chick's exponential model with temperature correction based on the Arrhenius equation. Kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets were measured at two rainfall intensities and used to derive the parameters of Bradford-Schijven model of bacterial release. The results showed that parameters of the survival and release models obtained for E. coli in this study substantially differed from those obtained by using other source materials, e.g., feces of domestic animals and manures. This emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive studies of survival of naturally occurring populations of microorganisms in and release from wildlife animal feces in order to achieve better predictions of microbial fate and transport in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

32. PLAN OF DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION SHOWING EXISTING PUMPING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

32. PLAN OF DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION SHOWING EXISTING PUMPING PLANT AND LOCATION OF PROPOSED ADDITIONS, JULY 1898 SHEET NO. 1. Aperture card 4966-1 - Deer Island Pumping Station, Boston, Suffolk County, MA

Long-term deer exclusion has complex effects on a suburban forest understory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faison, Edward K.; Foster, David R.; DeStefano, Stephen

2016-01-01

Herbivory by deer is one of the leading biotic disturbances on forest understories (i.e., herbs, small shrubs, and small tree seedlings). A large body of research has reported declines in height, abundance, and reproductive capacity of forbs and woody plants coupled with increases in abundance of graminoids, ferns, and exotic species due to deer herbivory. Less clear is the extent to which (and the direction in which) deer alter herbaceous layer diversity, where much of the plant diversity in a forest occurs. We examined the effect of 15 y of deer exclusion on the understory of a suburban hardwood forest in Connecticut exposed to decades of intensive herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We compared species richness (at subplot and plot scale), individual species and life form group abundance (% cover), and community composition between grazed and exclosure plots, as well as between mesic and wet soil blocks. Forb cover was more than twice as abundant in exclosure as in grazed plots, whereas sedge (Carex spp.) cover was 28 times more abundant, and exotic species cover generally higher in grazed than in exclosure plots. Native and exotic species richness were both higher in grazed than exclosure plots at the subplot scale, and native herbaceous richness was higher in grazed plots at both spatial scales. In contrast, native shrub richness increased with deer exclusion at the plot scale. Our results suggest that deer exclusion had contrasting effects on species richness, depending on plant life form, but that overall richness of both exotic and native plants declined with deer exclusion. In addition, site heterogeneity remained an important driver of vegetation dynamics even in the midst of high deer densities.

Environmental Factors Influencing White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Exposure to Livestock Pathogens in Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Kern, Bryant; Mahoney, Kathleen; Norton, Andrew; Patnayak, Devi; Van Deelen, Timothy

2015-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are commonly exposed to disease agents that affect livestock but environmental factors that predispose deer to exposure are unknown for many pathogens. We trapped deer during winter months on two study areas (Northern Forest and Eastern Farmland) in Wisconsin from 2010 to 2013. Deer were tested for exposure to six serovars of Leptospira interrogans (grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, bratislava, pomona, and hardjo), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV-1 and BVDV-2), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), and parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3). We used logistic regression to model potential intrinsic (e.g., age, sex) and extrinsic (e.g., land type, study site, year, exposure to multiple pathogens) variables we considered biologically meaningful to exposure of deer to livestock pathogens. Deer sampled in 2010–2011 did not demonstrate exposure to BVDV, so we did not test for BVDV in subsequent years. Deer had evidence of exposure to PI3 (24.7%), IBR (7.9%), Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona (11.7%), L. i. bratislava (1.0%), L. i. grippotyphosa (2.5%) and L. i. hardjo (0.3%). Deer did not demonstrate exposure to L. interrogans serovars canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. For PI3, we found that capture site and year influenced exposure. Fawns (n = 119) were not exposed to L. i. pomona, but land type was an important predictor of exposure to L. i. pomona for older deer. Our results serve as baseline exposure levels of Wisconsin white-tailed deer to livestock pathogens, and helped to identify important factors that explain deer exposure to livestock pathogens. PMID:26030150

Environmental Factors Influencing White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Exposure to Livestock Pathogens in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Dubay, Shelli; Jacques, Christopher; Golden, Nigel; Kern, Bryant; Mahoney, Kathleen; Norton, Andrew; Patnayak, Devi; Van Deelen, Timothy

2015-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are commonly exposed to disease agents that affect livestock but environmental factors that predispose deer to exposure are unknown for many pathogens. We trapped deer during winter months on two study areas (Northern Forest and Eastern Farmland) in Wisconsin from 2010 to 2013. Deer were tested for exposure to six serovars of Leptospira interrogans (grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, bratislava, pomona, and hardjo), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV-1 and BVDV-2), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), and parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3). We used logistic regression to model potential intrinsic (e.g., age, sex) and extrinsic (e.g., land type, study site, year, exposure to multiple pathogens) variables we considered biologically meaningful to exposure of deer to livestock pathogens. Deer sampled in 2010-2011 did not demonstrate exposure to BVDV, so we did not test for BVDV in subsequent years. Deer had evidence of exposure to PI3 (24.7%), IBR (7.9%), Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona (11.7%), L. i. bratislava (1.0%), L. i. grippotyphosa (2.5%) and L. i. hardjo (0.3%). Deer did not demonstrate exposure to L. interrogans serovars canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. For PI3, we found that capture site and year influenced exposure. Fawns (n = 119) were not exposed to L. i. pomona, but land type was an important predictor of exposure to L. i. pomona for older deer. Our results serve as baseline exposure levels of Wisconsin white-tailed deer to livestock pathogens, and helped to identify important factors that explain deer exposure to livestock pathogens.

Deer Browse Production: Rapid Sampling and Computer-aided Analysis

Treesearch

Forest W. Stearns; Dennis L. Schweitzer; William A. Creed

1968-01-01

Describes field techniques by which winter deer-browse production can be sampled with reasonable accuracy and moderate effort; and expedites the tabulation of the browse data. The method will be useful to both land managers and scientists doing research on the habitat of the white-tailed deer.

Test of localized nanagement for reducing deer browsing in forest regeneration areas

Treesearch

Brad F. Miller; Tyler A. Campbell; Ben R. Laseter; W.Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller

2010-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsing in forest regeneration sites can affect current and future stand structure and species composition. Removal of deer social units (localized management) has been proposed as a strategy to alleviate deer overbrowsing in forest systems. We conducted an experimental localized removal in a high-density...

Identifying priority chronic wasting disease surveillance areas for mule deer in Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Russell, Robin E.; Gude, Justin; Anderson, N.J.; Ramsey, Jennifer M.

2015-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease that affects a variety of ungulate species including mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). As of 2014, no CWD cases had been reported in free-ranging ungulates in Montana. However, nearby cases in Canada, Wyoming, and the Dakotas indicated that the disease was encroaching on Montana's borders. Mule deer are native and common throughout Montana, and they represent a significant portion of the total hunter-harvested cervids in the state. The arrival of CWD in Montana may have significant ecosystem and socioeconomic impacts as well as potential consequences for wildlife management. We used 18,879 mule deer locations from 892 individual deer collected during 1975–2011 and modeled habitat selection for 7 herds in 5 of the 7 wildlife management regions in Montana. We estimated resource selection functions (RSF) in a Bayesian framework to predict summer and winter habitat preferences for mule deer. We estimated deer abundance from flyover counts for each region, and used the RSF predictions as weights to distribute the deer across the region. We then calculated the distance to the nearest known infected herds. We predicted areas of high risk of CWD infection in mule deer as areas with densities above the median density estimate and within the lowest quartile of distances to known infected herds. We identified these areas, the southeast corner of Montana and the north-central border near Alberta and Saskatchewan, as priority areas for CWD surveillance and management efforts. 

Characterization of a new adenovirus isolated from black-tailed deer in California.

PubMed

Lehmkuhl, H D; Hobbs, L A; Woods, L W

2001-01-01

An adenovirus associated with systemic and localized vascular damage was demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry in a newly recognized epizootic hemorrhagic disease in California black-tailed deer. In this study, we describe the cultural, physicochemical and serological characteristics of a virus isolated from lung using neonatal white-tail deer lung and turbinate cell cultures. The virus had the cultural, morphological and physicochemical characteristics of members of the Adenoviridae family. The virus would not replicate in low passage fetal bovine, caprine or ovine cells. Antiserum to the deer adenovirus, strain D94-2569, neutralized bovine adenovirus type-6 (BAdV-6), BAdV-7, and caprine adenovirus type-1 (GAdV-1). Antiserum to BAdV-6 did not neutralize the deer adenovirus but antiserum to BAdV-7 and GAdV-1 neutralized the deer adenovirus. Cross-neutralization with the other bovine, caprine and ovine adenovirus species was not observed. Restriction endonuclease patterns generated for the deer adenovirus were unique compared to those for the currently recognized bovine, caprine and ovine adenovirus types. Amino acid sequence alignments of the hexon gene from the deer adenovirus strain D94-2569 indicate that it is a member of the proposed new genus (Atadenovirus) of the Adenoviridae family. While closely related antigenically to BAdV-7 and GAdV-1, the deer adenovirus appears sufficiently distinct culturally and molecularly to justify consideration as a new adenovirus type.

Development and evaluation of devices designed to minimize deer-vehicle collisions : phase II.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

We evaluated behavioral responses of captive white-tailed deer to visual and physical barriers designed to minimize deer-vehicle collisions, determined effects of exclusion fencing on movements of free-ranging deer, and further tested the visual capa...

Implications of large oak seedlings on problematic deer herbivory

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Wayne K. Clatterbuck; Allan E. Houston; Scott E. Schlarbaum

2006-01-01

Seedling herbivory by whitetail deer [Odocoileus virginianus (Boddaert)] can be a significant problem where artificial regeneration is attempted. We examined the relationship between deer herbivory and morphological traits of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings for two growing seasons for both browsed and non-browsed seedlings. Logistic...

Deer herbivory reduces web-building spider abundance by simplifying forest vegetation structure

PubMed Central

Chips, Michael J.; Carson, Walter P.

2016-01-01

Indirect ecological effects are a common feature of ecological systems, arising when one species affects interactions among two or more other species. We examined how browsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) indirectly affected the abundance and composition of a web-building spider guild through their effects on the structure of the ground and shrub layers of northern hardwood forests. We examined paired plots consisting of deer-free and control plots in the Allegheny Plateau region Pennsylvania and Northern Highlands region of Wisconsin. We recorded the abundance of seven types of webs, each corresponding to a family of web-building spiders. We quantified vegetation structure and habitat suitability for the spiders by computing a web scaffold availability index (WSAI) at 0.5 m and 1.0 m above the ground. At Northern Highlands sites, we recorded prey availability. Spider webs were twice as abundant in deer-free plots compared to control plots, while WSAI was 7–12 times greater in deerfree plots. Prey availability was lower in deer-free plots. With the exception of funnel web-builders, all spider web types were significantly more abundant in deer-free plots. Both deer exclusion and the geographic region of plots were significant predictors of spider community structure. In closed canopy forests with high browsing pressure, the low density of tree saplings and shrubs provides few locations for web-building spiders to anchor webs. Recruitment of these spiders may become coupled with forest disturbance events that increase tree and shrub recruitment. By modifying habitat structure, deer appear to indirectly modify arthropod food web interactions. As deer populations have increased in eastern North America over the past several decades, the effects of deer on web-building spiders may be widespread. PMID:27703868

33. PLAN OF DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION SHOWING EXISTING PUMPING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

33. PLAN OF DEER ISLAND PUMPING STATION SHOWING EXISTING PUMPING PLAN AND LOCATION OF PROPOSED ADDITIONS, METROPOLITAN WATER AND SEWERAGE BOARD, METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE WORKS, JULY 1908. Aperture card 6417. - Deer Island Pumping Station, Boston, Suffolk County, MA

Forage selection by mule deer: does niche breadth increase with population density.

Treesearch

M.C. Nicholson; R.T. Bowyer; J.G. Kie

2006-01-01

Effects of population density of mule deer Odocoileus hemionus on forage selection were investigated by comparing diet characteristics of two subpopulations of deer in southern California, USA, that differed in population density during winter. Quality of diet for deer, as indexed by faecal crude protein, was higher at the low-density site than at...

Sustainable management of white-tailed deer and white-cedar

Treesearch

Laura Kenefic; Jean-Claude Ruel; Jean-Pierre Tremblay

2015-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are common in forests and farmlands throughout the United States and Canada. While their propensity for eating gardens and ornamental plants is well-known to frustrated homeowners, few outside the wildlife and forestry professions are aware of the profound effects deer have on forest understory composition...

Survival and harvest-related mortality of white-tailed deer in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mcdonald, John E.; DeStefano, Stephen; Gaughan, Christopher; Mayer, Michael; Woytek, William A.; Christensen, Sonja; Fuller, Todd K.

2011-01-01

We monitored 142 radiocollared adult (≥1.0 yr old) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 3 study areas of Massachusetts, USA, to estimate annual survival and mortality due to legal hunting. We then applied these rates to deer harvest information to estimate deer population trends over time, and compared these to trends derived solely from harvest data estimates. Estimated adult female survival rates were similar (0.82–0.86), and uniformly high, across 3 management zones in Massachusetts that differed in landscape composition, human density, and harvest regulations. Legal hunting accounted for 16–29% of all adult female mortality. Estimated adult male survival rates varied from 0.55 to 0.79, and legal hunting accounted for 40–75% of all mortality. Use of composite hunting mortality rates produced realistic estimates for adult deer populations in 2 zones, but not for the third, where estimation was hindered by regulatory restrictions on antlerless deer harvest. In addition, the population estimates we calculated were generally higher than those derived from population reconstruction, likely due to relatively low harvest pressure. Legal harvest may not be the dominant form of deer mortality in developed landscapes; thus, estimates of populations or trends that rely solely on harvest data will likely be underestimates.

Wolf reintroduction to Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management.

PubMed

Nilsen, Erlend B; Milner-Gulland, E J; Schofield, Lee; Mysterud, Atle; Stenseth, Nils Chr; Coulson, Tim

2007-04-07

Reintroductions are important tools for the conservation of individual species, but recently more attention has been paid to the restoration of ecosystem function, and to the importance of carrying out a full risk assessment prior to any reintroduction programme. In much of the Highlands of Scotland, wolves (Canis lupus) were eradicated by 1769, but there are currently proposals for them to be reintroduced. Their main wild prey if reintroduced would be red deer (Cervus elaphus). Red deer are themselves a contentious component of the Scottish landscape. They support a trophy hunting industry but are thought to be close to carrying capacity, and are believed to have a considerable economic and ecological impact. High deer densities hamper attempts to reforest, reduce bird densities and compete with livestock for grazing. Here, we examine the probable consequences for the red deer population of reintroducing wolves into the Scottish Highlands using a structured Markov predator-prey model. Our simulations suggest that reintroducing wolves is likely to generate conservation benefits by lowering deer densities. It would also free deer estates from the financial burden of costly hind culls, which are required in order to achieve the Deer Commission for Scotland's target deer densities. However, a reintroduced wolf population would also carry costs, particularly through increased livestock mortality. We investigated perceptions of the costs and benefits of wolf reintroductions among rural and urban communities in Scotland and found that the public are generally positive to the idea. Farmers hold more negative attitudes, but far less negative than the organizations that represent them.

Wolf reintroduction to Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management

PubMed Central

Nilsen, Erlend B; Milner-Gulland, E.J; Schofield, Lee; Mysterud, Atle; Stenseth, Nils Chr; Coulson, Tim

2007-01-01

Reintroductions are important tools for the conservation of individual species, but recently more attention has been paid to the restoration of ecosystem function, and to the importance of carrying out a full risk assessment prior to any reintroduction programme. In much of the Highlands of Scotland, wolves (Canis lupus) were eradicated by 1769, but there are currently proposals for them to be reintroduced. Their main wild prey if reintroduced would be red deer (Cervus elaphus). Red deer are themselves a contentious component of the Scottish landscape. They support a trophy hunting industry but are thought to be close to carrying capacity, and are believed to have a considerable economic and ecological impact. High deer densities hamper attempts to reforest, reduce bird densities and compete with livestock for grazing. Here, we examine the probable consequences for the red deer population of reintroducing wolves into the Scottish Highlands using a structured Markov predator–prey model. Our simulations suggest that reintroducing wolves is likely to generate conservation benefits by lowering deer densities. It would also free deer estates from the financial burden of costly hind culls, which are required in order to achieve the Deer Commission for Scotland's target deer densities. However, a reintroduced wolf population would also carry costs, particularly through increased livestock mortality. We investigated perceptions of the costs and benefits of wolf reintroductions among rural and urban communities in Scotland and found that the public are generally positive to the idea. Farmers hold more negative attitudes, but far less negative than the organizations that represent them. PMID:17264063

Habitat Selection by Eld’s Deer following Relocation to a Patchy Landscape

PubMed Central

Pan, Duo; Song, Yan-Ling; Zeng, Zhi-Gao; Bravery, Benjamin D.

2014-01-01

An emerging issue in wildlife conservation is the re-establishment of viable populations of endangered species in suitable habitats. Here, we studied habitat selection by a population of Hainan Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi) relocated to a patchy landscape of farmland and forest. Hainan Eld’s deer were pushed to the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but their population expanded rapidly from 26 to more than 1000 individuals by 2003 through effective reserve protection. As part of a wider relocation and population management strategy, 131 deer were removed from the reserve and reintroduced into a farmland-forest landscape in 2005. Habitat use under a context of human disturbance was surveyed by monitoring 19 radio-collared animals. The majority of deer locations (77%) were within 0.6–2 km of villages. Annual home ranges of these collared deer averaged 725 ha (SD 436), which was 55% of the size of the reserve from which they had originated. The annual home ranges contained 54% shrub-grassland, 26% forest and 15% farmland. The relocated deer population selected landscape comprising slash-and-burn agriculture and forest, and avoided both intensively farmed areas and areas containing only forest. Within the selected landscape, deer preferred swiddens and shrub-grasslands. Forests above 300 m in elevation were avoided, whereas forests below 300 m in elevation were overrepresented during the dry season and randomly used during the wet season. Our findings show that reintroduced deer can utilize disturbed habitats, and further demonstrate that subsistence agroforest ecosystems have the capacity to sustain endangered ungulates. PMID:24614039

Hunter perceptions and acceptance of alternative deer management regulations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cornicelli, L.; Fulton, D.C.; Grund, M.D.; Fieberg, J.

2011-01-01

Wildlife managers are often confronted with a policy paradox where a majority of the public supports an outcome, but there is no agreement on specific management strategies to achieve this outcome. Previous research has also reported a link between regulatory acceptance, hunter satisfaction, and hunter participation rates. Thus, human dimensions research aimed at understanding hunter motivations and behavior is needed for effective management. In 2005, we surveyed Minnesota (USA) deer hunters (n = 6,000; 59% response) to evaluate attitudes regarding alternative deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvest regulations. We also conducted a series of forced choice experiments in which respondents were asked to select an option from a list of representative regulations that might be adopted to achieve a particular deer management goal. Specifically, we modeled 5 deer population scenarios ranging from low populations with high buck-harvest rates to populations 50% over goal density. Our results indicate that hunters preferred different regulations depending on the population scenario, but generally preferred antler-point restrictions and disliked limiting buck licenses through a lottery. We also found consistency among scenarios, in that a small percentage of respondents indicated they would not hunt if regulations were changed. The results from this study should help wildlife managers design deer harvest regulations that are both acceptable to hunters and achieve management objectives. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Tracking of white-tailed deer migration by Global Positioning System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, M.E.; Mech, L.D.; Frame, P.F.

2004-01-01

Based on global positioning system (GPS) radiocollars in northeastern Minnesota, deer migrated 23-45 km in spring during 31-356 h, deviating a maximum 1.6-4.0 km perpendicular from a straight line of travel between their seasonal ranges. They migrated a minimum of 2.1-18.6 km/day over 11-56 h during 2-14 periods of travel. Minimum travel during 1-h intervals averaged 1.5 km/h. Deer paused 1-12 times, averaging 24 h/pause. Deer migrated similar distances in autumn with comparable rates and patterns of travel.

Lead in mule deer forage in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrison, P.D.; Dyer, M.I.

1984-01-01

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) forage collected from roadsides in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, contained lead (Pb) concentrations ranging from 0.8 to >50 ..mu..g/g. Concentrations were inversely correlated with distance from the roadway. Equations developed to estimate deer absorption of Pb from contaminated roadside vegetation indicate that deer in some age-classes need only to consume 1.4% of their daily intake of forage from roadsides before consuming excessive amounts of Pb.

Seasonal food selection and digestibility by tame white-tailed deer in central Maine

Treesearch

Hewlette S. Crawford

1982-01-01

Seasonal food selection and digestibility by tame white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied in the white pine (Pinus strobus)–Canada hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and lowland conifer types, areas representative of important deer habitat in the northeastern United States. Deer selected highly...

The effect of deer management on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus in Scotland.

PubMed

Gilbert, L; Maffey, G L; Ramsay, S L; Hester, A J

2012-03-01

The management of wildlife hosts for controlling parasites and disease has a history of mixed success. Deer can be important hosts for ticks, such as Ixodes ricinus, which is the primary vector of disease-causing zoonotic pathogens in Europe. Deer are generally managed by culling and fencing for forestry protection, habitat conservation, and commercial hunting, and in this study we test whether these deer management methods can be useful for controlling ticks, with implications for tick-borne pathogens. At different spatial scales and habitats we tested the hypotheses that tick abundance is reduced by (1) culling deer and (2) deer exclusion using fencing. We compared abundance indices of hosts and questing I. ricinus nymphs using a combination of small-scale fencing experiments on moorland, a large-scale natural experiment of fenced and unfenced pairs of forests, and cross-sectional surveys of forest and moorland areas with varying deer densities. As predicted, areas with fewer deer had fewer ticks, and fenced exclosures had dramatically fewer ticks in both large-scale forest and small-scale moorland plots. Fencing and reducing deer density were also associated with higher ground vegetation. The implications of these results on other hosts, pathogen prevalence, and disease risk are discussed. This study provides evidence of how traditional management methods of a keystone species can reduce a generalist parasite, with implications for disease risk mitigation.

Modeling white-tailed deer activity patterns across forested landscapes

Treesearch

Linda S. Gribko; Michael E. Hohn; William M. Ford

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory has been identified as a major impediment to the survival and growth of forest regeneration in the northeastern United States. As a supplement to direct control of deer densities through hunting, it may be possible for land managers to manipulate habitat and browsing pressure through carefully...

Deer habitat use after prescribed burning in Northern California

Treesearch

John G. Kie

1984-01-01

Prescribed burning was used to improve blacktailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) habitat in Trinity County, northern California. Deer response was measured by comparing pellet group deposition on one burned and three unburned areas. Pellet group counts were highest on the burned area for 3 years after burning. One year after burning, pellet...

Chronic wasting disease in white-tailed deer: Infection, mortality, and implications for heterogeneous transmission

USGS Publications Warehouse

Samuel, Michael D.; Storm, Daniel J.

2016-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting free-ranging and captive cervids that now occurs in 24 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. Despite the potential threat of CWD to deer populations, little is known about the rates of infection and mortality caused by this disease. We used epidemiological models to estimate the force of infection and disease-associated mortality for white-tailed deer in the Wisconsin and Illinois CWD outbreaks. Models were based on age-prevalence data corrected for bias in aging deer using the tooth wear and replacement method. Both male and female deer in the Illinois outbreak had higher corrected age-specific prevalence with slightly higher female infection than deer in the Wisconsin outbreak. Corrected ages produced more complex models with different infection and mortality parameters than those based on apparent prevalence. We found that adult male deer have a more than threefold higher risk of CWD infection than female deer. Males also had higher disease mortality than female deer. As a result, CWD prevalence was twofold higher in adult males than females. We also evaluated the potential impacts of alternative contact structures on transmission dynamics in Wisconsin deer. Results suggested that transmission of CWD among male deer during the nonbreeding season may be a potential mechanism for producing higher rates of infection and prevalence characteristically found in males. However, alternatives based on high environmental transmission and transmission from females to males during the breeding season may also play a role.

Age and sex selectivity in trapping mule deer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garrott, R.A.; White, G.C.

1982-01-01

A mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) trapping experiment is described using modified Clover traps in which changes in the placement of bait and height of the trap door modified the ratio of adult does to male and female fawns captured. The mechanisms responsible for the changes in age-sex capture ratios are discussed and indicate that modified Clover traps selectivity capture mule deer, thus introducing bias into population sampling. (JMT)

Chemical composition and deer browsing of red alder foliage

Treesearch

M.A. Radwan; W.D. Ellis; G.L. Crouch

1978-01-01

Chemical factors suspected of influencing seasonal change in deer preference for red alder leaves were investigated. There were many differences in the leaves between seasons. It is postulated, however, that changes in contents of crude fat and total phenols were the important factors in increasing deer preference for the species from June to September.

Can coyotes affect deer populations in southeastern North America?

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; H. Scott Ray; Charles Ruth; Karl V. Miller

2009-01-01

The coyote (Canis latrans) is a recent addition to the fauna of eastern North America, and in many areas coyote populations have been established for only a decade or two. Although coyotes are known predators of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in their historic range, effects this new predator may have on eastern deer...

The isolation of Yersinia sp. from feral and farmed deer faeces.

PubMed

Henderson, T G

1984-06-01

Faecal samples from clinically normal farmed red deer, wapiti, fallow deer; and feral red deer and white tail deer were examined for members of the genus Yersinia. From 922 samples 176 strains of Y.enterocolitica, 56 strains of Y.frederiksenii, 29 strains of Y.kristensenii, eight strains of Y.intermedia, and seven strains of Y.pseudotuberculosis were isolated. High isolation rates of Yersinia sp. were recorded from some farms. Two herds had isolation rates of 33.3% and 36.8%. Sixteen strains of Yersinia sp. in addition to strains of Y.psuedotuberculosis were found to be Hela cell invasive. The majority of these strains were confined to a single herd and represented Y.enterocolitica biotypes I, II and III, Y.intermedia, Y. fredericksenii, and Y.kristensenii.

Lead content in soft tissues of white-tailed deer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khan, A.T.

1995-12-31

The white-tailed deer is one of the North America`s most abundant game animals and can be used to monitor the quality of the environment. During the 1994 and 1995 hunting seasons, twenty-nine white-tailed deer were harvested with the permission of the Game Biologist of the Alabama Cooperative Deer Management Assistance Program and their liver and kidney samples were analyzed for lead levels. The lead levels in the livers and kidneys, were 0.35 and 0.37 ppm, respectively. The lead levels in the livers and kidneys did not show any significant difference. The lead levels in the livers of males and femalesmore » were 0.49 and 0.28 ppm and in the kidneys of males and females were 0.36 and 0.38 ppm, respectively. The lead levels in the livers and kidneys of males and females also did not show any significant difference. Likewise, the lead level neither in the livers nor in the kidneys of young and old deer showed any significant difference.« less

3. OVERALL VIEW OF DEER LAKE AND UPRIGHT OUTLET GATE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. OVERALL VIEW OF DEER LAKE AND UPRIGHT OUTLET GATE WHEEL, STEM AND STEM GUIDE, LOOKING NORTH - High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, Deer Lake Dam, Ashley National Forest, 5.8 miles North of Swift Creek Campground, Mountain Home, Duchesne County, UT

Molecular identification of Theileria parasites of northwestern Chinese Cervidae

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Theileria and Babesia protozoan parasites are transmitted mainly by tick vectors. These parasites cause heavy economic losses to the live-stock industry, as well as affecting the health of wild animals in parasite-endemic areas. Identification of infectious agents in wild animals is not only crucial for species preservation, but also provides valuable information on parasite epidemiology. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Northwestern China to assess the prevalence of blood pathogens in cervids. Methods PCR analysis and microscopic evaluation of blood smears to detect Theileria- and Babesia-related diseases in Cervidae were conducted, in which 22 blood samples from red deer (n = 22) in Qilian Mountain and 20 from sika deer (n = 20) in Long Mountain were collected and tested for the presence of Theileria and Babesia. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified, and selected polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were sequenced for species identification. Results PCR revealed that 9.1% of the Qilian Mountain samples and 20% of the Long Mountain samples were positive for Theileria uilenbergi; 90.09% of the Qilian Mountain samples (n = 22) were positive for T. capreoli, but all of the Long Mountain samples (n = 20) were negative for T. capreoli; no other Theileria or Babesia species were found. PCR showed that T. uilenbergi and T. capreoli were present in red deer in Qilian Mountain, while only T. uilenbergi was found in sika Deer in Long Mountain. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were aligned against the corresponding GenBank sequences of known isolates of Theileria and Babesia and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Theileria spp. could be classified as belonging to two clades: one group belonged to the same clade as T. uilenbergi, the other to a clade containing T. capreoli. Conclusions Our results provide important data to increase understanding of the epidemiology of

Molecular identification of Theileria parasites of northwestern Chinese Cervidae.

PubMed

Li, Youquan; Chen, Ze; Liu, Zhijie; Liu, Junlong; Yang, Jifei; Li, Qian; Li, Yaqiong; Cen, Shuangqing; Guan, Guiquan; Ren, Qiaoyun; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2014-05-14

Theileria and Babesia protozoan parasites are transmitted mainly by tick vectors. These parasites cause heavy economic losses to the live-stock industry, as well as affecting the health of wild animals in parasite-endemic areas. Identification of infectious agents in wild animals is not only crucial for species preservation, but also provides valuable information on parasite epidemiology. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Northwestern China to assess the prevalence of blood pathogens in cervids. PCR analysis and microscopic evaluation of blood smears to detect Theileria- and Babesia-related diseases in Cervidae were conducted, in which 22 blood samples from red deer (n = 22) in Qilian Mountain and 20 from sika deer (n = 20) in Long Mountain were collected and tested for the presence of Theileria and Babesia. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified, and selected polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were sequenced for species identification. PCR revealed that 9.1% of the Qilian Mountain samples and 20% of the Long Mountain samples were positive for Theileria uilenbergi; 90.09% of the Qilian Mountain samples (n = 22) were positive for T. capreoli, but all of the Long Mountain samples (n = 20) were negative for T. capreoli; no other Theileria or Babesia species were found. PCR showed that T. uilenbergi and T. capreoli were present in red deer in Qilian Mountain, while only T. uilenbergi was found in sika Deer in Long Mountain. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were aligned against the corresponding GenBank sequences of known isolates of Theileria and Babesia and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Theileria spp. could be classified as belonging to two clades: one group belonged to the same clade as T. uilenbergi, the other to a clade containing T. capreoli. Our results provide important data to increase understanding of the epidemiology of Cervidae theileriosis, and will assist with

Wolf predation risk associated with white-tailed deer movements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, M.E.; Mech, L.D.

1991-01-01

The survival of 159 yearling and adult deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was monitored by telemetry during 282 spring and 219 fall individual migrations to winter deeryards in northeastern Minnesota. A disproportionate number of deer were killed by wolves (Canis lupus) during fall migration relative to the short time they spent migrating, but not during spring migration. Predation was also significantly greater for male and female yearlings and adult females outside deeryards during winter. Survival of 79 yearlings dispersing from natal ranges was high (1.00). It appears that changing climatic conditions combined with unfamiliar terrain and undetermined factors predispose migratory deer to wolf predation during fall. These findings support an earlier hypothesis that winter yarding is an antipredator strategy.

Predicting intensity of white-tailed deer herbivory in the Central Appalachian Mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kniowski, Andrew B.; Ford, W. Mark

2018-01-01

In eastern North America, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can have profound influences on forest biodiversity and forest successional processes. Moderate to high deer populations in the central Appalachians have resulted in lower forest biodiversity. Legacy effects in some areas persist even following deer population reductions or declines. This has prompted managers to consider deer population management goals in light of policies designed to support conservation of biodiversity and forest regeneration while continuing to support ample recreational hunting opportunities. However, despite known relationships between herbivory intensity and biodiversity impact, little information exists on the predictability of herbivory intensity across the varied and spatially diverse habitat conditions of the central Appalachians. We examined the predictability of browsing rates across central Appalachian landscapes at four environmental scales: vegetative community characteristics, physical environment, habitat configuration, and local human and deer population demographics. In an information-theoretic approach, we found that a model fitting the number of stems browsed relative to local vegetation characteristics received most (62%) of the overall support of all tested models assessing herbivory impact. Our data suggest that deer herbivory responded most predictably to differences in vegetation quantity and type. No other spatial factors or demographic factors consistently affected browsing intensity. Because herbivory, vegetation communities, and productivity vary spatially, we suggest that effective broad-scale herbivory impact assessment should include spatially-balanced vegetation monitoring that accounts for regional differences in deer forage preference. Effective monitoring is necessary to avoid biodiversity impacts and deleterious changes in vegetation community composition that are difficult to reverse and/or may not be detected using traditional deer

Establishment rate of cattle gastrointestinal nematodes in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Ten Doesschate, S J; Pomroy, W E; Tapia-Escárate, D; Scott, I; Wilson, P R

2017-08-30

Red deer can be infected with some gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of cattle but it is unknown to what extent. An indoor study was conducted to determine the establishment rate of cattle GIN in young deer. Five young calves and 5 young red deer were used. They were effectively treated with anthelmintics when housed and then infected 2 weeks later. After four weeks they were killed for total worm counts. Establishment rates were assessed comparing worm counts to the infective dose which were identified morphologically, and to the relative establishment rate of different species. The establishment rates (%) in cattle and deer respectively were H. contortus (8.0, 18.7, p=0.18), Ostertagia ostertagi (30.8, 0.7, p<0.001), Cooperia spp. (72.3, 2.3, p<0.001) and Trichostrongylus spp. (19.0, 25.3, p=0.12). The majority (>98%) of Trichostrongylus spp. were Trichostrongylus axei in both hosts and there were no differences between hosts for this species (p=0.11). In cattle >98% of Cooperia were Cooperia oncophora and the mean burden was much higher than in deer (p<0.01) where there were similar proportions of Cooperia oncophora, Cooperia punctata and C. curticei. Small numbers of Oesophagostomum venulosum were also present with 3X as many found in deer as in cattle (p<0.05). This study has shown that some cattle-origin GIN can establish in red deer. In particular, the establishment of H. contortus and T. axei could allow sufficient burdens to build up to be clinically significant. Importantly, almost no cattle Ostertagia species or small intestinal species established in deer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does small-perimeter fencing inhibit mule deer or pronghorn use of water developments?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larsen, R.T.; Bissonette, J.A.; Flinders, J.T.; Robinson, A.C.

2011-01-01

Wildlife water development can be an important habitat management strategy in western North America for many species, including both pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). In many areas, water developments are fenced (often with small-perimeter fencing) to exclude domestic livestock and feral horses. Small-perimeter exclosures could limit wild ungulate use of fenced water sources, as exclosures present a barrier pronghorn and mule deer must negotiate to gain access to fenced drinking water. To evaluate the hypothesis that exclosures limit wild ungulate access to water sources, we compared use (photo counts) of fenced versus unfenced water sources for both pronghorn and mule deer between June and October 2002-2008 in western Utah. We used model selection to identify an adequate distribution and best approximating model. We selected a zero-inflated negative binomial distribution for both pronghorn and mule deer photo counts. Both pronghorn and mule deer photo counts were positively associated with sampling time and average daily maximum temperature in top models. A fence effect was present in top models for both pronghorn and mule deer, but mule deer response to small-perimeter fencing was much more pronounced than pronghorn response. For mule deer, we estimated that presence of a fence around water developments reduced photo counts by a factor of 0.25. We suggest eliminating fencing of water developments whenever possible or fencing a big enough area around water sources to avoid inhibiting mule deer. More generally, our results provide additional evidence that water development design and placement influence wildlife use. Failure to account for species-specific preferences will limit effectiveness of management actions and could compromise research results. Copyright ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

NPDES Permit for Lame Deer Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Facility in Montana

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Final permit authorizes the Northern Cheyenne Utilities Commission to discharge from its Lame Deer Lagoon wastewater treatment facility located in Rosebud County, Montana to Lame Deer Creek, a tributary to Rosebud Creek.

Relationships between Sitka black-tailed deer and their habitat.

Treesearch

Thomas A. Hanley

1984-01-01

Old-growth, western hemlock-Sitka spruce forest in southeastern Alaska is an important element of the habitat of Sitka black-tailed deer. The conversion of uneven-aged, old-growth forests to even-aged, second-growth forests has generated concern about the future carrying capacity of the habitat for deer, especially where snow accumulation is common on winter ranges....

The Use of Deer Vehicle Accidents as a Proxy for Measuring the Degree of Interaction Between Human and Deer Populations and Its Correlation With the Incidence Rate of Lyme Disease

PubMed Central

Wiznia, Daniel H.; Christos, Paul J.; LaBonte, Andrew M.

2014-01-01

The study described in this article examined the relationship between the incidence rate of deer vehicle accidents (DVAs), a proxy for measuring the interaction between populations of humans and deer, and human Lyme disease incidence rate. The authors also examined the relationship between deer population density and human Lyme incidence rate. They analyzed data from Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health from 1999 through 2008 by deer management zone (DMZ) and town. For DVA incidence rate versus Lyme incidence rate for both DMZs and towns, most of the correlation coefficients computed yearly were moderate to strong and all of the p-values were significant. A weak correlation was observed between deer population density and Lyme disease incidence rate by DMZ. The authors propose DVAs as a proxy for measuring the interaction between coexisting populations of humans and deer. The authors’ study suggests that additional investigations of DVAs and their relationship to Lyme disease to further assess the utility of public health interventions are warranted. PMID:23621054

Coyotes, deer, and wildflowers: diverse evidence points to a trophic cascade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waser, Nickolas M.; Price, Mary V.; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Arózqueta, S. Reneé; Escobar, Betsabé D. Castro; Pickens, Richard; Pistoia, Alessandra

2014-05-01

Spatial gradients in human activity, coyote activity, deer activity, and deer herbivory provide an unusual type of evidence for a trophic cascade. Activity of coyotes, which eat young mule deer (fawns), decreased with proximity to a remote biological field station, indicating that these predators avoided an area of high human activity. In contrast, activity of adult female deer (does) and intensity of herbivory on palatable plant species both increased with proximity to the station and were positively correlated with each other. The gradient in deer activity was not explained by availabilities of preferred habitats or plant species because these did not vary with distance from the station. Does spent less time feeding when they encountered coyote urine next to a feed block, indicating that increased vigilance may contribute, along with avoidance of areas with coyotes, to lower herbivory away from the station. Judging from two palatable wildflower species whose seed crop and seedling recruitment were greatly reduced near the field station, the coyote-deer-wildflower trophic cascade has the potential to influence plant community composition. Our study illustrates the value of a case-history approach, in which different forms of ecological data about a single system are used to develop conceptual models of complex ecological phenomena. Such an iterative model-building process is a common, but underappreciated, way of understanding how ecological systems work.

Distribution and abundance of fallow deer leks at Point Reyes National Seashore, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fellers, Gary M.; Osbourn, Michael

2006-01-01

Only two species of ungulates (hoofed mammals) are native to Marin County, tule elk (Cervis elaphus nannodes) and Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus). In the 1940s, European fallow deer (Dama dama) obtained from the San Francisco Zoo were released at Point Reyes. When Point Reyes National Seashore was established in 1962, fallow deer were well established within the boundaries of the National Seashore. The fallow deer population was estimated to be 500 in 1973 (Wehausen, 1973) and that number increased to 860 by 2005 (National Park Service, unpubl. data). Fallow deer have an unusual mating system. During the fall mating season (or rut), male fallow deer establish areas known as leks where they display to potential mates (Hirth, 1997). This behavior is unique among deer and elk, but it is similar to breeding systems used by grouse and a few other birds and mammals. Formation of leks in ungulates decreases the number of aggressive encounters in which dominant males are involved when the local male density becomes too high, because the spatial stability of territories in leks reduces the number of aggressive encounters between males (Hovi et al., 1996; Pelabon et al., 1999). A fallow deer lek is typically an area of about 100-150 m2 and typically includes two to five males. Using their hooves and antlers, each male clears away most or all of the vegetation and digs a rutting pit that he defends throughout the breeding season.

Mule deer passage beneath an overland coal conveyor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenwood, C.L.; Dalton, L.B.

1984-07-31

Presently, information pertaining to migration and daily movement patterns of big game in relation to overland conveyors or large diameter pipelines is sparse. A literature review showed that moose, caribou, reindeer, and dall sheep will pass beneath or over large diameter pipeline systems. But no information was found relative to big game crossing coal conveyor systems. Mule deer passage beneath an overland coal conveyor in Carbon County, Utah, was studied during spring 1981. Deer avoided crossing at underpass opportunities where the clearance was less than 50 cm. Clearances between 50 and 90 cm were selected for crossing. Deer passed beneathmore » the conveyor during day and nighttime conditions and while the conveyor was either operating or idle. Recommendations are discussed for designing conveyors and pipelines to facilitate big game passage. 13 references, 2 tables.« less

Polymorphic integrations of an endogenous gammaretrovirus in the mule deer genome.

PubMed

Elleder, Daniel; Kim, Oekyung; Padhi, Abinash; Bankert, Jason G; Simeonov, Ivan; Schuster, Stephan C; Wittekindt, Nicola E; Motameny, Susanne; Poss, Mary

2012-03-01

Endogenous retroviruses constitute a significant genomic fraction in all mammalian species. Typically they are evolutionarily old and fixed in the host species population. Here we report on a novel endogenous gammaretrovirus (CrERVγ; for cervid endogenous gammaretrovirus) in the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) that is insertionally polymorphic among individuals from the same geographical location, suggesting that it has a more recent evolutionary origin. Using PCR-based methods, we identified seven CrERVγ proviruses and demonstrated that they show various levels of insertional polymorphism in mule deer individuals. One CrERVγ provirus was detected in all mule deer sampled but was absent from white-tailed deer, indicating that this virus originally integrated after the split of the two species, which occurred approximately one million years ago. There are, on average, 100 CrERVγ copies in the mule deer genome based on quantitative PCR analysis. A CrERVγ provirus was sequenced and contained intact open reading frames (ORFs) for three virus genes. Transcripts were identified covering the entire provirus. CrERVγ forms a distinct branch of the gammaretrovirus phylogeny, with the closest relatives of CrERVγ being endogenous gammaretroviruses from sheep and pig. We demonstrated that white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) DNA contain proviruses that are closely related to mule deer CrERVγ in a conserved region of pol; more distantly related sequences can be identified in the genome of another member of the Cervidae, the muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak). The discovery of a novel transcriptionally active and insertionally polymorphic retrovirus in mammals could provide a useful model system to study the dynamic interaction between the host genome and an invading retrovirus.

Brown bear-human interactions associated with deer hunting on Kodiak Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, Victor G.

1994-01-01

I compared distribution and range of brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) with temporal and spatial distribution of Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) hunting activity on westside Kodiak Island, Alaska, to examine impacts of deer hunting on bears. Mean number of bears that annually ranged ≤5 km from the coast, >5 km inland from the coast, or in both areas was 10, 8, and 11, respectively. Bears that exclusively or seasonally occupied the coast zone were usually classed as having moderate or high potential to interact with hunters because most hunter access and effort (>95%) was via the coast. Bears that ranged exclusively inland were considered unlikely to encounter hunters. Animals that ranged in both zones often (39%) moved inland during fall (Oct-Dec) and most bears (70%) denned in the inland zone. Females that denned near the coast entered dens later (x̄ = 22 Nov) than females that denned inland (x̄ = 12 Nov). Two radio-collared bears were known to raid deer-hunting camps and 9 other marked bears were observed by hunters or were located <200 m from hunting camps. Deer-hunter surveys revealed that more than two-thirds of the deer harvest occurred during October-November. About half of the hunters observed at least 1 bear during their hunt. Seven to 21% of the respondents reported having a threatening encounter with a bear and 5-26% reported losing deer meat to bears. Human-induced mortality to radio-collared bears occurred more often near the coast (5) than inland (3); 7 bears were harvested by sport hunters and 1 was killed (nonsport) in a Native village. Deer hunters killed 2 unmarked females in defense of life or property situations in the study area. High bear densities and concentrated deer-hunting activity combine to make conflicts unavoidable. Adverse impacts to bears can be minimized by maintaining low levels of human activity in inland areas and improving hunter awareness of bear ecology and behavior.

Notes and Discussion: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, P.J.; Granfors, D.A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Mapping eastern equine encephalitis virus risk for white-tailed deer in Michigan

PubMed Central

Downs, Joni A.; Hyzer, Garrett; Marion, Eric; Smith, Zachary J.; Kelen, Patrick Vander; Unnasch, Thomas R.

2015-01-01

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is often fatal to humans and horses. Some species including white-tailed deer and passerine birds can survive infection with the EEE virus (EEEV) and develop antibodies that can be detected using laboratory techniques. In this way, collected serum samples from free ranging white-tailed deer can be used to monitor the presence of the virus in ecosystems. This study developed and tested a risk index model designed to predict EEEV activity in white-tailed deer in a three-county area of Michigan. The model evaluates EEEV risk on a continuous scale from 0.0 (no measurable risk) to 1.0 (highest possible risk). High risk habitats are identified as those preferred by white-tailed deer that are also located in close proximity to an abundance of wetlands and lowland forests, which support disease vectors and hosts. The model was developed based on relevant literature and was tested with known locations of infected deer that showed neurological symptoms. The risk index model accurately predicted the known locations, with the mean value for those sites equal to the 94th percentile of values in the study area. The risk map produced by the model could be used refine future EEEV monitoring efforts that use serum samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer to monitor viral activity. Alternatively, it could be used focus educational efforts targeted toward deer hunters that may have elevated risks of infection. PMID:26494931

Tagging studies of mule deer fawns on the Hanford Site, 1969 to 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eberhardt, L.E.; Hedlund, J.D.; Rickard, W.H.

1979-10-01

From 1969 to 1977, 346 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawns were tagged and released on islands and shoreline habitat associated with the Columbia River on the Hanford Site in south-central Washington. The purpose was to determine the movement of mule deer along the Columbia River shoreline from the Hanford Site through tag recovery. Twenty-one tagged deer have been killed primarily by hunters near the Hanford Site or on areas of the Hanford Site open to public access. Movements of up to 113 km from Hanford have been documented. Although the Columbia River at Hanford is one of the largest andmore » most swift-flowing rivers in North America it is not an impassable barrier to mule deer. River islands are important and perhaps critical fawining habitat for the local deer herd. The selection of these islands by pregnant female deer is apparently influenced by predation, human access, and recreational use of islands. The number of fawns captured decreased during the latter years of the study (1974 to 1977). This is probably a reflection of an actual decrease in deer productivity, particularly along the upper stretch of the Columbia flowing through the Hanford Site. The reasons for this apparent decrease are unkown.« less

Beliefs and attitudes toward lethal management of deer in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulton, D.C.; Skerl, K.; Shank, E.M.; Lime, D.W.

2004-01-01

We used the theory of reasoned action to help understand attitudes and beliefs about lethal management of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP), Ohio. We used a mail-back survey to collect data from Ohio residents in the surrounding 9-county area. Two strata were defined: residents <10 km from CVNP (near n = 369) and residents =10 km from CVNP (far n = 312). Respondents indicated that lethal control of deer was acceptable (near 71%??4.7%, far 62%??5.5%) and taking no action to reduce deer populations was unacceptable (near 75%??4.5%, far 72%??5.1%). Beliefs about outcomes of lethal control and evaluation of those outcomes proved to be strong predictors of the acceptability of lethal control of deer in CVNP. Lethal control was more acceptable if it was done to prevent severe consequences for humans (e.g., spread of disease, car collisions) or the natural environment (e.g., maintain a healthy deer herd) than to prevent negative aesthetic impacts or personal property damage. Results from the study can be used to assist managers at CVNP as they make decisions regarding alternatives for deer management in the park and to inform others managing abundant deer populations of socially relevant impacts of management actions.

Sensitivity of condition indices to changing density in a white-tailed deer population

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sams, M.G.; Lochmiller, R.L.; Qualls, C.W.; Leslie, David M.

1998-01-01

The ways in which comprehensive condition profiles, incorporating morphometric, histologic, physiologic, and diet quality indices, responded to changes in density of a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population were examined. Changes in these condition indices were monitored in a northeastern Oklahoma deer herd as density declined from peaks of 80 and 72 deer/km2 in 1989 and 1990 (high-density) to lows of 39 and 41 deer/km2 in 1991 and 1992 (reduced-density), respectively. Compared to a reference population (6 deer/km2), deer sampled during high-density exhibited classic signs of nutritional stress such as low body and visceral organ masses (except elevated adrenal gland mass), low fecal nitrogen levels, reduced concentrations of serum albumin, elevated serum creatinine concentrations, and a high prevalence of parasitic infections. Although density declined by one half over the 4-yr study, gross indices of condition (in particular body mass and size) remained largely unchanged. However, selected organ masses, serum albumin and non-protein nitrogen constituents, and fecal nitrogen indices reflected improvements in nutritional status with reductions in density. Many commonly used indices of deer condition (fat reserves, hematocrit, total serum protein, and blood urea nitrogen) were not responsive to fluctuations in density. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 1998.

Role of the wolf in a deer decline in the Superior National Forest.

Treesearch

L. David Mech; Patrick D. Karns

1977-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) declined in the Superior National Forest of Minnesota between 1968 and 1974. In a 3,000 km2 area of the poorest habitat, deer were decimated. Contributing factors were severe winters, deteriorating habitat, and wolves. Wolves killed older deer, but insufficient fawns were available to replace them.

Hepatitis E virus antibody prevalence in wildlife in Poland.

PubMed

Larska, M; Krzysiak, M K; Jabłoński, A; Kęsik, J; Bednarski, M; Rola, J

2015-03-01

Hepatitis E is an important public health problem mostly in developing but occasionally also in industrialized countries. Domestic and wildlife animals are considered reservoirs of the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Since no information on the prevalence of autochthonous HEV infections in human and animal in Poland is available, the aim of the study was to investigate the HEV seroprevalence of different wildlife species as potential virus reservoirs in the country. No HEV antibodies were found in any of the sera collected from the red deer (Cervus elaphus), European bison (Bison bonasus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), elk (Alces alces), fallow deer (Dama dama), sika deer (Cervus nippon), Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) or brown bear (Ursus arctos). HEV-specific antibodies were detected in 44.4% (95% CI 38.3-50.7) serum samples originated only from wild boars. The percentage of seropositive wild boars differed significantly between the provinces and was positively correlated with the wild boar density and rurality of the area. This study showed that HEV circulates among wild boar population in Poland, and this species should be considered as an important reservoir of the virus. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Reproductive biology of the pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus): a review

PubMed Central

Ungerfeld, Rodolfo; González-Pensado, Solana; Bielli, Alejandro; Villagrán, Matías; Olazabal, Daniel; Pérez, William

2008-01-01

The pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) is a South American grazing deer which is in extreme danger of extinction. Very little is known about the biology of the pampas deer. Moreover, most information has not been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and is only available in local publications, theses, etc. Therefore, our aim was to update and summarize the available information regarding the reproductive biology of the pampas deer. Moreover, in most sections, we have also included new, unpublished information. Detailed descriptions are provided of the anatomy of both the female and the male reproductive tract, puberty onset, the oestrous cycle and gestational length. Birthing and the early postpartum period are described, as are maternal behaviour and early fawn development, seasonal distribution of births, seasonal changes in male reproduction and antler cycle, reproductive behaviour, semen collection, and cryopreservation. Finally, an overview is given and future directions of research are proposed. PMID:18534014

Constructing STR multiplexes for individual identification of Hungarian red deer.

PubMed

Szabolcsi, Zoltan; Egyed, Balazs; Zenke, Petra; Padar, Zsolt; Borsy, Adrienn; Steger, Viktor; Pasztor, Erzsebet; Csanyi, Sandor; Buzas, Zsuzsanna; Orosz, Laszlo

2014-07-01

Red deer is the most valuable game of the fauna in Hungary, and there is a strong need for genetic identification of individuals. For this purpose, 10 tetranucleotide STR markers were developed and amplified in two 5-plex systems. The study presented here includes the flanking region sequence analysis and the allele nomenclature of the 10 loci as well as the PCR optimization of the DeerPlex I and II. LD pairwise tests and cross-species similarity analyses showed the 10 loci to be independently inherited. Considerable levels of genetic differences between two subpopulations were recorded, and F(ST) was 0.034 using AMOVA. The average probability of identity (PI(ave)) was at the value of 2.6736 × 10(-15). This low value for PI(ave) nearly eliminates false identification. An illegal hunting case solved by DeerPlex is described herein. The calculated likelihood ratio (LR) illustrates the potential of the 10 red deer microsatellite markers for forensic investigations. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Association mapping of genetic risk factors for chronic wasting disease in wild deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tomomi Matsumoto,; Samuel, Michael D.; Trent Bollinger,; Margo Pybus,; David W. Coltman,

2013-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting North American cervids. We assessed the feasibility of association mapping CWD genetic risk factors in wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) using a panel of bovine microsatellite markers from three homologous deer linkage groups predicted to contain candidate genes. These markers had a low cross-species amplification rate (27.9%) and showed weak linkage disequilibrium (<1 cM). Markers near the prion protein and the neurofibromin 1 (NF1) genes were suggestively associated with CWD status in white-tailed deer (P = 0.006) and mule deer (P = 0.02), respectively. This is the first time an association between the NF1 region and CWD has been reported.

Forage resource evaluation system for habitat—deer: an interactive deer habitat model

Treesearch

Thomas A. Hanley; Donald E. Spalinger; Kenrick J. Mock; Oran L. Weaver; Grant M. Harris

2012-01-01

We describe a food-based system for quantitatively evaluating habitat quality for deer called the Forage Resource Evaluation System for Habitat and provide its rationale and suggestions for use. The system was developed as a tool for wildlife biologists and other natural resource managers and planners interested in evaluating habitat quality and, especially, comparing...

Natural History of Plasmodium odocoilei Malaria Infection in Farmed White-Tailed Deer.

PubMed

Guggisberg, Ann M; Sayler, Katherine A; Wisely, Samantha M; Odom John, Audrey R

2018-04-25

White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), an ecologically and economically important species, are the most widely distributed large animals in North America. A recent study indicated that up to 25% of all white-tailed deer may be infected with Plasmodium odocoilei , a malaria parasite belonging to the distinct clade of ungulate-infecting Plasmodium spp. Because the clinical impact of P. odocoilei on deer health and survival is unknown, we undertook a retrospective longitudinal study of farmed Floridian O. virginianus fawns. We found that a substantial proportion (21%) of fawns acquire malaria infection during the first 8 months of life. Some animals naturally clear P. odocoilei infection, while other animals remain persistently positive. Importantly, we found that animals that acquire malaria parasites very early in life have poor survival compared to animals that remain uninfected. Our report thus provides the first evidence of a clinically significant impact of malaria infection in young deer. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium are known to infect a variety of vertebrate hosts, including ungulates (hoofed mammals). A recent study found that up to a quarter of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in North America are infected with the parasite Plasmodium odocoilei In addition to occupying an important ecological niche, white-tailed deer are popular game animals and deer farming represents a rapidly growing industry. However, the effect of P. odocoilei infection in this ecologically and economically important ungulate species is unknown. Our work is significant because (i) we identified a high prevalence of P. odocoilei in farmed deer and (ii) we found evidence for both cleared and persistent infection, as well as an association with decreased survival of young fawns. Copyright © 2018 Guggisberg et al.

Maporal Hantavirus Causes Mild Pathology in Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus).

PubMed

McGuire, Amanda; Miedema, Kaitlyn; Fauver, Joseph R; Rico, Amber; Aboellail, Tawfik; Quackenbush, Sandra L; Hawkinson, Ann; Schountz, Tony

2016-10-18

Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. Each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. HCPS-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (ABSL-4) containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir hosts. Maporal virus (MAPV) is a South American hantavirus not known to cause disease in humans, thus it can be manipulated under ABSL-3 conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an ABSL-3 hantavirus infection model using the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus ), the natural reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), and a virus that is pathogenic in another animal model to examine immune response of a reservoir host species. Deer mice were inoculated with MAPV, and viral RNA was detected in several organs of all deer mice during the 56 day experiment. Infected animals generated both nucleocapsid-specific and neutralizing antibodies. Histopathological lesions were minimal to mild with the peak of the lesions detected at 7-14 days postinfection, mainly in the lungs, heart, and liver. Low to modest levels of cytokine gene expression were detected in spleens and lungs of infected deer mice, and deer mouse primary pulmonary cells generated with endothelial cell growth factors were susceptible to MAPV with viral RNA accumulating in the cellular fraction compared to infected Vero cells. Most features resembled that of SNV infection of deer mice, suggesting this model may be an ABSL-3 surrogate for studying the host response of a New World hantavirus reservoir.

White-tailed deer impact on the vegetation dynamics of a northern hardwood forest

Treesearch

Stephen B. Horsley; Susan L. Stout; David S. deCalesta; David S. deCalesta

2003-01-01

Considerable controversy has arisen over the management of white-tailed deer in eastern landscapes where there is evidence of damage to forest vegetation, crops, and wildlife habitat attributable to deer. We examined the impact of 4, 8, 15, and 25 deer/km2 on herbaceous layer abundance and tree seedling density, height development, species composition, and diversity...

Post-1900 mule deer irruptions in the Intermountain West: Principal cause and influences

Treesearch

George E. Gruell

1986-01-01

Tests hypotheses for mule deer population increases between the early 1930's and mid-1960's. Concludes that livestock grazing and absence of fire converted vast areas of grasses and forbs to woody plants favored by mule deer. Mule deer populations, therefore, irrupted between 1930 and 1965 and have since experienced a decline as plant succession moves toward...

Comparison Between the Fecal Bacterial Microbiota of Healthy and Diarrheic Captive Musk Deer

PubMed Central

Li, Yimeng; Hu, Xiaolong; Yang, Shuang; Zhou, Juntong; Qi, Lei; Sun, Xiaoning; Fan, Mengyuan; Xu, Shanghua; Cha, Muha; Zhang, Meishan; Lin, Shaobi; Liu, Shuqiang; Hu, Defu

2018-01-01

Diarrhea constitutes one of the most common diseases affecting the survival of captive musk deer and is usually caused by an imbalance in intestinal microbiota. Currently, research regarding the structure and function of intestinal microbiota in diarrheic musk deer is lacking. Therefore, in the present study, high-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the intestinal microbiota in feces of healthy captive musk deer (HMD) (n = 8) and musk deer with mild (MMD) (n = 8), and severe (n = 5) (SMD) diarrhea to compare the difference in intestinal microbiota of musk deer under various physiological conditions. The results showed that the diversity of HMD fecal microbiota was significantly higher than that of the two diarrhea samples. β Diversity results indicated that there were extremely significant differences in bacterial communities between the HMD sample and the MMD and SMD samples. However, no significant difference was found between the two diarrhea samples. LefSe analysis showed that the degree of intestinal physiological dysfunction in musk deer was correlated with the types of major pathogens. The main pathogen in the MMD group is Escherichia–Shigella, whereas Fusobacterium is the main pathogen in the SMD group. PICRUSt functional profile prediction indicated that the intestinal microbiota disorder could also lead to changes in the abundance of genes in metabolic pathways of the immune system. Altogether, this study provides a theoretical basis for the exploration of treatments for diarrhea in captive musk deer, which is of considerable significance to the implementation of the musk deer release into the wild program. PMID:29551996

Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) courtship and mating behavior

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Pampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus (Linnaeus 1758), is a South American grazing deer categorized as "near threatened". However, knowledge about pampas deer behavior including courtship and mating is scarce and incomplete. The aim of this study was to characterize the courtship and mating behavior of the pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus), an endangered species from South America. Methods We performed focal observations of 5 males allocated at the Estación de Cría de Fauna Autóctona Cerro Pan de Azúcar, Uruguay, 4 times a day from 5 to 20 minutes each time on a daily basis from February to May. During that period we recorded all courtship and mating behaviors, as well as quantified the frequency of the specific behaviors shown. As mating were rarely observed, we recorded that behavior when it was observed in the context of other studies performed in the same population during the following 2 years. Results During the observation period we recorded 928 courtships and 5 mating periods. In addition, we recorded 10 more matings performed during other studies, totaling 15. The duration of each mating calculated from the 15 recordings was 3.9 ± 0.4 s, and the total period of female receptivity (from first to last mating acceptance) was 8.2 ± 1.1 min. Main observed courtship behaviors in males were “chase” and “ostentation”, while the most observed close to mating were “chinning”, “raised head” and “anogenital sniffing”. The most observed behaviors in females during the mating period were “vulva exhibition” and “move away”. Conclusion This is the first detailed report in pampas deer mating behavior. Estrus lasted only 8 min accepting only 3 short copulations per estrus. However, female behavior during courtship can be characterized as highly proceptive. PMID:23062236

Management practices used by white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania and herd health problems.

PubMed

Brooks, Jason W; Jayarao, Bhushan M

2008-01-01

To determine current management practices used by white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania and identify animal health problems that exist in these herds. Cross-sectional study. Owners and managers of 233 farms in Pennsylvania that raised white-tailed deer. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to participants. Herds ranged in size from 1 to 350 deer. Land holdings ranged from 0.07 to 607 hectares (0.17 to 1,500 acres). Stocking density ranged from 0.1 to 118.6 deer/hectare (0.04 to 48 deer/acre). Most (84%) respondents raised deer for breeding or hunting stock; 13% raised deer exclusively as pets or for hobby purposes, and purpose varied by herd size. Multiple associations were identified between management or disease factors and herd size. The use of vaccines, use of veterinary and diagnostic services, use of pasture, and use of artificial insemination increased as herd size increased. The most common conditions in herds of all sizes were respiratory tract disease, diarrhea, parasitism, and sudden death. The prevalence of respiratory tract disease increased as herd size increased. Results suggested that many aspects of herd management for white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania were associated with herd size, but that regardless of herd size, many preventive medicine practices were improperly used or underused in many herds.

Solar Radiation Determines Site Occupancy of Coexisting Tropical and Temperate Deer Species Introduced to New Zealand Forests

PubMed Central

Allen, Robert B.; Forsyth, David M.; Allen, Roy K. J.; Affeld, Kathrin; MacKenzie, Darryl I.

2015-01-01

Assemblages of introduced taxa provide an opportunity to understand how abiotic and biotic factors shape habitat use by coexisting species. We tested hypotheses about habitat selection by two deer species recently introduced to New Zealand’s temperate rainforests. We hypothesised that, due to different thermoregulatory abilities, rusa deer (Cervus timorensis; a tropical species) would prefer warmer locations in winter than red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus; a temperate species). Since adult male rusa deer are aggressive in winter (the rut), we also hypothesised that rusa deer and red deer would not use the same winter locations. Finally, we hypothesised that in summer both species would prefer locations with fertile soils that supported more plant species preferred as food. We used a 250 × 250 m grid of 25 remote cameras to collect images in a 100-ha montane study area over two winters and summers. Plant composition, solar radiation, and soil fertility were also determined for each camera location. Multiseason occupancy models revealed that direct solar radiation was the best predictor of occupancy and detection probabilities for rusa deer in winter. Multistate, multiseason occupancy models provided strong evidence that the detection probability of adult male rusa deer was greater in winter and when other rusa deer were present at a location. Red deer mostly vacated the study area in winter. For the one season that had sufficient camera images of both species (summer 2011) to allow two-species occupancy models to be fitted, the detection probability of rusa deer also increased with solar radiation. Detection probability also varied with plant composition for both deer species. We conclude that habitat use by coexisting tropical and temperate deer species in New Zealand likely depends on the interplay between the thermoregulatory and behavioural traits of the deer and the abiotic and biotic features of the habitat. PMID:26061426

Undernutrition and serum and urinary urea nitrogen of white-tailed deer during winter

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.

1994-01-01

Direct, practical means of assessing undernutrition in deer (Odocoileus spp.) and other ungulates during winter are needed in areas of research and management. We examined the relationship between mass loss and serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine (U:C) in captive white-tailed deer (O. virginianus). During 4 February-5 May 1988, we maintained 7 adult white-tailed deer on various feeding regimes to simulate natural nutritional restriction during winter. Mass loss was greater (P = 0.037) in deer (17.0-32.2%) fed restricted amounts of a low protein low energy diet versus control deer (7.0-17.4%) fed the same diet ad libitum. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations did not differ (P = 0.191) between groups, but declined (P = 0.001) as nutrition declined. Slopes of percent mass lossSUN and urinary U:C relationships were positive (P = 0.008 and 0.055) in 7 and 6 deer, respectively. Mean U:C was directly related (r2 = 0.52, P = 0.040) to mean cumulative mass loss, whereas mean SUN was not (r2 = 0.29, P = 0.125). Data presented support the potential of urinary U:C as an index of winter nutritional condition of white-tailed deer; however, additional research is required to provide a complete understanding of this index's utility under field conditions.

Survival of Columbian white-tailed deer in western Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ricca, Mark A.; Anthony, Robert G.; Jackson, Dewaine H.; Wolfe, Scott A.

2002-01-01

Columbian white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus leucurus; CWTD) are an endangered subspecies on which little demographic information exists. We determined survival rates and causes of mortality for 64 radiocol- lared adults from 1996 to 1998, and for 63 radiocollared neonatal fawns during the summer and fall months of 1996-2001 in Douglas County, Oregon, USA. Annual adult survival rates averaged 0.74 over 3 years, and most mor- tality (73%) occurred between fall and winter. Seasonal survival was lowest (0.75) for the fall-winter 1997-1998, and was 20.90 during all spring-summer periods. Annual and seasonal survival rates did not differ by gender. Average annual survival was 0.77 for deer in wildland areas compared with 0.66 for deer in suburban areas, but these dif- ferences were not consistent between years and seasons. Survival over the entire 3-year study was low (0.38). Eight deer died from a combination of emaciation and disease, and almost all (92%) necropsied deer were in poor body condition. Fawn survival to 7 months was low (0.14, 95% CI = 0.02-0.26) and declined most rapidly during the first 1.5 months of life. Predation (n = 21) and abandonment (n = 6) were the most frequent known causes of death for fawns. Our results suggest that CWTD may have responded to density-dependent factors during this short-term study, although the effects of other environmental or intrinsic factors cannot be ignored. Fawn survival may be insufficient to produce enough recruits for population growth and eventual range expansion.

Estimation of shrub leaf biomass available to white-tailed deer.

Treesearch

Lynn L. Rogers; Ronald E. McRoberts

1992-01-01

Describes an objective method for using shrub height to estimate leaf biomass within reach of deer. The method can be used in conjunction with surveys of shrub height, shrub density, and shrub species composition to evaluate deer habitat over large areas and to predict trends in forage availability with further forest growth.

Increasing Contact with Hepatitis E Virus in Red Deer, Spain

PubMed Central

Casas, Maribel; Martín, Marga; Vicente, Joaquín; Segalés, Joaquim; de la Fuente, José; Gortázar, Christian

2010-01-01

To describe the epidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in red deer in mainland Spain, we tested red deer for HEV RNA and antibodies. Overall, 10.4% and 13.6% of serum samples were positive by ELISA and reverse transcription–PCR, respectively. The increasing prevalence suggests a potential risk for humans. PMID:21122241

Silviculture in cooperation with hunters: The Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative

Treesearch

Scott Reitz; Andrea Hille; Susan Stout

2004-01-01

The long history of deer overabundance in Pennsylvania is associated with very high reforestation costs and substantial threats to diversity and sustainability. In response to this legacy, several landowners and agency personnel formed the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative (KQDC) in partnership with the Sand County Foundation. This Cooperative focuses on about 74,000...

White-tailed deer in the Midwest.

Treesearch

USDA FS

1970-01-01

Discusses the present status and future prospects of the nonyarding white-tailed deer population in the Midwestern United States. Range appraisal, habitat, harvest regulation, and population control are included.

White-tailed deer are a biotic filter during community assembly, reducing species and phylogenetic diversity.

PubMed

Begley-Miller, Danielle R; Hipp, Andrew L; Brown, Bethany H; Hahn, Marlene; Rooney, Thomas P

2014-06-09

Community assembly entails a filtering process, where species found in a local community are those that can pass through environmental (abiotic) and biotic filters and successfully compete. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to reduce species diversity and favour browse-tolerant plant communities. In this study, we expand on our previous work by investigating deer as a possible biotic filter altering local plant community assembly. We used replicated 23-year-old deer exclosures to experimentally assess the effects of deer on species diversity (H'), richness (SR), phylogenetic community structure and phylogenetic diversity in paired browsed (control) and unbrowsed (exclosed) plots. Additionally, we developed a deer-browsing susceptibility index (DBSI) to assess the vulnerability of local species to deer. Deer browsing caused a 12 % reduction in H' and 17 % reduction in SR, consistent with previous studies. Furthermore, browsing reduced phylogenetic diversity by 63 %, causing significant phylogenetic clustering. Overall, graminoids were the least vulnerable to deer browsing based on DBSI calculations. These findings demonstrate that deer are a significant driver of plant community assembly due to their role as a selective browser, or more generally, as a biotic filter. This study highlights the importance of knowledge about the plant tree of life in assessing the effects of biotic filters on plant communities. Application of such knowledge has considerable potential to advance our understanding of plant community assembly. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

White-tailed deer harvest from the chronic wasting disease eradication zone in south-central Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blanchong, Julie A.; Joly, D.O.; Samuel, M.D.; Langenberg, J.A.; Rolley, R.E.; Sausen, J.F.

2006-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was discovered in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in south-central Wisconsin in 2002. The current control method for CWD in the state is the harvest of deer from affected areas to reduce population density and lower CWD transmission. We used spatial regression methods to identify factors associated with deer harvest across south-central Wisconsin. Harvest of deer by hunters was positively related to deer density (slope=0.003, 95% CI=0.0001-0.006), the number of landowners that requested harvest permits (slope=0.071, 95% CI=0.037-0.105), and proximity to the area of highest CWD infection (slope=-0.041, 95% CI=-0.056- -0.027). Concomitantly, harvest was not impacted in areas where landowners signed a petition protesting intensive deer reduction (slope=-0.00006, 95% CI=-0.0005-0.0003). Our results suggest that the success of programs designed to reduce deer populations for disease control or to reduce overabundance in Wisconsin are dependent on landowner and hunter participation. We recommend that programs or actions implemented to eradicate or mitigate the spread of CWD should monitor and assess deer population reduction and evaluate factors affecting program success to improve methods to meet management goals.

First description of Onchocerca jakutensis (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Switzerland.

PubMed

Bosch, Felix; Manzanell, Ralph; Mathis, Alexander

2016-08-01

Twenty-seven species of the genus Onchocerca (Nematoda; Filarioidea) can cause a vector-borne parasitic disease called onchocercosis. Most Onchocerca species infect wild and domestic ungulates or the dog, and one species causes river blindness in humans mainly in tropical Africa. The European red deer (Cervus e. elaphus) is host to four species, which are transmitted by blackflies (simuliids) or biting midges (ceratopogonids). Two species, Onchocerca flexuosa and Onchocerca jakutensis, produce subcutaneous nodules, whereas Onchocerca skrjabini and Onchocerca garmsi live free in the hypodermal serous membranes. During the hunting season, September 2013, red deer (n = 25), roe deer (Capreolus c. capreolus, n = 6) and chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra, n = 7), all shot in the Grisons Region (Switzerland) were investigated for the presence of subcutaneous nodules which were enzymatically digested, and the contained Onchocerca worms were identified to species by light and scanning electron microscopy as well as by PCR/sequencing. In addition, microfilariae from skin samples were collected and genetically characterized. Neither nodules nor microfilariae were discovered in the roe deer and chamois. Adult worms were found in 24% of red deer, and all of them were identified as O. jakutensis. Two morphologically different microfilariae were obtained from five red deer, and genetic analysis of a skin sample of one red deer indicated the presence of another Onchocerca species. This is the first report of O. jakutensis in Switzerland with a prevalence in red deer similar to that in neighbouring Germany.

Seroprevalence of Powassan virus in New England deer, 1979-2010.

PubMed

Nofchissey, Robert A; Deardorff, Eleanor R; Blevins, Tia M; Anishchenko, Michael; Bosco-Lauth, Angela; Berl, Erica; Lubelczyk, Charles; Mutebi, John-Paul; Brault, Aaron C; Ebel, Gregory D; Magnarelli, Louis A

2013-06-01

Powassan virus and its subtype, deer tick virus, are closely related tick-borne flaviviruses that circulate in North America. The incidence of human infection by these agents appears to have increased in recent years. To define exposure patterns among white-tailed deer, potentially useful sentinels that are frequently parasitized by ticks, we screened serum samples collected during 1979-2010 in Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont for neutralizing antibody by using a novel recombinant deer tick virus-West Nile virus chimeric virus. Evidence of exposure was detected in all three states. Overall our results demonstrate that seroprevalence is variable in time and space, suggesting that risk of exposure to Powassan virus is similarly variable.

Winter nutrition and population ecology of white-tailed deer in the central Superior National Forest.

Treesearch

Glenn D. DelGuidice; Michael E. Nelson; L. David Mech

1991-01-01

Summarizes 15 years of studying white-tailed deer social ecology, movements, winter nutritional physiology, reproduction, survival, mortality, and population changes in the central Superior National Forest. Applied results of nutritional experiments with captive deer to interpretation of data from wild deer.

Immobilization of mule deer with thiafentanil (A-3080) or thiafentanil plus xylazine.

PubMed

Wolfe, Lisa L; Lance, William R; Miller, Michael W

2004-04-01

We evaluated thiafentanil oxalate (A-3080) for the immobilization of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) under laboratory and field conditions. In a crossover experiment comparing recommended (0.1 mg/kg) and 2x recommended thiafentanil doses in captive deer, both produced rapid induction and immobilization. Mean induction was shorter (P = 0.013) for the 2x group (1.9 vs. 3 min); mean reversals for both groups were rapid (recommended = 0.9 min after naltrexone injection; 2x = 1 min) and did not differ (P = 0.29). Six free-ranging mule deer were immobilized with 7 mg thiafentanil and four with 10 mg; mean induction was 2.3 min for both groups (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7 mg, 1.2-3.4; 10 mg, 1.9-2.8), and mean reversal was <1 min for both groups. Of 165 free-ranging deer darted with various combinations of thiafentanil and xylazine, we successfully immobilized 148 (90%). Mean induction ranged from 2.1 to 4.9 min for different drug combinations. Reversals were not compared because naltrexone and yohimbine doses varied, but overall mean reversal was 1.9 min (95% CI, 1.7-2.1 min) after injection of naltrexone and yohimbine intravenously (i.v.); naltrexone:thiafentanil ratios ranging from 10:1 to 43:1 provided mean recoveries ranging from 1.5 to 2.3 min. All 25 deer fitted with radio collars were alive at 30 days postcapture. On the basis of overall reliability and effectiveness, drug volumes, and ease of handling drugged animals, we recommend using a combination of 10-12 mg thiafentanil (0.15-0.2 mg/kg) and 100 mg xylazine to immobilize mule deer; immobilization can be effectively reversed with 100 mg naltrexone or more and 15 mg yohimbine or more i.v. Where feasible, we also recommend the use of transmitter darts when immobilizing mule deer with opioids in order to maximize recovery of darted deer and to ensure that missed darts are found.

Simulating Timber and Deer Food Potential In Loblolly Pine Plantations

Treesearch

Clifford A. Myers

1977-01-01

This computer program analyzes both timber and deer food production on managed forests, providing estimates of the number of acres required per deer for each week or month, yearly timber cuts, and current timber growing stock, as well as a cost and return analysis of the timber operation. Input variables include stand descriptors, controls on management, stumpage...

Urinary 3-methylhistidine and progressive winter undernutrition in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Kerr, K.D.; Mech, L.D.; Riggs, M.R.; Seal, U.S.

1998-01-01

Physiological indicators of muscle catabolism would aid assessment of winter nutritional restriction of ungulates, and urinary 3-methylhistidine has exhibited potential in this regard in several species. We examined the effect of chronic moderate and severe nutritional restriction during winter on urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios in seven adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and the relationship of these ratios to urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine ratios. Mean base line estimates of urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratio for the control and severely restricted deer (0.043 and 0.086 ??mol:mg, respectively) were similar (P = 0.280) and remained unchanged in the control deer throughout the study. In contrast, mean 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios increased dramatically as nutritional restriction and cumulative mass loss progressed; the quadratic component of the data for the chronically restricted deer was significant (P < 0.001). Likewise, there was a strong curvilinear relationship (R2 = 0.82) between cumulative mass loss (up to 29%) of the pooled deer and urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios. Further, urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine ratios were strongly related to 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios (r2 = 0.89). Our study indicates that further investigation of 3-methylhistidine as an indicator of physical condition and muscle protein breakdown is warranted.

Partners in Restoring Deer Lake AOC

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Deer Lake Public Advisory Council has been critical in the restoration project. Other contributors are the City of Ishpeming, and Michigan Departments of Environment Quality (MDEQ) and of Community Health (MDCH).

A deer study at Aberdeen Proving Ground: Project planning, data assimilation, and risk assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whaley, J.; Leach, G.; Lee, R.

1995-12-31

For more than 75 years, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) has been in the business of research, development, and testing of munitions and military vehicles for the US Army. Currently, APG is on the National Priorities List and an installation wide human health risk assessment is underway. Like many Department of the Army facilities, APG has an active hunting program. Hunters harvest approximately 800 whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginanus) from APG annually. To assure public safety, the authors completed a study during the 1993 hunting season to identify any potential human health hazards associated with consumption of venison from APG. This papermore » will discuss the unique strategy behind the experimental design, the actual assimilation of the data, and the results of the human health risk assessment to establish an appropriate contaminant levels in APG deer. Also, based on information in the literature, the authors considered gender, age, and season in the study design. The list of chemicals for residue analysis included explosives, PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg). Of the 150 deer sampled, metals were the only chemicals detected. The authors compared these data to metal levels in deer collected from an off post background site. Metal levels did not differ significantly between APG deer and off post deer. Finally, the authors completed a health risk assessment of eating deer harvested from both APG and off post. From a survey distributed to the hunters, they incorporated actual consumption data into the exposure assessment. Their findings concluded that the risk of eating APG deer was no higher than eating off post deer; however, total arsenic levels in muscle did appear to elevate the risk.« less

Evaluating spatial overlap and relatedness of white-tailed deer in a chronic wasting disease management zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Samuel, Michael D.; Magle, Seth B.; Van Deelen, Timothy R.; Robinson, Stacie J.; Mathews, Nancy E.

2013-01-01

Wildlife disease transmission, at a local scale, can occur from interactions between infected and susceptible conspecifics or from a contaminated environment. Thus, the degree of spatial overlap and rate of contact among deer is likely to impact both direct and indirect transmission of infectious diseases such chronic wasting disease (CWD) or bovine tuberculosis. We identified a strong relationship between degree of spatial overlap (volume of intersection) and genetic relatedness for female white-tailed deer in Wisconsin’s area of highest CWD prevalence. We used volume of intersection as a surrogate for contact rates between deer and concluded that related deer are more likely to have contact, which may drive disease transmission dynamics. In addition, we found that age of deer influences overlap, with fawns exhibiting the highest degree of overlap with other deer. Our results further support the finding that female social groups have higher contact among related deer which can result in transmission of infectious diseases. We suggest that control of large social groups comprised of closely related deer may be an effective strategy in slowing the transmission of infectious pathogens, and CWD in particular.

Canopy gap replacement failure in a Pennsylvania forest preserve subject to extreme deer herbivory

Treesearch

Brian S. Pedersen; Angela M. Wallis

2003-01-01

While research has demonstrated the adverse effects of deer herbivory on forest regeneration in forests managed for timber production, less study has been devoted to the long term effects of deer on the dynamics of forests set aside as natural areas. At sufficiently high population densities, deer could interrupt the typical cycle of canopy gap formation and...

Chronic wasting disease infection patterns in female white-tailed deer related to demographics, genetic relationships, and spatial proximity of infected deer in southern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grear, Daniel A.

2006-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) caused by transmissible protease resistant prions. Since the discovery of CWD in southern Wisconsin in 2001, more than 20,000 deer have been removed from a >2,500 km2 disease eradication zone surrounding the three initial cases. Nearly all deer removed were tested for CWD infection and sex, age, and harvest location were recorded. Our analysis used data from a 310 kin2 core study area where disease prevalence was higher than surrounding areas. We found no difference in harvest rates between CWD infected and non-infected deer. Ow results show that the probability of infection increased with age and that adult males were more likely to be infected than adult females. Six fawns tested positive for CWD, five fawns from the core study area, including the youngest (5 months) kee-ranging cervid to test positive. The increase in male prevalence with age is nearly twice the increase found in females. We concluded that CWD is not randomly distributed among deer and that differential transmission among sex and age classes is likely driving the observed patterns in disease prevalence. We discuss alternative hypotheses for CWD transmission and spread and, in addition, discuss several possible non-linear relationships between prevalence and age. Understanding CWD transmission in free-ranging cervid populations will be essential to the development of strategies to manage this disease in areas where CWD is found as well as for surveillance strategies in areas where CWD threatens to spread.

Movements of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in relation to timber harvests in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

Tyler A. Campbell; Benjamin R. Laseter; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller

2004-01-01

Deer movements in relation to timber harvests have not been studied within nonmigratory white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations.We compared home range and core area size and overlap, deer movements during timber harvests, and habitat use before and after harvests for deer associated and not associated with clearcuts. We radio-monitored...

Traditional cattle vs. introduced deer management in Chaco Serrano woodlands (Argentina): Analysis of environmental sustainability at increasing densities.

PubMed

Charro, José Luis; López-Sánchez, Aida; Perea, Ramón

2018-01-15

Wild ungulate populations have increased and expanded considerably in many regions, including austral woodlands and forests where deer (Cervus elaphus) have been introduced as an alternative management to traditional cattle grazing. In this study, we compared traditional cattle with introduced deer management at increasing deer densities in the "Chaco Serrano" woodlands of Argentina to assess their ecological sustainability. We used three ecological indicators (abundance of tree regeneration, woody plant diversity and browsing damage) as proxies for environmental sustainability in woody systems. Our results indicate that traditional cattle management, at stocking rates of ∼10 ind km -2 , was the most ecologically sustainable management since it allowed greater tree regeneration abundance, higher richness of woody species and lower browsing damage. Importantly, cattle management and deer management at low densities (10 ind km -2 ) showed no significant differences in species richness and abundance of seedlings, although deer caused greater browsing damage on saplings and juveniles. However, management regimes involving high deer densities (∼35 deer km 2 ) was highly unsustainable in comparison to low (∼10 deer km -2 ) and medium (∼20 deer km -2 ) densities, with 40% probability of unsustainable browsing as opposed to less than 5% probability at low and medium densities. In addition, high deer densities caused a strong reduction in tree regeneration, with a 19-30% reduction in the abundance of seedlings and young trees when compared to low deer densities. These results showed that the effect of increasing deer densities on woody plant conservation was not linear, with high deer densities causing a disproportional deleterious effect on tree regeneration and sustainable browsing. Our results suggest that traditional management at low densities or the use of introduced ungulates (deer breeding areas) at low-medium densities (<20 deer km -2 ) are compatible with

Topographic home ranges of white-tailed deer in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

Tyler A. Campbell; Benjamin R. Laseter; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller

2004-01-01

Planimetric comparisons of home range sizes of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) from across their range may not be appropriate due to regional differences in topography. We compare seasonal topographic diversity between male and female white-tailed deer home ranges in the central Appalachians using percent increase from...

Acceptance by black-tailed deer of foliage treated with herbicides.

Treesearch

Dan L. Campbell; James Evans; Gerald D. Lindsey; William E. Dusenberry

1981-01-01

To test their acceptance of foliage treated with herbicides, captive black-tailed deer were exposed to Douglas-fir seedlings and salal treated with standard formulations of 2,4,5-T, 2,4-D, atrazine, dalapon, fosamine, and glyphosate herbicides. Carriers were diesel oil and water. Tests were made from November 1977 through February 1978. Deer readily browsed 2,4,5-T...

Characteristics of PCR-SSCP and RAPD-HPCE methods for identifying authentication of Penis et testis cervi in Traditional Chinese Medicine based on cytochrome b gene.

PubMed

Li, Mingcheng; Gao, Lijun; Qu, Li; Sun, Jingyu; Yuan, Guangxin; Xia, Wei; Niu, Jiamu; Fu, Guilian; Zhang, Lihua

2016-07-01

The use of Penis et testis cervi, as a kind of precious Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is derived from dry deer's testis and penis, has been recorded for many years in China. There are abundant species of deer in China, the Penis et testis from species of Cervus Nippon and Cervus elaphusL were authentic, others species were defined as adulterant (different subspecies of deer) or counterfeits (different species). Identification of their origins or authenticity becomes a key in controlling the herbal products. A modified column chromatography was used to extract mitochondrial DNA of dried deer's testis and penis from sika deer (C. Nippon) and red deer (C. elaphusL) in addition to adulterants and counterfeits. Column chromatography requires for a short time to extract mitochondrial DNA of high purity with little damage of DNA molecules, which provides the primary structure of guarantee for the specific PCR; PCR-SSCP method showed a clear intra-specific difference among patterns of single-chain fragments, and completely differentiate Penis et testis origins from C. Nippon and C. elaphusL. RAPD-HPCE was based on the standard electropherograms to compute a control spectrum curve as similarity reference (R) among different samples. The similarity analysis indicated that there were significant inter-species differences among Penis et testis' adulterant or counterfeits. Both techniques provide a fast, simple, and accurate way to directly identify among inter-species or intra-species of Penis et testis.

No evidence of deer mouse involvement in plague (Yersinia pestis) epizootics in prairie dogs.

PubMed

Salkeld, Daniel J; Stapp, Paul

2008-06-01

Plague, the disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, can have devastating impacts on black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies. One suggested mechanism behind sporadic prairie dog die-offs involves an alternative mammal host, such as the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), which often inhabits prairie dog colonies. We examined the flea populations of deer mice to investigate the potential of flea-borne transmission of plague between deer mice and prairie dogs in northern Colorado, where plague is active in prairie dog colonies. Deer mice were predominantly infested with the flea Aetheca wagneri, and were rarely infested with prairie dog fleas, Oropsylla hirsuta. Likelihood of flea infestation increased with average monthly temperature, and flea loads were higher in reproductive animals. These results suggest that the deer mouse is an unlikely maintenance host of plague in this region.

Female white-tailed deer survival across ecoregions in Minnesota and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grovenburg, T.W.; Swanson, C.C.; Jacques, C.N.; Deperno, C.S.; Klaver, R.W.; Jenks, J.A.

2011-01-01

Survival and cause-specific mortality of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been well documented in forested and agricultural landscapes, but limited information has been collected in grassland habitats typical of the Northern Great Plains. Our objectives were to document and compare survival and cause-specific mortality of adult female white-tailed deer in four distinct ecoregions. We captured and radiocollared 190 (159 adult, 31 yearling) female white-tailed deer and monitored (including deer from a previous study) a total of 246 (215 adult, 31 yearling) deer from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2007. We documented 113 mortalities; hunting (including wounding loss) accounted for 69.9% of all mortalities and vehicle collisions accounted for an additional 15.0%. Natural causes (e.g., disease, predation) of mortality were minor compared to human-related causes (e.g., hunting, vehicle collisions). We used known fate modeling in program MARK to estimate survival rates and compare ecoregions and seasons. Model {Sseason (winter = summer)} had the lowest AICc value suggesting that survival differed only between seasons where winter and summer survival was equal and differed with fall season. Annual and seasonal (summer, fall, winter) survival rates using the top model {Sseason (summer = winter)} were 0.76 (95% ci  =  0.70–0.80), 0.97 (95% ci  =  0.96–0.98), 0.80 (95% ci  =  0.76–0.83) and 0.97 (95% ci  =  0.96–0.98), respectively. High human-related mortality was likely associated with limited permanent cover, extensive road networks and high hunter density. Deer management in four distinct ecoregions relies on hunter harvest to maintain deer populations within state management goals.

Deer carcass decomposition and potential scavenger exposure to chronic wasting disease

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jennelle, C.S.; Samuel, M.D.; Nolden, C.A.; Berkley, E.A.

2009-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy afflicting the Cervidae family in North America, causing neurodegeneration and ultimately death. Although there are no reports of natural cross-species transmission of CWD to noncervids, infected deer carcasses pose a potential risk of CWD exposure for other animals. We placed 40 disease-free white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) carcasses and 10 gut piles in the CWD-affected area of Wisconsin (USA) from September to April in 2003 through 2005. We used photos from remotely operated cameras to characterize scavenger visitation and relative activity. To evaluate factors driving the rate of carcass removal (decomposition), we used KaplanMeier survival analysis and a generalized linear mixed model. We recorded 14 species of scavenging mammals (6 visiting species) and 14 species of scavenging birds (8 visiting species). Prominent scavengers included American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana). We found no evidence that deer consumed conspecific remains, although they visited gut piles more often than carcasses relative to temporal availability in the environment. Domestic dogs, cats, and cows either scavenged or visited carcass sites, which could lead to human exposure to CWD. Deer carcasses persisted for 18 days to 101 days depending on the season and year, whereas gut piles lasted for 3 days. Habitat did not influence carcass decomposition, but mammalian and avian scavenger activity and higher temperatures were positively associated with faster removal. Infected deer carcasses or gut piles can serve as potential sources of CWD prions to a variety of scavengers. In areas where surveillance for CWD exposure is practical, management agencies should consider strategies for testing primary scavengers of deer carcass material.

Serosurveillance for Livestock Pathogens in Free-Ranging Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

PubMed Central

Roug, Annette; Swift, Pamela; Torres, Steven; Jones, Karen; Johnson, Christine K.

2012-01-01

Routine disease surveillance has been conducted for decades in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in California for pathogens shared between wildlife and domestic ruminants that may have implications for the animal production industry and wildlife health. Deer sampled from 1990 to 2007 (n = 2,619) were tested for exposure to six pathogens: bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), Leptospira spp., Anaplasma spp. and Brucella spp. We evaluated the relationship between exposure to these pathogens and demographic risk factors to identify broad patterns in seroprevalence across a large temporal and spatial scale. The overall seroprevalence for the entire study period was 13.4% for BTV, 16.8% for EHDV, 17.1% for BVDV, 6.5% for Leptospira spp., 0.2% for Brucella spp., and 17% for Anaplasma spp. Antibodies against BTV and EHDV were most prevalent in the deer populations of southern California. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. and Anaplasma spp. were most prevalent in coastal and central northern California whereas antibodies against BVDV were most prevalent in central-eastern and northeastern California. The overall seroprevalence for Anaplasma spp. was slightly lower than detected in previous studies. North and central eastern California contains large tracts of federal land grazed by livestock; therefore, possible contact between deer and livestock could explain the high BVDV seroprevalence found in these areas. Findings from this study will help to establish baseline values for future comparisons of pathogen exposure in deer, inform on long-term trends in deer population health and provide relevant information on the distribution of diseases that are shared between wildlife and livestock. PMID:23209790

Capture-recapture of white-tailed deer using DNA from fecal pellet-groups

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goode, Matthew J; Beaver, Jared T; Muller, Lisa I; Clark, Joseph D.; van Manen, Frank T.; Harper, Craig T; Basinger, P Seth

2014-01-01

Traditional methods for estimating white-tailed deer population size and density are affected by behavioral biases, poor detection in densely forested areas, and invalid techniques for estimating effective trapping area. We evaluated a noninvasive method of capture—recapture for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) density estimation using DNA extracted from fecal pellets as an individual marker and for gender determination, coupled with a spatial detection function to estimate density (spatially explicit capture—recapture, SECR). We collected pellet groups from 11 to 22 January 2010 at randomly selected sites within a 1-km2 area located on Arnold Air Force Base in Coffee and Franklin counties, Tennessee. We searched 703 10-m radius plots and collected 352 pellet-group samples from 197 plots over five two-day sampling intervals. Using only the freshest pellets we recorded 140 captures of 33 different animals (15M:18F). Male and female densities were 1.9 (SE = 0.8) and 3.8 (SE = 1.3) deer km-2, or a total density of 5.8 deer km-2 (14.9 deer mile-2). Population size was 20.8 (SE = 7.6) over a 360-ha area, and sex ratio was 1.0 M: 2.0 F (SE = 0.71). We found DNA sampling from pellet groups improved deer abundance, density and sex ratio estimates in contiguous landscapes which could be used to track responses to harvest or other management actions.

Expression profiling of lymph node cells from deer mice infected with Andes virus.

PubMed

Schountz, Tony; Shaw, Timothy I; Glenn, Travis C; Feldmann, Heinz; Prescott, Joseph

2013-04-09

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the principal reservoir hosts of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the cause of the great majority of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases in North America. SNV, like all hantaviruses with their reservoirs, causes persistent infection without pathology in deer mice and appear to elicit a regulatory T cell response. Deer mice are also susceptible to Andes virus (ANDV), which causes the great majority of HCPS cases in South America, but they clear infection by 56 days post infection without signs of disease. We examined lymph node cell responses of deer mice infected with ANDV to determine expression profiles upon in vitro recall challenge with viral antigen. Because the deer mouse genome is currently unannotated, we developed a bioinformatics pipeline to use known lab mouse (Mus musculus) cDNAs to predict genes within the deer mouse genome and design primers for quantitative PCR (http://dna.publichealth.uga.edu/BlastPrimer/BlastPrimer.php). Of 94 genes examined, 20 were elevated, the plurality of which were Th2-specific, whereas 12 were downregulated. Other expressed genes represented Th1, regulatory T cells and follicular helper T cells, and B cells, but not Th17 cells, indicating that many cellular phenotypes participate in the host response to Andes virus. The ability to examine expression levels of nearly any gene from deer mice should allow direct comparison of infection with SNV or ANDV to determine the immunological pathways used for clearance of hantavirus infection in a reservoir host species.

Using multilevel models to quantify heterogeneity in resource selection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Tyler; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Christensen, Sonja; Norton, Andrew S.

2011-01-01

Models of resource selection are being used increasingly to predict or model the effects of management actions rather than simply quantifying habitat selection. Multilevel, or hierarchical, models are an increasingly popular method to analyze animal resource selection because they impose a relatively weak stochastic constraint to model heterogeneity in habitat use and also account for unequal sample sizes among individuals. However, few studies have used multilevel models to model coefficients as a function of predictors that may influence habitat use at different scales or quantify differences in resource selection among groups. We used an example with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to illustrate how to model resource use as a function of distance to road that varies among deer by road density at the home range scale. We found that deer avoidance of roads decreased as road density increased. Also, we used multilevel models with sika deer (Cervus nippon) and white-tailed deer to examine whether resource selection differed between species. We failed to detect differences in resource use between these two species and showed how information-theoretic and graphical measures can be used to assess how resource use may have differed. Multilevel models can improve our understanding of how resource selection varies among individuals and provides an objective, quantifiable approach to assess differences or changes in resource selection.

Postseason hunting to reduce deer damage to Douglas-fir in western Oregon.

Treesearch

Glenn L. Crouch

1980-01-01

Effects of two successive postseason deer hunts on deer browsing of Douglas-fir seedlings in the Coast Range in western Oregon were evaluated. Terminal browsing was significantly lower on the area subjected to more hunting compared with other areas.

Influences of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer: implications for conservation of the Florida panther

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Ronald F. Labisky; Duane E. Fritzen

1998-01-01

The effects of deer hunting by humans on deer population dynamics and behavior may indirectly affect the population dynamics and behavior of deer predators. The authors present data on the effects of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the Osceola National Forest, a potential reintroduction site for the endangered Florida panther (...

Ipnatchiami (Stories About Deering).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karmun, Mamie

Intended for use in a bilingual education program, this document is printed in both Inupiat and English. It is a collection of 32 very short tales about life in Deering, Alaska, and was developed and prepared by Marie Karmun, an Inupiat language teacher. It is printed in large type, written in simple words, and illustrated. Most of the stories are…

An Experimental Test of Factors Attracting Deer Mice into Buildings.

PubMed

Kuenzi, Amy J; Douglass, Richard

2009-09-01

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the principal reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Deer mice use a wide variety of habitats including peridomestic settings in and around human dwellings, their presence in and around homes has been implicated as a risk factor for acquiring Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Deer mice are believed to enter buildings in order to gain access to a variety of resources including food, bedding material, and better thermal microclimates. However, no one has experimentally tested which factors influence mice use of buildings. We conducted experiments using small simulated buildings to determine the effects of two factors, i.e., food and bedding material, on mouse activity in these buildings. We also examined if these effects varied with time of year. We found that deer mice entered our buildings regardless of the presence or absence of food or bedding. However, the amount of activity in buildings was affected by what they contained. We found significantly higher indices of activity in buildings containing food compared to both empty buildings (control) and buildings containing bedding material. Time of year did not affect activity in buildings.

Actinides in deer tissues at the rocky flats environmental technology site.

PubMed

Todd, Andrew S; Sattelberg, R Mark

2005-11-01

Limited hunting of deer at the future Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge has been proposed in U.S. Fish and Wildlife planning documents as a compatible wildlife-dependent public use. Historically, Rocky Flats site activities resulted in the contamination of surface environmental media with actinides, including isotopes of americium, plutonium, and uranium. In this study, measurements of actinides [Americium-241 (241Am); Plutonium-238 (238Pu); Plutonium-239,240 (239,240Pu); uranium-233,244 (233,234U); uranium-235,236 (235,236U); and uranium-238 (238U)] were completed on select liver, muscle, lung, bone, and kidney tissue samples harvested from resident Rocky Flats deer (N = 26) and control deer (N = 1). In total, only 17 of the more than 450 individual isotopic analyses conducted on Rocky Flats deer tissue samples measured actinide concentrations above method detection limits. Of these 17 detects, only 2 analyses, with analytical uncertainty values added, exceeded threshold values calculated around a 1 x 10(-6) risk level (isotopic americium, 0.01 pCi/g; isotopic plutonium, 0.02 pCi/g; isotopic uranium, 0.2 pCi/g). Subsequent, conservative risk calculations suggest minimal human risk associated with ingestion of these edible deer tissues. The maximum calculated risk level in this study (4.73 x 10(-6)) is at the low end of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable risk range.

Experimental Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to Fallow Deer (Dama dama) by Intracerebral Route: Final Report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this communication we report final observations on experimental transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to fallow deer (Dama dama). The study was terminated 5 years after it was initiated. Thirteen fawns were i...

Mycobacteriosis in a black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) caused by Mycobacterium kansasii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, P.B.; Bender, L.C.; Garner, M.M.

2005-01-01

An eviscerated hunter-harvested female black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) was submitted to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The deer was emaciated, devoid of adipose tissue, and the parietal surface of the thoracic cavity contained multiple granulomas. Acid-fast bacteria were detected histologically from the granulomas and were isolated and identified as Mycobacterium kansasii, a nontuberculous mycobacterium sporadically reported to cause tuberculosis-like disease in a variety of vertebrates. This was the first report of symptomatic disease caused by M. kansasii in free-ranging deer. This case indicates that atypical mycobacteria can cause tuberculosis-like disease in free-ranging deer and illustrates the importance of identifying causative agents of tuberculosis-like disease in wildlife. Copyright 2005 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.

Intensive Selective Deer Browsing Favors Success of Asimina triloba (Paw Paw) a Native Tree Species

Treesearch

Mitchell A. Slater; Roger C. Anderson

2014-01-01

Although white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) are generalist herbivores, they can have significant effects on species composition and abundance of forest trees, especially when deer densities are high and most plant species are heavily browsed but a few are selectively avoided as browse. We evaluated effects of selective deer...

Deer hunting on Pennsylvania's public and private lands: A two-tiered system of hunters?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stedman, R.C.; Bhandari, P.; Luloff, A.E.; Diefenbach, D.R.; Finley, J.C.

2008-01-01

Recreational hunting is crucial for controlling white-tailed deer populations. Public land is increasingly important as access to private lands declines. However, differences between public and private land hunters remain unknown. Our study of Pennsylvania hunters revealed differences between private and public land hunters that may pose problems for management. Hunters who only hunted public land had lower harvest rates, especially of antlerless deer, spent less time hunting, were less committed to hunting, were more likely to hunt alone, less likely to belong to a hunting camp, and more likely to live in urban areas. They were less likely to believe that high deer populations could damage forest ecosystems, and less willing to harvest antlerless deer. The implications of these findings, in the context of already-declining hunter capacity to keep deer populations in check, and concomitant declining access to private land, are discussed. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Large-Scale Model-Based Assessment of Deer-Vehicle Collision Risk

PubMed Central

Hothorn, Torsten; Brandl, Roland; Müller, Jörg

2012-01-01

Ungulates, in particular the Central European roe deer Capreolus capreolus and the North American white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, are economically and ecologically important. The two species are risk factors for deer–vehicle collisions and as browsers of palatable trees have implications for forest regeneration. However, no large-scale management systems for ungulates have been implemented, mainly because of the high efforts and costs associated with attempts to estimate population sizes of free-living ungulates living in a complex landscape. Attempts to directly estimate population sizes of deer are problematic owing to poor data quality and lack of spatial representation on larger scales. We used data on 74,000 deer–vehicle collisions observed in 2006 and 2009 in Bavaria, Germany, to model the local risk of deer–vehicle collisions and to investigate the relationship between deer–vehicle collisions and both environmental conditions and browsing intensities. An innovative modelling approach for the number of deer–vehicle collisions, which allows nonlinear environment–deer relationships and assessment of spatial heterogeneity, was the basis for estimating the local risk of collisions for specific road types on the scale of Bavarian municipalities. Based on this risk model, we propose a new “deer–vehicle collision index” for deer management. We show that the risk of deer–vehicle collisions is positively correlated to browsing intensity and to harvest numbers. Overall, our results demonstrate that the number of deer–vehicle collisions can be predicted with high precision on the scale of municipalities. In the densely populated and intensively used landscapes of Central Europe and North America, a model-based risk assessment for deer–vehicle collisions provides a cost-efficient instrument for deer management on the landscape scale. The measures derived from our model provide valuable information for planning road protection and

Recovery of human DNA profiles from poached deer remains: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Tobe, Shanan S; Govan, James; Welch, Lindsey A

2011-12-01

Poaching is a crime that occurs worldwide and can be extremely difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the nature of the evidence available. If a species is protected by international legislation such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora then simply possessing any part of that species is illegal. Previous studies have focused on the identification of endangered species in cases of potential poaching. Difficulties arise if the poached animal is not endangered. Species such as deer have hunting seasons whereby they can legally be hunted however poaching is the illegal take of deer, irrespective of season. Therefore, identification of deer alone has little probative value as samples could have originated from legal hunting activities in season. After a deer is hunted it is usual to remove the innards, head and lower limbs. The limbs are removed through manual force and represent a potential source of human touch DNA. We investigate the potential to recover and profile human autosomal DNA from poached deer remains. Samples from the legs of ten culled deer were obtained (40 in total) using minitapes. DNA from samples was extracted, quantified and amplified to determine if it would be possible to recover human STR profiles. Low quantification data led to the use of an extended PCR cycling protocol of 34 cycles. Samples from seven deer amplified, however some samples were excluded from further analysis due to 'drop in' alleles or the low level of successfully amplified loci. Samples from five deer could be further analysed and gave match probabilities ranging from 6.37×10(-3) to 9.53×10(-11). This study demonstrates the potential of recovering human touch DNA from poached animal remains. There is the potential for this test to be used in relation to other species of poached remains or other types of wildlife crimes. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that human STR profiling has been successfully applied to

Wild deer as potential vectors of anthelmintic-resistant abomasal nematodes between cattle and sheep farms.

PubMed

Chintoan-Uta, C; Morgan, E R; Skuce, P J; Coles, G C

2014-04-07

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes are among the most important causes of production loss in farmed ruminants, and anthelmintic resistance is emerging globally. We hypothesized that wild deer could potentially act as reservoirs of anthelmintic-resistant GI nematodes between livestock farms. Adult abomasal nematodes and faecal samples were collected from fallow (n = 24), red (n = 14) and roe deer (n = 10) from venison farms and areas of extensive or intensive livestock farming. Principal components analysis of abomasal nematode species composition revealed differences between wild roe deer grazing in the areas of intensive livestock farming, and fallow and red deer in all environments. Alleles for benzimidazole (BZ) resistance were identified in β-tubulin of Haemonchus contortus of roe deer and phenotypic resistance confirmed in vitro by an egg hatch test (EC50 = 0.149 µg ml(-1) ± 0.13 µg ml(-1)) on H. contortus eggs from experimentally infected sheep. This BZ-resistant H. contortus isolate also infected a calf experimentally. We present the first account of in vitro BZ resistance in wild roe deer, but further experiments should firmly establish the presence of phenotypic BZ resistance in vivo. Comprehensive in-field studies should assess whether nematode cross-transmission between deer and livestock occurs and contributes, in any way, to the development of resistance on livestock farms.

Proportion of White-tailed deer using medicated bait sites in Southern Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cattle fever ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and R. (B.) annulatus, have been found on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) complicating eradication efforts of the USDA’s Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Our objective was to assess patterns of deer visitation to medicated bait...

Deer, predators, and the emergence of Lyme disease

PubMed Central

Levi, Taal; Kilpatrick, A. Marm; Mangel, Marc; Wilmers, Christopher C.

2012-01-01

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, and both the annual incidence and geographic range are increasing. The emergence of Lyme disease has been attributed to a century-long recovery of deer, an important reproductive host for adult ticks. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that Lyme disease risk may now be more dynamically linked to fluctuations in the abundance of small-mammal hosts that are thought to infect the majority of ticks. The continuing and rapid increase in Lyme disease over the past two decades, long after the recolonization of deer, suggests that other factors, including changes in the ecology of small-mammal hosts may be responsible for the continuing emergence of Lyme disease. We present a theoretical model that illustrates how reductions in small-mammal predators can sharply increase Lyme disease risk. We then show that increases in Lyme disease in the northeastern and midwestern United States over the past three decades are frequently uncorrelated with deer abundance and instead coincide with a range-wide decline of a key small-mammal predator, the red fox, likely due to expansion of coyote populations. Further, across four states we find poor spatial correlation between deer abundance and Lyme disease incidence, but coyote abundance and fox rarity effectively predict the spatial distribution of Lyme disease in New York. These results suggest that changes in predator communities may have cascading impacts that facilitate the emergence of zoonotic diseases, the vast majority of which rely on hosts that occupy low trophic levels. PMID:22711825

White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator: Deer Population Dynamics

DOE PAGES

Chitwood, Michael C.; Lashley, Marcus A.; Kilgo, John C.; ...

2015-02-01

Recent localized declines in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States have been linked to increasing predation pressure from coyotes ( Canis latrans), a novel predator to the region. Studies have documented coyotes as the leading cause of mortality for neonates, and 1 study documented coyotes as a mortality factor for adult females. However, no study has used field-based vital rates to conduct sensitivity analyses or model deer population trajectories under potential harvest or predator removal strategies. We used low, medium, and high values of fawn survival, adult female survival, and fecundity data collected from Fortmore » Bragg Military Installation, North Carolina to demonstrate the current declining population trajectory for deer (λ = 0.905; low λ = 0.788, high λ = 1.003). Consistent with other studies of ungulates, we determined adult female survival was the most sensitive and elastic vital rate. Further, for 3 potential management (“what if”) scenarios, we projected the population for 10 years using estimated vital rates. Reducing adult female harvest (λ = 0.935; low λ = 0.875, high λ = 1.002) and coyote removal (λ = 0.995; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.081) reduced the current population decline, whereas combining both approaches (λ = 1.024; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.141) resulted in population increases. Our data indicate that for low-density deer populations with heavy predation pressure on neonates, protecting adult females from harvest may not completely offset population declines. Coyote removal might be a necessary strategy because it could possibly increase very low fawn survival, which appears to be the most important vital rate influencing λ in our study. However, managers may have to start with reductions in adult female harvest because coyote removal would have to be continuous and consistently effective, making it an impractical management approach by itself.« less

White-tailed deer population dynamics and adult female survival in the presence of a novel predator: Deer Population Dynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chitwood, Michael C.; Lashley, Marcus A.; Kilgo, John C.

Recent localized declines in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States have been linked to increasing predation pressure from coyotes ( Canis latrans), a novel predator to the region. Studies have documented coyotes as the leading cause of mortality for neonates, and 1 study documented coyotes as a mortality factor for adult females. However, no study has used field-based vital rates to conduct sensitivity analyses or model deer population trajectories under potential harvest or predator removal strategies. We used low, medium, and high values of fawn survival, adult female survival, and fecundity data collected from Fortmore » Bragg Military Installation, North Carolina to demonstrate the current declining population trajectory for deer (λ = 0.905; low λ = 0.788, high λ = 1.003). Consistent with other studies of ungulates, we determined adult female survival was the most sensitive and elastic vital rate. Further, for 3 potential management (“what if”) scenarios, we projected the population for 10 years using estimated vital rates. Reducing adult female harvest (λ = 0.935; low λ = 0.875, high λ = 1.002) and coyote removal (λ = 0.995; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.081) reduced the current population decline, whereas combining both approaches (λ = 1.024; low λ = 0.898, high λ = 1.141) resulted in population increases. Our data indicate that for low-density deer populations with heavy predation pressure on neonates, protecting adult females from harvest may not completely offset population declines. Coyote removal might be a necessary strategy because it could possibly increase very low fawn survival, which appears to be the most important vital rate influencing λ in our study. However, managers may have to start with reductions in adult female harvest because coyote removal would have to be continuous and consistently effective, making it an impractical management approach by itself.« less

Jointvetch: Native Legume in a New Role For Deer and Cattle

Treesearch

William H. Moore; J.B. Hilmon

1969-01-01

In 1963, American jointvetch (Aeschynomene americana L.) which is palatable to both deer and cattle, was successfully established on a 10-acre site in south Florida's wet prairies, an area subject to summer flooding and winter drought. Observations over the next 4 years indicated that deer browsed on the legume throughout the summer and...

Predation by coyotes on white-tailed deer neonates in South Carolina

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; H. Scott Ray; Mark Vukovich; Matthew J. Goode; Charles Ruth

2012-01-01

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are novel predators throughout the southeastern United States and their depredation of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates may explain observed declines in some deer populations in the region, but direct evidence for such a relationship is lacking. Our objective was to quantify neonate survival rates and causes of mortality at...

Late-glacial recolonization and phylogeography of European red deer (Cervus elaphus L.).

PubMed

Meiri, Meirav; Lister, Adrian M; Higham, Thomas F G; Stewart, John R; Straus, Lawrence G; Obermaier, Henriette; González Morales, Manuel R; Marín-Arroyo, Ana B; Barnes, Ian

2013-09-01

The Pleistocene was an epoch of extreme climatic and environmental changes. How individual species responded to the repeated cycles of warm and cold stages is a major topic of debate. For the European fauna and flora, an expansion-contraction model has been suggested, whereby temperate species were restricted to southern refugia during glacial times and expanded northwards during interglacials, including the present interglacial (Holocene). Here, we test this model on the red deer (Cervus elaphus) a large and highly mobile herbivore, using both modern and ancient mitochondrial DNA from the entire European range of the species over the last c. 40,000 years. Our results indicate that this species was sensitive to the effects of climate change. Prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) haplogroups restricted today to South-East Europe and Western Asia reached as far west as the UK. During the LGM, red deer was mainly restricted to southern refugia, in Iberia, the Balkans and possibly in Italy and South-Western Asia. At the end of the LGM, red deer expanded from the Iberian refugium, to Central and Northern Europe, including the UK, Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Belarus. Ancient DNA data cannot rule out refugial survival of red deer in North-West Europe through the LGM. Had such deer survived, though, they were replaced by deer migrating from Iberia at the end of the glacial. The Balkans served as a separate LGM refugium and were probably connected to Western Asia with genetic exchange between the two areas. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF LIVER FLUKE (FASCIOLOIDES MAGNA) INFECTION IN FALLOW DEER (DAMA DAMA) IN SERBIA.

PubMed

Trailović, Saša M; Marinković, Darko; Kulišić, Zoran

2016-04-28

Giant liver fluke ( Fascioloides magna ) infection is an important health problem of cervids in southeastern Europe. We measured the prevalence and intensity of infection with F. magna in a fenced area near the Danube River in the South Bačka District of Serbia. Parasitologic, pathomorphologic, and histopathologic examinations were conducted from November 2007 to February 2008, beginning with a population of 127 adult fallow deer ( Dama dama ). After a positive diagnosis, therapy with triclabendazole-medicated corn was applied. Deer were treated at four baiting stations, using medicated feed providing triclabendazole at an estimated dose of 10-14 mg/kg of body weight per deer. Treatment lasted for 7 d in early February 2008 and an additional 7 d 2 wk later. For the complete success of pharmacotherapy it was necessary to prevent any contact of deer with the snail intermediate host ( Galba truncatula ). Intervention in the habitat, removing grass and low vegetation, and draining ponds reduces the possibility of contact. Six months after the treatment, livers of hunted deer were reddish, with fibrous tracks; pigmentation and cysts in the parenchyma were surrounded by a fibrous capsule and their fecal samples contained no eggs of F. magna . Over the following years, livers of hunted deer were negative, and the last control cull in March 2015 confirmed complete absence of infection. We reconfirmed the presence of giant liver flukes in fallow deer in Serbia, apparently the result of natural spread across the Danube from Hungary and Croatia. We also report that the treatment of deer with triclabendazole-medicated corn is an effective method for administration of therapeutic doses of drug in semicaptive deer. Interventions in the environment are necessary to prevent recontact of deer with habitats used by the snail intermediate host, and enable the success of the therapy.

Spatial epidemiology of chronic wasting disease in Wisconsin white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joly, D.O.; Samuel, M.D.; Langenberg, J.A.; Blanchong, Julie A.; Batha, C.A.; Rolley, R.E.; Keane, D.P.; Ribic, C.A.

2006-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, emerging disease of cervids associated with transmissible protease-resistant prion proteins. The potential for CWD to cause dramatic declines in deer and elk populations and perceived human health risks associated with consuming CWD-contaminated venison have led wildlife agencies to embark on extensive CWD control programs, typically involving culling to reduce deer populations. We characterized the spatial distribution of CWD in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Wisconsin to facilitate CWD management. We found that CWD prevalence declined with distance from a central location, was locally correlated at a scale of 3.6 km, and was correlated with deer habitat abundance. The latter result is consistent with patterns expected for a positive relationship between density and prevalence of CWD. We recommend management activities focused on culling in geographic areas with high prevalence to have the greatest probability of removing infected individuals. Further research is needed to elucidate the factors in envolved in CWD spread and infection rates, especially the role of density-dependent transmission. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2006.

Of elephants and blind men: Deer management in the U.S. National Parks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, W.F.; Underwood, H.B.

1999-01-01

Overabundant populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are becoming common in the eastern United States. Faced with burgeoning deer populations in eastern parks, the National Park Service (NPS) formulated policy based on its long experience with ungulate management in western parks. That the NPS failed to find a management solution acceptable to its many constituencies was inevitable. Like blind men touching different parts of an elephant and disagreeing about its form, those engaged in the debate about deer management in parks are viewing different parts of the ecological system. None has seen the entire system, and consequently, there is neither common agreement on the nature of the problem nor on the solutions. We explore the quandary of deer management in eastern parks by addressing three questions: (1) Can the National Park Service reconcile its management goals with those of its neighbors? (2) Can thresholds be identified for determining when to intervene in natural processes? (3) Is there a scientific foundation for proceeding with effective management of deer? We argue that reconciling the NPS management with that of state conservation agencies is not possible because management policy guides these agencies in opposite directions: the NPS is charged with limiting human impact on ecological processes, and state agencies are charged with exerting human control over population abundance. Questions about thresholds and a scientific basis for management arise from concern that irrupting deer populations are a manifestation of disrupted natural processes. Several population growth paradigms are at the heart of this ecological question. The science provides no consensus about which of these paradigms are appropriate to deer in eastern ecosystems. Thus, it is premature to expect science to identify if or when natural processes have been disrupted. While the NPS cannot effectively achieve its goals without better science, neither can it wait for

White-Tailed Deer Response to Vehicle Approach: Evidence of Unclear and Present Danger

PubMed Central

Blackwell, Bradley F.; Seamans, Thomas W.; DeVault, Travis L.

2014-01-01

The fundamental causes of animal-vehicle collisions are unclear, particularly at the level of animal detection of approaching vehicles and decision-making. Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) are especially costly in terms of animal mortality, property damage, and safety. Over one year, we exposed free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to vehicle approach under low ambient light conditions, from varying start distances, and vehicle speeds from 20 km/h to approximately 90 km/h. We modeled flight response by deer to an approaching vehicle and tested four hypotheses: 1) flight-initiation distance (FID) would correlate positively with start distance (indicating a spatial margin of safety); 2) deer would react to vehicle speed using a temporal margin of safety; 3) individuals reacting at greater FIDs would be more likely to cross the path of the vehicle; and 4) crossings would correlate positively with start distance, approach speed, and distance to concealing/refuge cover. We examined deer responses by quantiles. Median FID was 40% of start distance, irrespective of start distance or approach speed. Converting FID to time-to-collision (TTC), median TTC was 4.6 s, but uncorrelated with start distance or approach speed. The likelihood of deer crossing in front of the vehicle was not associated with greater FIDs or other explanatory variables. Because deer flight response to vehicle approach was highly variable, DVCs should be more likely with increasing vehicle speeds because of lower TTCs for a given distance. For road sections characterized by frequent DVCs, we recommend estimating TTC relative to vehicle speed and candidate line-of-sight distances adjusted downward by (1-P), where P represents our findings for the proportion of start distance by which >75% of deer had initiated flight. Where road design or conservation goals limit effectiveness of line-of-sight maintenance, we suggest incorporation of roadway obstacles that force drivers to slow vehicles

Seroprevalence of Powassan Virus in New England Deer, 1979–2010

PubMed Central

Nofchissey, Robert A.; Deardorff, Eleanor R.; Blevins, Tia M.; Anishchenko, Michael; Bosco-Lauth, Angela; Berl, Erica; Lubelczyk, Charles; Mutebi, John-Paul; Brault, Aaron C.; Ebel, Gregory D.; Magnarelli, Louis A.

2013-01-01

Powassan virus and its subtype, deer tick virus, are closely related tick-borne flaviviruses that circulate in North America. The incidence of human infection by these agents appears to have increased in recent years. To define exposure patterns among white-tailed deer, potentially useful sentinels that are frequently parasitized by ticks, we screened serum samples collected during 1979–2010 in Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont for neutralizing antibody by using a novel recombinant deer tick virus–West Nile virus chimeric virus. Evidence of exposure was detected in all three states. Overall our results demonstrate that seroprevalence is variable in time and space, suggesting that risk of exposure to Powassan virus is similarly variable. PMID:23568288

White-tailed Deer Visitation Rates at Medicated Bait Sites in Southern Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, has been found on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) complicating eradication efforts of the USDA’s Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Our objective was to assess patterns of deer visitation to medicated bait sites used to treat...

Effects of controlled dog hunting on movements of female white-tailed deer.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Angelo, Gino, J.; Kilgo, John, C.; Comer, Christopher, E.

D'Angelo, Gino, J., John C. Kilgo, Christopher E. Comer, Cory D. Drennan, David A. Osborn, and Karl V. Miller. 2003. Effects of controlled dog hunting on movements of female white-tailed deer. In: Proceedings of the Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish and Wildl. Agencies. 57:317-325. This article explores the relationship between controlled dog hunting and the movements of female white tailed deer at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina. The data suggests that short term, controlled dog hunting has little long-term effect on adult, female white-tailed deer movement on the Savannah River Site.

Aggressive defensive behavior by free-ranging white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grovenburg, T.W.; Jenks, J.A.; Jacques, C.N.; Klaver, R.W.; Swanson, C.C.

2009-01-01

Maternal investment plays a critical role in neonate survival, and adults can improve survival of offspring by defending them against predators. However, limited information exists documenting ungulate aggression toward humans in defense of neonates. During captures of neonates in spring 2007 and 2008 in north-central South Dakota, we documented 24 aggressive encounters by adult female and yearling male and female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) defending neonates. Eleven (45.8%) aggressive encounters included yearlings accompanying adult females. Mean ages and weights of neonates that were aggressively defended were greater (P < 0.0001) than ages and weights of those that were not; adults began protecting neonates at approximately 4 days of age. Male fawns were more likely (P = 0.013) to be defended than female fawns. Examination of our data suggests that sex- and age-biased maternal defensive behavior exists in white-tailed deer, and that deer biased maternal investment toward older, male neonates.

Deer as a potential wildlife reservoir for Parachlamydia species.

PubMed

Regenscheit, Nadine; Holzwarth, Nathalie; Greub, Gilbert; Aeby, Sébastien; Pospischil, Andreas; Borel, Nicole

2012-08-01

Wildlife populations represent an important reservoir for emerging pathogens and trans-boundary livestock diseases. However, detailed information relating to the occurrence of endemic pathogens such as those of the order Chlamydiales in such populations is lacking. During the hunting season of 2008, 863 samples (including blood, conjunctival swabs, internal organs and faeces) were collected in the Eastern Swiss Alps from 99 free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 64 free-living roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and tested using ELISA, PCR and immunohistochemistry for members of the family Chlamydiaceae and the genus Parachlamydia. Parachlamydia spp. were detected in the conjunctival swabs, faeces and internal organs of both species of deer (2.4% positive, with a further 29.5% inconclusive). The very low occurrence of Chlamydiaceae (2.5%) was in line with serological data (0.7% seroprevalence for Chlamydia abortus). Further investigations are required to elucidate the zoonotic potential, pathogenicity, and distribution of Parachlamydia spp. in wild ruminants. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deer presence rather than abundance determines the population density of the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, in Dutch forests.

PubMed

Hofmeester, Tim R; Sprong, Hein; Jansen, Patrick A; Prins, Herbert H T; van Wieren, Sipke E

2017-09-19

Understanding which factors drive population densities of disease vectors is an important step in assessing disease risk. We tested the hypothesis that the density of ticks from the Ixodes ricinus complex, which are important vectors for tick-borne diseases, is determined by the density of deer, as adults of these ticks mainly feed on deer. We performed a cross-sectional study to investigate I. ricinus density across 20 forest plots in the Netherlands that ranged widely in deer availability to ticks, and performed a deer-exclosure experiment in four pairs of 1 ha forest plots in a separate site. Ixodes ricinus from all stages were more abundant in plots with deer (n = 17) than in plots without deer (n = 3). Where deer were present, the density of ticks did not increase with the abundance of deer. Experimental exclosure of deer reduced nymph density by 66% and adult density by 32% within a timeframe of two years. In this study, deer presence rather than abundance explained the density of I. ricinus. This is in contrast to previous studies and might be related to the relatively high host-species richness in Dutch forests. This means that reduction of the risk of acquiring a tick bite would require the complete elimination of deer in species rich forests. The fact that small exclosures (< 1 ha) substantially reduced I. ricinus densities suggests that fencing can be used to reduce tick-borne disease risk in areas with high recreational pressure.

Polymorphisms and variants in the prion protein sequence of European moose (Alces alces), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) in Scandinavia

PubMed Central

Wik, Lotta; Mikko, Sofia; Klingeborn, Mikael; Stéen, Margareta; Simonsson, Magnus; Linné, Tommy

2012-01-01

The prion protein (PrP) sequence of European moose, reindeer, roe deer and fallow deer in Scandinavia has high homology to the PrP sequence of North American cervids. Variants in the European moose PrP sequence were found at amino acid position 109 as K or Q. The 109Q variant is unique in the PrP sequence of vertebrates. During the 1980s a wasting syndrome in Swedish moose, Moose Wasting Syndrome (MWS), was described. SNP analysis demonstrated a difference in the observed genotype proportions of the heterozygous Q/K and homozygous Q/Q variants in the MWS animals compared with the healthy animals. In MWS moose the allele frequencies for 109K and 109Q were 0.73 and 0.27, respectively, and for healthy animals 0.69 and 0.31. Both alleles were seen as heterozygotes and homozygotes. In reindeer, PrP sequence variation was demonstrated at codon 176 as D or N and codon 225 as S or Y. The PrP sequences in roe deer and fallow deer were identical with published GenBank sequences. PMID:22441661

Effectiveness of electric deer fences to protect planted seedlings in Pennsylvania

Treesearch

D.W. George; T.W. Bowersox; L.H. McCormick

1991-01-01

Electric fences are used in Pennsylvania following a timber harvest to reduce deer browse on natural regeneration. In 1984, five-strand electric deer fences were constructed around two central Pennsylvania clearcuts. Northern red oak, white ash, white pine, and yellow-poplar seedlings were planted inside each fenced clearcut area in 1984 and 1985. One-half of the 1280...

Toxinotyping of Clostridium perfringens fecal isolates of reintroduced Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) in China.

PubMed

Qiu, Huiling; Chen, Fu; Leng, Xinyan; Fei, Rongmei; Wang, Libo

2014-10-01

Clostridium perfringens is an important pathogen causing sudden death syndrome, necrotic enteritis, and gas gangrene in ruminants, especially some deer species. Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) is one of the world's rare species and is an endangered and protected species in China. Some Père David's deer in the Chinese Shishou Père David's Deer Preserve died due to C. perfringens infection. We investigated the toxin types and C. perfringens enterotoxin-positive (cpe(+)) strains of isolated C. perfringens in Père David's deer in China. We collected 155 fecal samples from the Beijing Nanhaizi Père David's Deer Park and the Jiangsu Dafeng Père David's Deer National Nature Reserve between July 2010 and July 2011. Bacteria isolated using blood agar and mannitol agar plates were identified by Gram staining and nested PCR for 16S rRNA. We isolated C. perfringens from 41 fecal samples and used PCR amplification of five toxin genes to identify the toxinotypes and the cpe(+) strains of C. perfringens. Twenty-one isolates were type A, 15 were type E, and five were type D. Fifteen isolates were cpe(+) strains, including eight that were type A and seven that were type E.