Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xm8r8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-25T20:56:00.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of immunization against GnRH upon body growth, voluntary food intake and plasma hormone concentration in yearling red deer stags (Cervus elaphus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. O. Freudenberger ,
P. R. Wilson ,
T. N. Barry ,
Y. X. Sun ,
R. W. Purchas  and
T. E. Trigg
D. O. Freudenberger
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
P. R. Wilson
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
T. N. Barry
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Y. X. Sun
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
R. W. Purchas
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
T. E. Trigg
Affiliation:
Peptide Technology Ltd, Dee Why, NSW 2099, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Red deer stags in New Zealand were given a series of immunizations against GnRH at 9–12 months of age (spring/early summer) in 1989 and 1990 and the effects upon plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone during the rut (15–17 months; autumn) and upon body growth to slaughter at 22 months (spring) were studied in two experiments. Control animals showed a sharp peak in plasma LH and testosterone concentration during late summer/early autumn, just preceding the rut, with scrotal circumference increasing to a maximum during the rut; body growth stopped during the rut in Expt 1 but not in Expt 2. Immunization caused the development of significant antibodies against GnRH during late spring and summer, and reduced but did not eliminate the increase in plasma LH and testosterone and scrotal enlargement leading up to the rut. Immunization did not affect body growth or voluntary feed intake during the rut in either experiment, but in Expt 1 early immunization significantly increased growth during both the pre-rut and post-rut periods. Immunization did not effect dressing out percentage, slightly increased carcass fatness in Expt 1 but not Expt 2, and reduced velvet antler growth by 12 months of age.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 121 , Issue 3 , December 1993 , pp. 381 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aston, R., Cooper, L., Holder, A. T., Ivangi, J. & Preere, M. A. (1985). Monoclonal antibodies to human growth hormone can distinguish between pituitary and genetically engineered forms. Molecular Immunology 22, 271–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ataja, A. M., Wilson, P. R., Barry, T. N., Hodgson, J., Hoskinson, R. M., Parker, W. J. & Purchas, R. W. (1992 a). Early venison production from red deer (Cervus elaphus) as affected by grazing perennial or annual ryegrass pastures, pasture surface height and immunization against melatonin. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 118, 353–369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ataja, A. M., Barry, T. N., Hoskinson, R. M. & Wilson, P. R. (1992 a). Effects of active immunization against LHRH and melatonin on growth and plasma hormone concentrations in red deer stags during their second year. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 118, 371–377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bomford, R. & Aston, R. (1990). Enhancement of bovine growth hormone activity by antibodies against growth hormone peptides. Journal of Endocrinology 125, 31–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drew, K. R., Fennessy, P. F. & Greer, G. J. (1978). The growth and carcass characteristics of entire and castrate red deer stags. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 38, 142–144.Google Scholar
Fennessy, P. F., Moore, G. H. & Corson, I. D. (1981). Energy requirements of red deer. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 41, 167–173.Google Scholar
Fennessy, P. F., Suttie, J. M. & Fisher, M. W. (1985). Reproductive physiology of male red deer. In Proceedings of a Deer Course for Veterinarians 2, 101–106. (Deer Branch, New Zealand Veterinary Association, C/– Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand.)Google Scholar
Gill, J. L. & Hafs, H. D. (1971). Analysis of repeated measurements of animals. Journal of Animal Science 33, 331–336.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirton, A. H. (1989). Principles of classification and grading. In Meat Production and Processing (Eds Purchas, R. W., Butler-Hogg, B. W. & Davies, A. S.), New Zealand Society of Animal Production Occasional Publication No. 11, pp. 143–158. Hamilton, New Zealand; New Zealand Society of Animal Production.Google Scholar
Lincoln, G. A., & Guinness, F. & Short, R. V. (1972). The way in which testosterone controls the social and sexual behavior of the red deer stag (Cervus elaphus). Hormones & Behavior 3, 375–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lincoln, G. A., Fraser, H. M. & Fletcher, T. J. (1982). Antler growth in male red deer (Cervus elaphus) after active immunization against LH-RH. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 66, 703–708.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lincoln, G. A., Fraser, H. M. & Fletcher, T. J. (1984). Induction of early rutting in male red deer (Cervus elaphus) by melatonin and its dependence on LHRH. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 72, 339–343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Packard, G. C. & Boardman, T. J. (1988). The misuse of ratios, indices and percentages in ecophysiological research. Physiological Zoology 61, 1–9.Google Scholar
Parker, W. J., McCutcheon, S. N. & Carr, D. H. (1989). Effect of herbage type and level of intake on the release of chromic oxide from intraruminal controlled release capsules in sheep. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 32, 537–546.Google Scholar
Parker, W. J., McCutcheon, S. N. & Garrick, D. J. (1990). The suitability of chromium controlled release capsules for estimating herbage intakes of grazing ruminants. Proceedings of the Australian Association of Animal Breeding and Genetics 8, 151–154.Google Scholar
Petersen, A. J., Fairclough, R. J. & Smith, J. F. (1978). Radioimmunoassay of androstenedione and testosterone in cow plasma at the time of luteolysis and oestrus. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 52, 127–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roughan, P. G. & Holland, R. (1977). Predicting in-vivo digestibilities of herbages by exhaustive enzymic hydrolysis of cell walls. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 28, 1057–1064.Google Scholar
Ryg, M. & Jacobsen, E. (1982). Effect of castration on growth and food intake cycles in young male reindeer. Canadian Journal of Zoology 60, 942–945.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scaramuzzi, R. J., Caldwell, B. V. & Moor, R. M. (1970). Radioimmunoassay of LH and estrogen during the estrous cycle of the ewe. Biology of Reproduction 3, 110–119.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. & Cochran, W. G. (1980). Statistical Methods. 7th Edn.Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Suttie, J. M., Corson, I. D. & Fennessy, P. F. (1984 a). Voluntary intake, testis development and antler growth patterns of male red deer under a manipulated photoperiod. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 44, 167–170.Google Scholar
Suttie, J. M., Lincoln, G. A. & Kay, R. N. B. (y1984b). Endocrine control of antler growth in red deer stags. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 71, 7–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Suttie, J. M., Fennessy, P. F., Veenvliet, B. A., Littlejohn, R. P., Fisher, M. W., Corson, I. D. & Labes, R. E. (1987). Energy nutrition of young red deer. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 47, 111–113.Google Scholar
Suttie, J. M., Fennessy, P. F., Corson, I. D., Laas, F. J., Crosbie, S. F., Butler, J. H. & Gluckman, P. D. (1989). Pulsatile growth hormone, insulin-like growth factors and antler development in red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus) stags. Journal of Endocrinology 121, 351–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xu, Z. Z. (1991). Endocrine and genetic control of seasonal breeding in sheep. PhD thesis, Massey University, New Zealand.Google Scholar