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Effects of cold conditions on heat production by young sambar (Cervus unicolor) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

G. Semiadi ,
C. W. Holmes ,
T. N. Barry  and
P. D. Muir
G. Semiadi
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand AgResearch, Flock House, Private Bag, Bulls, New Zealand
C. W. Holmes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
T. N. Barry
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
P. D. Muir
Affiliation:
AgResearch, Flock House, Private Bag, Bulls, New Zealand
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Summary

An experiment to measure the effects of cold conditions upon heat production in young sambar (Cervus unicolor) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) was conducted during winter 1994, at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand (NZ), using four young animals of each species. Animals were fed a pelleted concentrated diet (total N 29g/kg DM; 11·9MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg DM) at approximately maintenance ME intake (MEI). Hair coat characteristics were measured on samples cut from a patch on the mid-side of the body. Pairs of animals (one sambar and one red deer) were confined in two open circuit calorimetry chambers (one deer in each chamber) for 18-day periods, and oxygen consumption was measured at 20 and 5 °C, with and without simulated wind (6 km/h). Heat production was calculated as 20·5 MJ/1 oxygen consumed.

Hair coats of sambar deer were less deep, lighter in weight (g/m2) and contained a lower proportion of undercoat than those of red deer. Fibre length of both guard hairs and undercoat were shorter in sambar deer than in red deer, whilst fibre diameter of both guard hairs and undercoat was greater in sambar deer. Heat production (HP) at 20 °C was lower in sambar than in red deer (P <0·05; 0·46 v. 0·48-0·53 MJ/kgW0·75 per day). Increases in HP from 20 to 5 °C and from 20 °C to 5 °C W (i.e. with wind effect) were greater in sambar than in red deer (P < 0·01; 34 v. 16% and 44 v. 20%, respectively). Calculated lower critical temperatures (LCT) were higher for sambar than for red deer (P < 0·10) both in the absence (0 km/h; 11·6 v. 8·9 °C) and in the presence of wind (6 km/h; 140 v. 11·1 °C). Under field conditions, young sambar deer are likely to require more shelter and better feeding during cold weather than do red deer.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 126 , Issue 2 , March 1996 , pp. 221 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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