370 (PHY)
Effects of PMSG Dosage on Reproductive Efficiency of Artificially Inseminated, Farm-Raised White-Tailed (Odocoileus virginianus) Deer
The deer breeding industry is a vital and growing segment of the rural economy. Advancements in reproductive technologies, including estrus synchronization and artificial insemination techniques, continue to benefit deer farmers. Deer synchronization procedures for artificial insemination commonly make use of CIDR’s and PMSG, and some protocols suggest that more prolific does should receive lower doses of PMSG than single fawn-producing does. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of PMSG dosage amount on reproductive efficiency of artificially inseminated farm-raised white-tailed deer. Mixed-age, farm-raised white-tailed does (n = 65) were assigned to treatments consisting of: 1) 2.0 ml of 5000 I.U. PMSG for does having one fawn the previous y (n = 43) or 2) 1.5 ml of 5000 I.U. PMSG for does having two or more fawns the previous y (n = 22). On October 24, 2012 estrus was synchronized by intravaginal insertion of a CIDRTM 330 (Pfizer Animal Health, New York, NY, USA) containing 0.35 g progesterone for 14 d. At the time of CIDR removal, does were injected intramuscularly with the appropriate level of PMSG. Approximately 56-58 h later, each doe was artificially inseminated via laproscopy. Conception rates, number of fawns born per doe, frequency of multiple births, and birth weights did not differ (P ≥ 0.38) across treatments. Male and female fawns had similar (P≥ 0.74) birth weights across treatments. Therefore, reproductive efficiencies of does previously producing single fawns that were injected with 2.0 ml of PMSG were equivalent to more prolific does that were given 1.5 ml injections of PMSG.
Keywords: Deer, Reproduction