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• Examination of Reproductive Performance of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Hungary

  33-38

  István Majzinger

  Views:

  138

  The objective of the research partly is to compare the reproduction performance of the populations living in different regions with regard to some special characteristics (age, condition).
  When estimating the age through tooth wear and cementum-layer-counting there was a difference of 0.87 years in favour of the first one (r=0,840; p<0,001). I found cementum layers at 42% of the does in the study after examining the MI teeth.
  There was lose connection between the weight (eviscerated, with head and legs) and the KFI (r=0,296; p<0,01), and for further analysis, I used only the KFI as the index for condition.
  The regional average KFI varied from 0.24-0.37 in fawns, 0.82-1.73 in does, with individual extremes of 0-4.05. Within the examined regions the highest index belonged to the prime-aged does, while the 1-year-olds had a lower rate, and it was the lowest in the does older than 8 years.
  The rate of fertility was between 83,3(ns)-100% as we can see from the presence of the CL. All the examined does were fertile, except in one region, while among the female fawns in two regions I only found three with active ovaries. The average number of CL was 1.5-2.13, and this varied by regions; all in all it was the highest in the 2-7-year-old group (1.96) and in the ones over 8 years (2.00!), while it was lower in the does younger than 1 year (1.90). The high fertility of the does over 8 years is remarkable.
  I could examine the number of embryos in two regions during the post-implantation period, and beside 100% fertility I found significant differences among the does, which can be associated with the condition. The ratio of CL carriers and the pregnant does was 100% and 73% in the two regions, the average number of CL were 1.92 and 1.72, while the average embryo number were 1.83 and 1.36 per doe. The difference between the CL and the embryo numbers on the two regions were 5% and 21%. The difference (prenatal loss) is in connection with the age (age class) of the doe. It is possible, however, that in some cases oestrus was not followed by gestation. But in roe deer, owing to the commonly known lack of luteolysis-mechanism (Flint et al., 1994), the regression of the CL of the does that did not get pregnant takes place in December and January, so the CL found in January cannot prove a previous pregnancy, which might have been followed by an abortion.
  Although it has to be proven, it seems that the number of the CL (potential progeny) can be associated with the age (r=0,418; p<0,01) and the weight (r=0,312; p<0,01) of the doe, while the embryo number (realised progeny) is influenced by the age of the doe and probably by external factors.
  It is essential to continue and extend the research to increase the reliability of the results and their correlation.

• Autumn and winter kidney fat indexes of roe deer does and their correlation with reproductive parameters

  61-65

  István Majzinger

  Views:

  129

  I studied the variations of kidney fat indexes (KFI) in two game management units of the Great Hungarian Plain between 2002 and 2004 in the autumn and winter months. I was looking for correlation between the autumn and winter KFI as well as between the autumn KFI and reproductive parameters (number of corpora lutea, recruitment rate).

  There was a significant positive correlation between the average winter and the average next autumn KFI (r=0.991, p<0.1). The average winter KFI showed strong positive correlation with the average number of corpora lutea (CL) in the next rutting season (r=0.978, p<0.05). The average autumn KFI and the average grown up offspring showed positive but not significant correlation (r=0.725, p=0.275).

• Comparison of Reproductive Performance of the Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus, L.) Among Different Regions

  41-46

  István Majzinger

  Views:

  96

  The potential and actual number of offspring of roe deer and the difference between these figures (prenatal and postnatal loss) significantly vary in each population yearly. The objective of this study is to examine the potential and actual number of offspring, the number of losses, and to find a link between the most important biological characteristics of does (body weight – BW, condition – KFI) and the number of raised offspring on four territories on the Great Hungarian Plain.
  Where the number of corpora lutea (CL) is the highest, there the losses are the highest as well, and the number of raised offspring is the lowest (region I.). Here, the rearing loss is double that of the weakest territory (region IV.). Rearing losses can be associated with the fenotype of does (BW, KFI) but environmental factors also have determinative importance. Where the number of twin-calving does was the highest, I found four times more does without a fawn than where the number of twin-calving does was the lowest. The nursing success was the best (the losses were lowest) in the region where the potential offspring (number of CL) was also the lowest, but the coverage of the habitat and the proportion of forests were largest. The food supply for the animals in autumn and winter are not enough, the structure of the habitat has to be improved as well, so that it might become adequate for game protection in extreme weather conditions.
  The results have to be considered as preliminary ones. It is essential to continue and extend the research to increase the reliability of the results.