Effects of age and body weight on the proportion of females breeding in a population of roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>)

Gaillard, Jean‐Michel; Sempéré, A.; Boutin, Jean-Marie; Laere, Guy Van; Boisaubert, B.

doi:10.1139/z92-212

Cited by 169 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In most populations of roe deer, it is generally found that nearly all females older than two years ovulate and produce fawns; however, in populations where body masses are lower (<20 kg, Gaillard et al, 1992), the age of the first reproduction can be prolonged to three or four years (Andersen et al 1998).…”

Section: Doe Body Mass(kg) /mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive potential of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

Flajšman¹,

Jelenko²,

Poličnik³

et al. 2013

Acta Silvae et Ligni

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(1) Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana, katarina.flajsman@gozdis.si (2) ERICo Velenje, Inštitut za ekološke raziskave d.o.o., Koroška cesta 58, 3320 Velenje, ida.jelenko@erico.si (3) ERICo Velenje, Inštitut za ekološke raziskave d.o.o., Koroška cesta 58, 3320 Velenje, helena.policnik@erico.si (4) ERICo Velenje, Inštitut za ekološke raziskave d.o.o., Koroška cesta 58, 3320 Velenje; Visoka šola za varstvo okolja, Trg mladosti 2, 3320 Velenje; Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana, bostjan.pokorny@erico.si ABSTRACTEuropean roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) is the most important game-management species not only in Slovenia but also in other European countries. For effective game management it is crucial to have an understanding of the ecology and population parameters that shape the population dynamics of the species. Knowledge about the variability of its reproductive potential, i.e. the proportion of fertilized females, litter size and fawn sex ratio, apart from the parameters that are already in use, would be very beneficial for methods of control as it could lead to more efficient adaptive game management, including proper planning of culling measures. Factors affecting the reproductive potential of roe deer include individual (particularly maternal phenotype, i.e. body size, body mass, physical condition), population (e.g. population density, demographic structure, social stress, genetics) and environmental characteristics (habitat quality, weather conditions, interspecific interactions, etc.). The final output of reproductive potential is the sum of all influencing factors and several combinations between them and therefore varies among different populations and environments. Higher densities can lower roe deer fertility rates and furthermore number of fawns per doe. Litter size is influenced by doe's body mass, as heavier females have more fawns in a litter. There are some contradictory findings in studies of sex ratio variation in connection to female body mass. Litter size can also be influenced by age of does, as primiparous females have smaller litters than adults, but also decreases with animal senescence. Roe deer populations from northern environments (Scandinavia) have higher body masses and larger litters than those from the south (e.g. Italy, Spain), which shows the importance of environment for roe deer reproduction. However, in Slovenia this issue has been neglected until now. In the following report we present an overview of the recent European research on factors affecting the fertility and reproductive potential of roe deer. Similar research in Slovenia would also be valuable, as roe deer is exposed to various environmental factors in this area. In addition, it is also involved in unique interspecific interactions that have not been studied in recent foreign research. Furthermore, Slovene distinguishing databases provide an outstanding platform for proficient understanding of different effects on roe deer yield in Central Europe.Key words: roe deer, re...

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Section: Doe Body Mass(kg) /mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive potential of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

Flajšman¹,

Jelenko²,

Poličnik³

et al. 2013

Acta Silvae et Ligni

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“…However, in mammals, field data suggest that, following an initial period of relatively low productivity prior to adulthood, the number of offspring produced per female subsequently remains fairly constant, though in some cases there may be a slight decline during later life (Sadleir 1987, Mitchell and Brown 1974, Sinclair 1977, Guinness et al 1978. For roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) some authors have also suggested that female productivity declines during the later stages of life (Borg 1971, Kaluziriski 1982, although Gaillard et al (1992) found a uniformly high level of fecundity once does were more than two years of age. Few studies have been able to demonstrate whether age-related changes in productivity are adaptive, or merely the result of puberty and senescence, although Clutton-Brock (1984) suggests that there is evidence that red deer Cervus elaphus hinds, as they grow older, invest more heavily in their calves at lactation, ensuring increased rates of juvenile survival at the stage of terminal investment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in the fecundity of roe deer in Britain: effects of age and body weight

Hewison¹

1996

Acta Theriol.

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Hewison A. J. M. 1996. Variation in the fecundity of roe deer in Britain: effects of age and body weight. Acta Theriologica 41: 187-198. This paper investigates variation in female fecundity in relation to effects of age and body weight within and between 15 populations of roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Britain. Analyses were based on carcass material and fecundity was assessed from the presence/absence and number of fertilised ovulations (corpora lutea) and implanted foetuses. A significant proportion (> 10%) of does ovulated in their first year in some populations, but such precocious reproductive activity rarely resulted in successful implantation of a foetus. Generally, the majority of yearling does (in their second year) conceived successfully, but average potential litter size was lower than among older animals. There was no consistent age-related variation in fecundity among does older than 2 years. Differences in fecundity between age and body weight classes suggest weight thresholds may exist for the onset of puberty and for successful conception as an adult. Fecundity of adults and yearlings was highly variable between populations and in some populations was considerably lower than previously reported for this species. Although differences between populations were correlated with differences in body weight, this relationship was insufficient to explain the wide variation in fecundity across Britain, suggesting fecundity body weight thresholds will be defined independently in separate populations.

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“…It is often stated that in female ungulates, after primiparity is reached, no further cost of low initial weight exists (Gaillard, Sempere et al, 1992;Langvatn et al, 1996), and that lifetime reproductive success is therefore closely related to longevity (Gaillard, Festa-Bianchet, Delorme et al, 2000), as there is little variation in reproduction between prime-aged females. Our results show, however, that domestic ewes with a high initial body weight reared larger lambs in subsequent years (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies report that body mass during prime age does not affect variation in reproduction notably (Langvatn et al, 1996;Gaillard, Festa-Bianchet, Delorme et al, 2000). For example, in a Norwegian population almost all red deer hinds > 3 years old ovulated (Langvatn et al, 1996), and in France 98% of all roe deer Capreolus capreolus does 2 years old or older were pregnant during winter (Gaillard, Sempere et al, 1992). The number of offspring raised by roe deer and bighorn sheep was not found to be related to female mass after the effect of longevity was accounted for (Gaillard, Festa-Bianchet, Delorme et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, some studies report an effect of body mass on female reproductive effort also after prime age is reached (red deer : Mitchell, 1973; reindeer Rangifer tarandus: Weladji et al, 2002). And even if nearly all prime-age females ovulate (red deer: Langvatn et al, 1996), are pregnant (roe deer: Gaillard, Sempere et al, 1992) and produce a similar number of offspring (roe deer : Gaillard, Festa-Bianchet, Delorme et al, 2000), the quality of the offspring (as measured by offspring body weight) may still be related to the initial body weight of the females. Large offspring tend to have better survival than smaller ones (red deer: Guinness, Clutton-brock & Albon, 1978;Loison, Langvatn & Solberg, 1999; fallow deer Dama dama: Asher & Adam, 1985), and so it remains to be demonstrated that female ungulates after reaching the age of ®rst reproduction have no further cost of an initial low body weight.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of initial weight of the ewe on later reproductive effort in domestic sheep (Ovis aries)

Steinheim¹,

Mysterud

Holand³

et al. 2002

Journal of Zoology

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In ungulates, females typically need to reach a critical threshold body weight in order to reproduce. Females born in`poor' years may lose 1 year of reproduction, as they reach the critical body mass 1 year later. Some studies report also a lasting effect of low initial body weight into prime age, while several other studies have shown that nearly all prime-age females ovulate or are pregnant. However, the quality of the offspring (as measured by offspring body weight) is often not considered. We tested whether female ungulates with an initially low body weight (at around weaning) reach the same reproductive output as females with higher initial weights, and thus whether or not they are able to compensate for their initial low weight. Data on body weight of 123 533 lambs of domestic sheep Ovis aries from 73 299 litters that in turn derived from 32 359 different ewes were used. All ewes and lambs had been free-ranging on outlying pastures in Norway during the entire summer season. Ewes with an initially low body weight produced smaller offspring throughout their lifespan. Ewes with an initially low body weight also produced fewer lambs at ®rst and second parturition, but lifetime number of offspring was not related to ewes' initial weight. We concluded that bigger was better: the smaller offspring of ewes with a low initial weight demonstrate a lasting cost on reproductive effort, with consequences for animal production systems and management of wild ungulates.

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Effects of age and body weight on the proportion of females breeding in a population of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Cited by 169 publications

References 23 publications

Reproductive potential of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

Reproductive potential of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

Variation in the fecundity of roe deer in Britain: effects of age and body weight

The effect of initial weight of the ewe on later reproductive effort in domestic sheep (Ovis aries)

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