Formosan Sambar Deer FSD Cervus unicolor swinhoei native

Formosan Sambar Deer (FSD) • Cervus unicolor swinhoei • native subspecies in Taiwan • The deer are domesticated by controlling their breeding pattern, allowing the farmers to exploit them for the production of velvet antler.

Introduction 40 N 20 N 0 20 S 40 S Temperate Red deer (Cervus elaphus) Fallow deer (Dama dama) Sika deer (Cervus nippon) Tropical Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis) Chital deer (Axis axis) 1. loosely breeding patterns or completely aseasonal 2. generally seasonally polyestrous and calve in summer Asher et al. , 1997; Mylrea et al. , 1999

Sambar Deer in New Zealand • Sambar deer attained puberty at 7– 19 month, had a mean estrous cycle of 17. 2 ± 0. 3 day, with a lower expression of seasonality. Asher et al. , 1997 • Sambar deer demonstrated rutting behavior in May/June and fawning in April/May. Semiadi et al. , 1999

Formosan Sambar Deer • Little information is available in literature regarding the reproductive traits in FSD. • The aim of this study was to document general reproductive performance and fawn mortality of FSD in 4 semi-domesticated herds over a 2 -4 years interval.

Materials and Methods • Data were obtained from 4 semidomesticated sambar deer farms in Nantou County (23 28 N to 24 20 N, 120 E). • A total of 210 adult females FSD aging from 2. 5 to 10 yr, from 4 sambar herds (size ranging from 80 to 200 deer) were used for the analysis.

• Adult hinds and stags were penned in the same area, in individual pens 3 × 2. 5 × 3 m. Once estrus was detected by a teaser, the hind was mated in a designated mating pen twice for 1 day. • After fawning, the fawn was kept with the hind in the same pen until natural weaning.

Materials and Methods • Estrous cycle and Gestation: Ø The intervals between two successive matings and from the last day of mating to fawning. • Fawning interval: Ø the period between two consecutive fawnings. • Lactation period: Ø period from fawning to natural weaning

Materials and Methods • All data were analyzed SAS version 9. 1 for Windows (SAS Institute Inc. , Cary, NC, USA). Ø Student’s t-test Ø One-way ANOVA Ø Tukey’s test Ø The normal approximation to the binomial test Ø Chi-square test Ø Fisher’s exact test • P < 0. 05 was regarded as significant

Results Table 1 Average reproductive parameters of farmed FSD hinds in subtropical Taiwan End point No. Mean ± SEM Length of estrous cycle (d) 56 18. 2 ± 0. 5 Gestation period (d) 160 258. 6 ± 0. 3 Fawning interval (d) 122 369. 6 ± 2. 3 Lactation period* (d) 52 85. 1 ± 1. 3 * A substantial difference between farms

Season distributions of breeding and fawning Pregnancy rate: 64. 4% per mating Fig. 1. Distribution of 494 matings in FSD hinds. Matings mostly occurred between July and October (93. 1%, P< 0. 05), with a peak in August (32. 8%). Fig. 2. Distribution of 318 fawnings in FSD hinds. Fawnings mostly occurred between March and June (90. 1%, P< 0. 05), with a peak in May (35. 2%).

Results Table 2 Average reproductive parameters of farmed FSD hinds in subtropical Taiwan End point Fawning performance Sex ratio of fawns (M/F) Twinning Postnatal mortality Pre-weaning fawn mortality * P < 0. 05 # 28. 6% due to dystocia No. % or ratio 179/141 2/320 21#/320 1. 3: 1* 0. 63% 6. 6% 7. 8%

Table 3 Occurrences of dystocia in 22 cases of FSD hinds from 19 farms in Taiwan Hind Season Delay time* (hours) Categories of hind’s BCS Primiparous 1 Sep. 2 Apr. 3 Jun. > 24 > 12 4 Multiparous 1 Mar. 2 Mar. 3 Aug. 4 Jun. 5 May 6 Jul. 7 Apr. 8 May 9 May 10 Aug. 11 May 12 Jun. 13 Apr. 14 Mar. 15 May 16 May 17 May 18 Aug. 19 Mar. > 24 > 48 > 12 >6 > 24 > 24 6 4. 5 > 24 >8 6 > 24 3 > 48 5 > 24 Fawn characteristics Outcome Causes of dystocia Sex Weight, kg Hind Fawn 3. 5 3 Male Female 6. 0 8. 6 5. 5 Dead Survived Maternal immaturity Fetopelvic disproportion Foetal malposition 3. 5 3 3. 5 2. 5 4. 5 3 3. 5 3 4 3. 5 4. 5 3 4 Male Male Male Male Female Male 7. 7 5. 8 5. 5 7. 5 8. 4 ? 7. 4 5. 8 5. 3 7. 4 6. 3 7. 4 ? 6. 5 8. 1 7. 6 6. 7 6. 0 6. 1 Survived Dead Survived Survived Dead Survived Dead Survived Dead Dead Dead Survived Dead Survived Dead Maternal excitement (Hu) Maternal excitement (typhoon) Ketosis Foetal malposition Fetopelvic disproportion Maternal excitement (Hu) Foetal malposition Maternal excitement (storm) Maternal excitement (Hu) Uterine rupture Maternal excitement (Hu) Foetal malposition Maternal excitement (Hu) Twin birth Foetal malposition Failure of cervix to dilate * from the initiation of parturition to veterinary assistance Hu = human-caused disturbance

Table 4 Causes of dystocia in FSD hinds in Taiwan Number of case Causes of dystocia (n=22) Maternal excitement related to environmental stress 9 Foetal malposition 6 Fetopelvic disproportion 2 Failure of cervix to dilate 1 Hind disease 1 Uterine rupture 1 Twin birth 1 Maternal immaturity 1 total 22

Discussions • This is the first report of reproductive performance in female FSD. • FSD apparently had a similar pattern of estrous cycle lengths, in comparison with larger bodied species, such as sambar deer in New Zealand, wapiti, red deer, and fallow deer. • In the present study, the pattern of estrous cycle in hinds could have been favored by the year-round presence of stags.

Discussions • As hand breeding started in June and was significantly concentrated in July/October (93. 1%), fawning occurred from February to September, and was significantly concentrated in March/June (90. 1%). • Gestation: 258. 6 ± 0. 3 days vs 249 -284 days. – Gender of the fawn had no significant effect on gestation length (259. 2 ± 0. 5 days vs 258. 1 ± 0. 4 days).

Discussions • The mean fawning interval of FSD was different from the previous report in New Zealand (369. 6 ± 2. 3 days vs 329 ± 29. 7 days), which might be related to different breeding management and weaning program. • Based on the present study, farmed FSD could achieve yearly breeding.

Discussions • Neonatal mortality and pre-weaning fawn mortality were relatively low. • We inferred that management factors, such as nutrition, appropriate shelter, and long-term lactation (85. 1 ± 1. 3 d), may enable the rearing of FSD fawns to achieve optimal results in Taiwan.

Discussions • The low natural twinning rate in FSD meant that multiple breeding was not the major determinant, but high reproductive efficiencies (pregnancy rates of 64. 4% per mating and survival rate of >92% for offspring) enhanced fecundity. • Interestingly, the male/female ratio (1. 3: 1) of fawns at birth differed significantly from the equal ratio. In terms of commercial strategies, this trend should increase the potential for velvet antler production on farms.

Discussions • The cause of neonatal mortality could not be determined in most cases, however, dystocia caused 28. 6% of the total mortality. • Twenty-two FSD dystocia cases, occurring between 2000 and 2008, on 19 deer farms in Taiwan were analyzed for the further study.

Discussions • In our study, a high fawn mortality (72. 7%) with the dystocia cases indicated the negative impact of delayed veterinary assistance. • The high percentage of parturient death of unattended fawns indicates that prompt veterinary intervention may beneficially impact the survival rate of fawns.

Conclusions 1. Farmed FSD could achieve yearly breeding. Their fecundity was enhanced by high pregnancy rates and high offspring survival rates. 2. Dystocia was associated with a low survival rate for FSD fawns. However, prompt veterinary intervention beneficially impacted the survival rate of fawns. • This study provides accurate estimates of reproductive characteristics and fawn mortality in farmed FSD hinds.

Update • Wang YC, Chan Jacky P, Yeh KS, Chang CC, Hsuan SL, Hsieh YM, Chang YC, Lai TC, Lin WH, Chen TH. Molecular characterization of enrofloxacin resistant Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates. Veterinary Microbiology, 2009. subject category: Veterinary 5/134 (3. 7%); Impact factor: 2. 370 (SCI) (accepted)

Jacky’s Family Thanks for your attention!

Chital deer Fallow deer Red deer Rusa deer

• Some statistics: - Shoulder height: 120 cms (male) and 80 cms (female) - Body length: 178 -240 cms • - Body weight: 200 -250 kg (male) and 80 -100 kg (female) - Tail length: 15 -30 cms - Habitat: usually found in virgin forests at elevations of 300 -1500 m. (central range, Hwalien, Taitun); grasslands and near forest streams - Breeding Time: August and September - Weight of calves at birth: 3. 8 -6. 4 kg

• The younger the stags are, the later the antlers cast off. Besides, the casting occurs much earlier for the stags in the south than those in the north. • Antlers will be removed mostly in spring until April (within 90 days after casting) as a farm management practice to harvest the deer velvet for traditional Chinese medicine trade. • Normally, the production gain of antler (with an average amount of 1300 -2400 g, 35 -64兩) will increase year by year and reach the highest amount during the 8 th and 9 th year of age, and decrease until the 19 th year.