Energy expenditure in European roe deer fawns during the suckling period and its relationship with maternal reproductive cost

We measured energy expenditure by means of indirect calorimetry in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) fawns at frequent intervals from birth to 45 days of age. Mean resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body mass (BM) did not differ significantly between males (N = 9) and females (N = 14). RMR signi...

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Published inCanadian journal of zoology Vol. 77; no. 3; pp. 389 - 396
Main Authors Mauget, Christiane, Mauget, Robert, Sempéré, Antoine
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.09.1999
National Research Council of Canada
Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
Subjects
Animal reproduction
Biological and medical sciences
Breastfeeding & lactation
Calorimetry
Deer
Energy
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Intermediate and energetic metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Zoology
Energy metabolism
Lactation
Weaning
Suckling animal
Basal metabolism
Young animal
Capreolus capreolus
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Energetic cost
Mother young relation
Artiodactyla
Ungulata
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Summary:We measured energy expenditure by means of indirect calorimetry in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) fawns at frequent intervals from birth to 45 days of age. Mean resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body mass (BM) did not differ significantly between males (N = 9) and females (N = 14). RMR significantly increased with the fawn age following the equation RMR (kJ·d -1 ) = 956 + 31.4 age (days). Growth in BM was linear: BM (kg) = 1.565 + 0.135 age (days). Mass-specific RMR decreased from a peak value of ca. 500 kJ·kg -1 ·d -1 in the first week to 290.4 ± 10.0 kJ·kg -1 ·d -1 in the sixth week. Concomitant metabolic trials performed with 14 lactating females and their 19 fawns indicated that metabolic weaning began in the third week, when the fawn's energy expenditure became markedly higher than could be compensated for by the mother's milk. Comparison of the energy expenditure of singletons and twins showed that female roe deer are energetically well adapted to nurse two fawns.
ISSN:0008-4301
1480-3283
1480-3283
0008-4301
DOI:10.1139/z98-230