Title: Metabolic rate in female European roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>): incidence of reproduction
Abstract: Indirect calorimetry measurements were made continuously over a 2-year period in 10 adult female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) maintained in outdoor enclosures on ad libitum feeding. Results from adult nonpregnant does revealed no endogenous seasonal rhythm in resting metabolic rate (RMR), in contrast to most cervid species. Throughout the 2 years of our study, RMR (overall mean 4695 ± 65 kJ∙d −1 ) fluctuated in parallel with variations in body mass. The mass-specific RMR ranged from 221.2 ± 4.8 to 230.7 ± 4.0 kJ∙kg −1 ∙d −1 (466.0 ± 10.8 to 495.5 ± 9.7 kJ∙kg −0.75 ∙d −1 ). Results from pregnant females (five in the first year, four in the second) showed that their energy expenditure increased by 15% during the last 2 months of gestation, in step with the increase in body mass. A 27% increase in RMR was recorded in lactating females during the first month post partum. These results show that in a small-bodied cervid such as the roe deer, reproduction costs are no higher than in other wild herbivores.
Publication Year: 1997
Publication Date: 1997-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 45
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