• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2011

Many studies have suggested the positive effects of grazing by large herbivorous mammals on seed dispersal, but little is known about how herbivores could affect the fate of ingested seeds. This study examined the effects of seed ingestion by sika deer (Cervus nippon) on seed fate in a temperate grassland established in an urban park long resided by high densities of sika deer. I compared species composition and seasonal traits of seed abundance and maturity in the grassland community with those in deer fecal pellets. In total, 27 herbaceous species were observed, including the predominant Zoysia japonica. Seed phenology and production differed among the three dominant species (Z. japonica, Digitaria violascens, and Hydrocotyle maritima). Pellets contained at least 26 species of herbaceous seeds, and their abundance differed among species. Of the 26 species, 15 were observed in the vegetation at the study site. The peak of seed abundance in pellets for the dominant species appeared 1 month after the peak of inflorescence production (but most of the inflorescences were immature and susceptible to digestion) and consequently corresponded to the peak of mature inflorescence. Because sika deer are likely to ingest seeds at any maturity stage in the grassland and immature seeds are less hardened, ingested immature seeds can suffer great losses. The results suggested that the survival of germable seeds with great losses of immature seeds may be a factor determining which plant species can be successfully dispersed by herbivores.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1238-1243
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• 2018

Objective: Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding level on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane ($CH_4$) emissions in growing goats and Sika deer. Methods: Three growing male goats (initial body weight [BW] of $22.4{\pm}0.9kg$) and three growing male deer (initial BW of $20.2{\pm}4.8kg$) were each allotted to a respiration-metabolism chamber for an adaptation period of 7 d and a data collection period of 3 d. An experimental diet was offered to each animal at one of three feeding levels (1.5%, 2.0%, and 2.5% of BW) in a $3{\times}3$ Latin square design. The chambers were used for measuring enteric $CH_4$ emission. Results: Nutrient digestibility decreased linearly in goats as feeding level increased, whereas Sika deer digestibility was not affected by feeding level. The enteric production of $CH_4$ expressed as g/kg dry matter intake (DMI), g/kg organic matter intake, and % of gross energy intake decreased linearly with increased feeding level in goats; however, that of Sika deer was not affected by feeding level. Six equations were estimated for predicting the enteric $CH_4$ emission from goats and Sika deer. For goat, equation 1 was found to be of the highest accuracy: $CH_4(g/d)=6.2({\pm}14.1)+10.2({\pm}7.01){\times}DMI(kg/d)+0.0048({\pm}0.0275){\times}dry$ matter digestibility (DMD, g/kg)-0.0070 (${\pm}0.0187$)${\times}$neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD; g/kg). For Sika deer, equation 4 was found to be of the highest accuracy: $CH_4(g/d)=-13.0({\pm}30.8)+29.4({\pm}3.93){\times}DMI(kg/d)+0.046(0.094){\times}DMD(g/kg)-0.0363({\pm}0.0636){\times}NDFD(g/kg)$. Conclusion: Increasing the feeding level increased $CH_4$ production in both goats and Sika deer, and predictive models of enteric $CH_4$ production by goats and Sika deer were estimated.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.905-912
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• 2005

The study was conducted to determine the effects of hormone injection on casting day of antler, velvet antler yield, and blood hormone concentration in elk deer and Sika deer. The study revealed that the casting day of Elk and Sika deer at medroxy progesterone acetate(MPA) injection averaged 21 days after MPA injection, which was earlier 38 and 24 days, respectively, compared control(P<0.01). The regrowth of antler in both Sika deer and Elk occurred in the MPA injection and the duration of antler growth was 2 times longer than control. The total yield of velvet antler of Elk in the control and MPA injection was 7.31 and 10.11kg and the that of sika deer was 1.00 and 1.41kg, respectively. Blood testosterone concentration of Sika deer and Elk was less than 4.0ng/ml for both at the casting and during the antler growing. Blood IGF-1 concentrations of Sika deer and Elk during the antler growing tended to increase with the same as growth curve of antler.

• Korean Deer Journal
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• no.10
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• pp.26-35
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• 1990

Seaeonal Changes in chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility(IVDMD). dry matter(DM) yields and DM intake of browse(leaves of trees and shrubs) by four sika deer(Cervus nippon) bucks were studied from 1998 to 1989 under deforested slope moun

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.467-472
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• 2018

Objective: Molecular cloning and bioinformatics analysis of annexin A2 (ANXA2) gene in sika deer antler tip were conducted. The role of ANXA2 gene in the growth and development of the antler were analyzed initially. Methods: The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to clone the cDNA sequence of the ANXA2 gene from antler tip of sika deer (Cervus Nippon hortulorum) and the bioinformatics methods were applied to analyze the amino acid sequence of Anxa2 protein. The mRNA expression levels of the ANXA2 gene in different growth stages were examined by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR). Results: The nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1,020 bp encoding 339 amino acids long protein of calculated molecular weight 38.6 kDa and isoelectric point 6.09. Homologous sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Anxa2 mature protein of sika deer had the closest genetic distance with Cervus elaphus and Bos mutus. Real time RT-PCR results showed that the gene had differential expression levels in different growth stages, and the expression level of the ANXA2 gene was the highest at metaphase (rapid growing period). Conclusion: ANXA2 gene may promote the cell proliferation, and the finding suggested Anxa2 as an important candidate for regulating the growth and development of deer antler.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.673-678
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• 1993

A male sika deer, 3 years old, which had the clinical history of chronic watery diarrhea with severe emaciation for 4 months was submitted and euthanized. On necropsy, there was diffuse mucosal hypertrophy of gastrointestinal tract with thickened intestinal walls and swollen mesenteric lymph nodes. In histologic lesions. diffuse proliferation of epithelioid cells are present in the laminar propria, submucosa muscle layer and subserosa of most gastroinlestinal organs except omasum. These epithelioid cells are also present in the cortex and medulla of meseriteric lymph nodes and in the portal triads of liver. Most these epithelioid cells contain acid-fast positive bacilli using Ziehl-Neelsen staining in the cytoplasm. Based on the clinical signs, gross findings and histological lesions, this deer was diagnosed as paratuberculosis. The wide range of target organs and the severity of the lesions observed in this case is quite different comparing to those of other ruminant.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.142-145
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• 1990

A six months old, sika deer with metatarsal bone fracture was referred to the veterinary teaching hospital of Chungnam National University. Midshaft femoral amputation was performed. The sika deer was satisfactorily anesthetized with 1.2mg of xylazine per kg of body weight by intramuscular injection. Procedures of operation was same with those of midshaft femoral amputation in dogs. The sika deer revealed inconveniency in rising, walking and galloping just after operation but they became skilled after a month. After amputation morbid sign was not observed for about 6 months up to nowadays.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1233-1237
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• 2008

The genetic variability within and among three deer species in Malaysia, namely Cervus nippon (sika), Cervus timorensis (rusa) and Cervus unicolor (sambar), were evaluated using the RAPD technique. The DNA extracted from the buffy coat of 34 sika, 38 rusa and 9 sambar were analysed using ten primers that gave bands which showed good resolution. The primers generated 164 RAPD markers in total, and these ranged in size from 150 to 900 bp. The percent of polymorphism of the bands generated per primer ranged from 66.66-93.33% for rusa, 36.84-61.14% for sambar and 52.38-100% for sika. The overall percent polymorphism observed for the 164 RAPD markers was 99.39%. The results revealed five exclusive, monomorphic markers for sambar and one exclusive, monomorphic marker for sika; none was observed for rusa. However, these cannot be declared as markers for the identification of the species without analysis of more samples, populations and species. The means of within population genetic distances, based on Dice's and Jaccard's similarity indices, were similar for the rusa (0.383 and 0.542, respectively) and sika (0.397 and 0.558, respectively) populations with the sambar population being the least variable (0.194 and 0.323, respectively). The Dice based genetic distances within the species ranged from 0.194 to 0.397 and the genetic distances among the species were 0.791-0.911. The genetic distances based on Dice's and Jaccard's similarity indices between the rusa and sambar were 0.556 and 0.713, between the rusa and sika populations were 0.552 and 0.710, and between sambar and sika were 0.622 and 0.766, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.265-267
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• 2016

A one-year-old female sika deer died suddenly with no preliminary signs during exhibition at a zoo. At necropsy, the carcass was emaciated and had dried fur. Examination of the thoracic cavity revealed a diaphragmatic rupture measuring 2 cm in diameter and a fracture in the middle of the right eighth rib. The liver and lungs had irregular circular discolorations caused by diaphragmatic rupture and subsequent herniation. Dark-brown-colored ascitic fluid, hydrothorax, and yellowish hydropericardium were also observed. The cause of death was determined to be diaphragmatic rupture caused by a rib fracture, which led to respiratory imbalance and circulatory disorders.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 1981

This study was performed to evaluate the sedative effect of xylazine for restraint of deers such as sika deer (19 cases), red deer (19 cases), elk (19 cases), pere david deer (13 cases) and reindeer (8 cases), raised in the area of surburb of Seoul, Chungcheongnam-do and Gyungsangbug-do. provinces The results were as follows : 1. The more the dose of xylazine, the earlier the onset of sedation, and the s1ower the recovery time to normal state. 2. The optimal intramuscular dose of xylazine was found to be 0.8~1.4mg per Kg of body weight for sika deer, 0.6~1.0mg for red deer, 1.0~1.4mg for elk, 0.2~0.4mg for pere david deer, and 0.6~1.0mg for reindeer.