MARAL STAGS AGE-RELATED ANTLER VELVET YIELD AS JUDGING AND CULLING CRITERIA

Abstract

The article presents some results of multi-year research (from 2006 to 2016) into group (n=3934) and individual (n=57) age-related antler velvet yield of stags of Altai-Sayan maral breed. The research was performed at six maral-breeding entities, which are breed livestock farms for Altai-Sayan maral breed and its two types “Shebalinsky” and “Tenginsky”. The age-related velvet weight gain during 10 years and onwards is shown. The maximum age-related gain is reported at the ages of 3 and 4 years old (1.5 and 2 kg respectively). By the start of the rutting time at the age of 6, the age-related velvet gain accounts for 63.2–67.0% depending on the breed line, and at the age of 8-10 years old the velvet yield is stabilized with further decrease. The number of elite breeding strains and fi rst class marals varies at the ages of 4, 6 and 10 years old, depending on objective (rutting time) and subjective (culling) factors, which are not considered in the current judging scale. In order to predict the future yield more accurately, we recommend that culling of marals is done not at the ages of 1.5 years old (young deer) or 2.5 years old (fi rst horns), but at the age of 4 years old following the results of the fi rst three yields (cuttings), which is economically proved, as this period shows the peak of meat and antler velvet yield. Animal management until the age of 4 allows to gain at least 50.0 kg of meat and 5.0 kg of velvet per head additionally. The results of practical work and calculations presented in this work show that the correct assessment of marals is of high priority, as premature slaughter of misjudged animal causes signifi cant losses: during ten years every elite stag yields velvet worth 579.6 thousand roubles, fi rst class stag yields velvet worth 461.2 thousands roubles, second class stag yields velvet worth 385.6 thousand roubles and third class stag yields velvet worth 267.1 thousand roubles.