Productivity of farmed wapiti in Alberta

Abstract

Calving and weaning rates of 1084 wapiti hinds (females) were collected in the 1990 season by an on-farm survey of 50 producers in Alberta, to determine the reproductive performance of farmed wapiti. A calving rate of 81 and 96% for 2-yr-old and adult hinds, respectively, gave a provincial herd average of 93%. Weaning rates of 73% for 2-yr-old and 91% for adult hinds resulted in an 88% weaning rate overall. One set of triplets and three sets of twins gave a multiple birth ratio of one in 271 calvings. Overall calf mortality was 5.2% in the survey, with a trend (P = 0.07) for 2-yr olds to experience higher calf mortalities (9.5%) than adult hinds (4.4%). Dystocia accounted for two-thirds of the total calf mortalities reported in the survey. Although 2-yr olds calved later than adult hinds (11 June vs. 6 June), hind pre-rut weight influenced calving dates. Male calves were heavier (94 vs. 85 kg, (P = 0.0001) than female calves at 100 d due to their faster growth rate (753 vs. 686 g d−1, P = 0.0001). Growth rate and consequently weaning weights were positively influenced by hind pre-rut weight. The mean length of the breeding season was 111 d with producers exposing an average of 21 hinds per breeding stag on 1.2 ha of pasture per wapiti yr−1. The calf production ratio at 200 d was 52.5 kg calf per 100 kg hind for individual females weaning a calf, and was 46.2 kg calf per 100 kg of hind exposed on a herd basis. Pre-rut weaning was associated with improved calving (3.3%), weaning rates (2.6% in adult hinds and 13.4% in young hinds), decreased calf mortality (3.2%), advanced calving dates (5 d), and improved growth to 200 d (8%). Key words: Game farming, wapiti, reproduction, calving, weaning, growth