Reproductive performance of farmed wapiti ( Cervus elaphus nelsoni)

Abstract

Calving and weaning rates following 128 exposures of hinds to stags were recorded over a 11 year period for a research wapiti herd. Slightly less than 50% of hinds bred as yearlings and calved on their second birthday. About 90% of adults (3–22 years of age) calved. Only one set of twins occurred in 103 births. The proportion of female calves increased with age of the hind. Calf mortality was 15%, most occurring within the first several days after birth. Male calves were heavier than female calves ((mean ± SE) 19.2 ± 0.4 vs 16.8 ± 0.3 kg) and 2-year-old hinds had lighter calves than older hinds (13 vs 18 kg). Two-year olds calved later than older hinds and male calves were born later than female calves (mean birth date 1 June vs 26 May). Male calves weighed 125 ± 4 kg and female calves weighed 116 ± 3 kg at 120 days, the usual weaning age. Birth weight accounted largely ( r 2 = 0.57) for the difference in weaning weights between genders. Overall, the reproductive performance of wapiti compared well with that of the more widely-farmed red deer.