The effect of management practices on stress in farmed red deer ( Cervus elaphus) and its modulation by long-acting neuroleptics: behavioural responses

Abstract

Eighteen red deer hinds were used to study the behavioural responses over a period of 10 weeks to three management practices which were expected to cause increasing levels of stress. The practices were herding, herding and handling and herding, handling and a veterinary procedure. One of three groups of six animals received a long-acting neuroleptic (LAN—perphenzine enanthate and zuclopenthixol acetate) in Weeks 1, 5 and 9 of the experiment whilst the other groups were untreated. The LAN-treated and one of the untreated groups received the stressors in sequence and one undisturbed group acted as a control. The siting of the paddocks in which the three groups were rotated had a marked effect on behaviour: the further the deer were from the handling area, the less stress-related behaviour they exhibited. In response to the management procedures animals decreased their inactive lying and increased their moving activity. Based on behavioural responses the deer did not appear to find the practices increasingly challenging. Behaviour type was the chief influence on interindividual distancing. Differences in distancing between animals were most noticeable while the animals were moving. LAN treatment promoted maintenance of a more normal activity pattern when the animals were disturbed.