Herd Of Red Deer Research Articles

A study of the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in the wild red deer herd of Exmoor.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease which thrives at the wildlife-livestock interface. Exmoor has the largest herd of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) in England, and also a large number of dairy and beef farms. The population, health and well-being of the herd are managed by a combination of hunting with hounds and by stalking. This study used a serological assay to determine the incidence of bTB in the population of 106 wild red deer of Exmoor, the relationship between regional deer densities and the presence of bTB in deer, and domestic cattle. The overall number of bTB positive deer was 28.3% (30/106). Stalked deer had a slightly higher incidence of bTB (19 out of 55, 34.55%) than hunted deer (11 out of 51, 21.57%). There was no clear pattern of distribution except for one region which showed an incidence of 42.22% compared with 16.4% in the remainder of the moor. There was little difference in the incidence of bTB between male and female animals. The age of animals in the study ranged from < 1year to over 10years. There was no clear difference in the incidence across the age range (< 1year- > 10years) with the exception of a particularly high incidence in those animals aged 1year or less. There was a significant correlation between the presence of deer with bTB and the number of farms reporting bTB positive cattle, but not between the regional population of red deer and bTB in deer or cattle.

The First Report of Elaphostrongylus cervi Infection in Two Imported Wapitis (Cervus canadensis) in Slovenia

This study describes two female wapitis (Cervus canadensis) with neurological signs associated with an Elaphostrongylus cervi (E. cervi) infection. The original host of the nematode parasite is the Eurasian red deer (Cervus elaphus), although other cervids and small ruminants may also be affected. The two wapitis imported from Canada were kept in an enclosure with the Slovenian red deer herd. After developing debilitating neurological signs, the wapitis were euthanized and examined for possible causes. A histopathological examination of the brain of the first wapiti revealed severe diffuse perivascular meningoencephalitis with chronic vasculitis, and some cross-sections of nematodes were found in the leptomeninges. A necropsy of the second wapiti revealed severe pachymeningitis and leptomeningitis, where several adult nematode parasites were found. E. cervi was confirmed by molecular methods. The prevalence of E. cervi in the European red deer population is high, but no study has been conducted to assess its prevalence in Slovenia. This was the first confirmation of E. cervi in Slovenia and the first infection with this parasite described in Europe in a wapiti. Elaphostrongylus cervi should also be considered as a differential diagnosis in Europe for all ruminants grazing on pastures frequented by red deer and showing neurological clinical signs.

Evaluation of Western blot, ELISA and latex agglutination tests to detect Toxoplasma gondii serum antibodies in farmed red deer

Abortion due to Toxoplasma gondii has been suspected in New Zealand farmed red deer. However, knowledge around the epidemiology and prevalence of T. gondii in farmed red deer is limited. The aim of this study was to firstly, assess the sensitivity and specificity of two commercially available assays, ELISA and latex agglutination test (LAT), for use in deer and secondly, to estimate the sero-prevalence of T. gondii in red deer. A total of 252 sera from rising 2-year-old and adult hinds from 17 New Zealand red deer herds at early and late pregnancy scanning and from known aborted and/or non-aborted hinds were tested for the presence of T. gondii antibodies. Each assays’ sensitivity and specificity was evaluated by both the Western Blot (WB) as a gold standard method and Bayesian latent class (BLC) analysis in the absence of a gold standard.The sensitivity and specificity for WB were 95.8% (95% credible interval: 89.5-99.2%) and 95.1% (95% credible interval: 90.6-98.1%), respectively. For the LAT at the manufacturer’s recommended ≥1:32 cut-off titre, the sensitivity (88.7%, 95% credible interval: 80.8-94.7%) and specificity (74.3%, 95% credible interval: 67.5-80.5%) were lower and higher than the sensitivity (76.2%, 95% credible interval: 66.7-84.5%) and specificity (89.7%, 95% credible interval: 84.5-93.9%) at a ≥1:64 cut-off, using (BLC) analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of the LAT at cut-off titre of 1:32 were estimated to be 84.4% (95% CI: 74.9-90.9%) and 73.5% (95% CI: 65.8-79.9%) against WB. The LAT had better agreement with WB at cut-off titre of ≥1:64 than ≥1:32 (Kappa=0.63 vs 0.54).At optimised cut-off S/P of 15.5%, the sensitivity (98.8%, 95% credible interval 96.1-99.8%) and specificity (92.8%, 95% credible interval 88.9-95.7%) of the ELISA were higher and lower, respectively, than the sensitivity (85.1%, 95% credible interval 76.2-91.9%) and specificity (98.5%, 95% credible interval 96.9-99.4%) at manufacturer’s cut-off S/P of 30%, from BLC analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA at S/P cut-off of 15.5% was 91.1% (95% CI: 83.2-96.1%) and 90.7% (95% CI: 85.2-94.7%), respectively, when assessed against WB. The sero-prevalence from ELISA and LAT, at cut-off of S/P 15.5% and ≥1:64, respectively, was not significantly different to that from WB (McNemar’s Chi-square p=0.21 for ELISA and p=0.28 for LAT).

Improving the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in farmed deer

CONTROL of bovine tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis presents a considerable challenge as this bacterium infects a wide host range. M bovis infection in farmed and wild deer is...

Control of bovine tuberculosis in a farmed red deer herd in England

This report describes how Mycobacterium bovis infection was controlled and eventually eradicated in a farmed red deer herd in the north of England, following sustained tuberculin skin testing supplemented with...

Isolation and characterization of Babesia pecorum sp. nov. from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).

The diversity of Babesia species infecting cervids in parts of central and southern Spain was analyzed by collecting blood from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Babesia sp. was isolated in vitro from two red deer herds in Cádiz and Ciudad Real. The number of Babesia sp. carriers differed between the two herds: 36/77 in Cádiz and 1/35 in Ciudad Real. Hyalomma lusitanicum was the most prevalent tick species identified on the Cádiz farm vegetation and on sampled animals, and is therefore a candidate vector. The molecular characteristics of 21 isolates were determined by complete (8 isolates) or partial (13 isolates) 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequences were highly similar (over 99.4% identity) and 6 sequence types were identified at the level of one herd only, demonstrating a rather high genetic diversity. They formed a monophyletic clade, and members of the three main sequence types shared a similar morphology and the same erythrocyte susceptibility pattern. This clade also included Babesia sp. Xinjiang isolated from sheep in China and Babesia sp. identified in giraffe in South Africa, with identities higher than 98.3% and statistically relevant phylogenetic support. None of the biological properties analyzed for both Babesia from red deer and Babesia sp. Xinjiang allowed their differentiation (ability to develop in vitro in erythrocytes from cattle and sheep, as well as in erythrocytes from different cervids, unsuccessful infection of calves). We propose the Babesia isolated from red deer as a new species named B. pecorum. Whether Babesia sp. Xinjiang and the Babesia characterized in South Africa belong to the same species is debated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-014-0078-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Can dung beetles from the palaeoecological and archaeological record indicate herd concentration and the identity of herbivores?

We present the results from two analogue studies that examine two aspects of dung beetle populations. Firstly, the degree to which the proportions of dung beetles in terrestrial faunas may reflect herd concentration is assessed by comparing modern sub-fossil faunas retrieved from a range of small ponds at Dunham Massey, Cheshire and Epping Forest in London. These studies suggest that it may be possible to use the proportions of ‘dung beetles’ recovered to differentiate high from low density grazing pressures in the palaeoentomological and archaeoentomological record.A second study examines the insect faunas recovered from modern samples of dung from a range of bovids, cervids, suids and equids, chosen to replicate, as closely as possible, Pleistocene taxa. These include the famous Chillingham cattle herd from Northumberland and herds of red deer, wild boar and Konik horses from Kent. When the numbers of individuals and the nature and range of beetles in the whole fauna are considered, it may be possible to differentiate between the dung of a range of different animals. A number of limitations with the present study, their implications and the future potential of this type of study are outlined.

Isolation and characterization of

The diversity of Babesia species infecting cervids in parts of central and southern Spain was analyzed by collecting blood from farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Babesia sp. was isolated in vitro from two red deer herds in Cádiz and Ciudad Real. The number of Babesia sp. carriers differed between the two herds: 36/77 in Cádiz and 1/35 in Ciudad Real. Hyalomma lusitanicum was the most prevalent tick species identified on the Cádiz farm vegetation and on sampled animals, and is therefore a candidate vector. The molecular characteristics of 21 isolates were determined by complete (8 isolates) or partial (13 isolates) 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequences were highly similar (over 99.4% identity) and 6 sequence types were identified at the level of one herd only, demonstrating a rather high genetic diversity. They formed a monophyletic clade, and members of the three main sequence types shared a similar morphology and the same erythrocyte susceptibility pattern. This clade also included Babesia sp. Xinjiang isolated from sheep in China and Babesia sp. identified in giraffe in South Africa, with identities higher than 98.3% and statistically relevant phylogenetic support. None of the biological properties analyzed for both Babesia from red deer and Babesia sp. Xinjiang allowed their differentiation (ability to develop in vitro in erythrocytes from cattle and sheep, as well as in erythrocytes from different cervids, unsuccessful infection of calves). We propose the Babesia isolated from red deer as a new species named B. pecorum. Whether Babesia sp. Xinjiang and the Babesia characterized in South Africa belong to the same species is debated.

Genetics of early conception and its relationship to growth traits in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

The genetics of early conception success and live-animal growth were studied in five herds of red deer in New Zealand. Conception date (CD) was used as the criterion of success in seasonally mated hinds, with 2493 mating records available. Liveweights analysed were weaning weight, yearling weight, 15-month weight and mature weight (hinds only). CD and liveweights were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood procedures with an animal model, including all available pedigree records. Under the management conditions applied, CD had a phenotypic standard deviation of 7.9 days, a repeatability across years of 0.29 ± 0.03 and a direct (univariate) heritability of 0.20 ± 0.06. Regression procedures using DNA markers to adjust the data for genetic differences resulting from an animal’s ancestral region of origin (mainly western vs eastern European) had little effect on the parameter estimates above. Direct heritability estimates for the four weight traits were 0.38 ± 0.03, 0.49 ± 0.02, 0.48 ± 0.04 and 0.46 ± 0.04, respectively, while the genetic correlations between CD and these traits (e.g. using 1763 paired records of CD with yearling weight) were –0.24 ± 0.11, –0.24 ± 0.09, –0.16 ± 0.10 and –0.04 ± 0.09, respectively. Selection for earlier CD would be successful and compatible with selection for higher juvenile weights.

Control of red deer (Cervus elaphus) stag domination in rut season by estrus synchronization

BACKGROUND: Inbreeding is one of the major problems of small size herds of red deer in refuge wildlife parks. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to use estrus synchronization technique in red deer (Cervus elaphus) based on natural mating to control the dominancy and social rank of stags and inbreeding. METHODS: In this study, hinds (n=6) were captured and caged at breeding season (early October) in Semeskande Wild Life Refuge Park. The captured hinds were treated with intravaginal progesterone devices (CIDR) for 12 days, followed by injection of 250 IU PMSG at the time of CIDR withdrawal. After 48 hours, all 6 hinds were released from cages. RESULTS: In estrus phase, the chase sequences started and the old dominant stag could not control all of the hinds in his territory so the two other young stags successfully mated with the other hinds. Four out of six hinds became pregnant and the calves were born in early June. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that the estrus synchronization technique in Refuge Wildlife Park which is based on natural mating, can be used successfully to control inbreeding easily and give young stags the opportunity to copulate.

Comment to “Acute Arthritis Secondary to Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for Bladder Cancer”

A longitudinal observational study of 15 red deer (Cervus elaphus) farms was carried out in New Zealand for 2 years from Mar 1992. Management of hind mobs and their composition during mating, calving, and weaning were recorded. About 2700 hinds were individually monitored for live weight, body condition score and reproductive success. All hinds were pregnancy tested in June by ultrasound and classified as having conceived before May 1, after May 1, or as being not pregnant. Calving dates and dam–offspring pairs were recorded on four farms. The lactational status of hinds and live weight of calves were recorded at weaning. Mean pre-mating live weights of yearling hinds were 81.3–82.8 kg and of adult hinds 98.0–98.7 kg, respectively, for each year of study. The percentage of yearling and adult hinds conceiving before May ranged from 8.3 to 95.0% and from 77.6 to 98.4%, respectively, between farms. Overall, the proportion of yearling and adult hinds not pregnant was 15.3% and 3.2%, respectively. Pregnancy rates at scanning of adult hinds within mating mobs were generally over 90%, and 41.7% of mating mobs had 100% pregnancy rates. In contrast, the pregnancy rates of yearling hind mobs were more variable, with five mobs below 50%, and 34.1% of mating mobs achieving 100% pregnancy rate. Estimated in utero loss rates from pregnancy diagnosis to calving were 0.66 and 0.79% for yearling and adult hinds, respectively. From four farms, median calving dates of yearling and adult hinds were Dec 13 and Nov 30, respectively. Overall, calf survival rates to weaning of yearling and adult offspring were 84.1 and 91.6%, respectively, while the reproductive efficiencies (number of calves weaned per hind mated) were 70 and 83.6%, respectively. Farm mean weaner live weights standardised on Apr 1 ranged from 42–59 kg and 39–51 kg for stags and hinds, respectively. These data are currently the best estimates of reproductive parameters of New Zealand red deer herds, and highlight a wide variability in reproductive indices between farms.

Social Aspects of Wallowing Behaviour in Red Deer Herds

Zeitschrift für TierpsychologieVolume 34, Issue 4 p. 329-336 Social Aspects of Wallowing Behaviour in Red Deer Herds Dr. Hartmut Gossow, Corresponding Author Dr. Hartmut Gossow Faculty of Forestry, University Freiburg i. Br. Wildlife Research Team Both supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Forstzoologisches Institut der Universität, Bertoldstr. 17. D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Institut für Forsteinrichtung, Abtlg. Luftbildmessung, Erbprinzenstr. 17.Search for more papers by this authorDr. Götz Schürholz, Corresponding Author Dr. Götz Schürholz Faculty of Forestry, University Freiburg i. Br. Wildlife Research Team Both supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Forstzoologisches Institut der Universität, Bertoldstr. 17. D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Institut für Forsteinrichtung, Abtlg. Luftbildmessung, Erbprinzenstr. 17.Search for more papers by this author Dr. Hartmut Gossow, Corresponding Author Dr. Hartmut Gossow Faculty of Forestry, University Freiburg i. Br. Wildlife Research Team Both supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Forstzoologisches Institut der Universität, Bertoldstr. 17. D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Institut für Forsteinrichtung, Abtlg. Luftbildmessung, Erbprinzenstr. 17.Search for more papers by this authorDr. Götz Schürholz, Corresponding Author Dr. Götz Schürholz Faculty of Forestry, University Freiburg i. Br. Wildlife Research Team Both supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Forstzoologisches Institut der Universität, Bertoldstr. 17. D 78 Freiburg i. Br., Institut für Forsteinrichtung, Abtlg. Luftbildmessung, Erbprinzenstr. 17.Search for more papers by this author First published: January‐December 1974 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1974.tb01806.xCitations: 4 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume34, Issue4January‐December 1974Pages 329-336 RelatedInformation

Atypical Interstitial Pneumonia in Grazing Adult Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus)

A herd of red deer experienced a small outbreak of atypical interstitial pneumonia on two occasions 3 years apart. The first occasion involved the death of two of a group of 70 hinds and the second outbreak involved a single death in a similar sized group. On both occasions a number of the adults exhibited increased respiratory effort, particularly on exercise. Both outbreaks occurred in July, a few days after moving the herd from a close grazed grass paddock to an aftermath paddock, which had regrown to a good sward. The history and pathology is reminiscent of 3-methyl indole toxicity in cattle.

Copper deficiency and effects of copper supplementation in a herd of red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Copper (Cu) deficiency was diagnosed in a Norwegian red deer (Cervus elaphus) herd subsequent to deaths due to emaciation in late autumn 1999. The animals had free access to salt licks containing 3000 mg Cu/kg. An evaluation of the herd revealed poor calf growth rate, low weights of adult hinds, dull and light-coloured hair coats and cases of diarrhoea. The herd was subsequently monitored throughout a three-year period of Cu-supplementation. The monitoring regimen included clinical observation, copper serum examination, weighing, faecal parasitological examination, and reproduction control by ultrasound. During the period January 2000 to May 2001, the animals were treated with Cu oxid capsules (1 g CuO/10 kg liveweight) at 2–4 months intervals, with the exception of March to September 2000. The animals were fed continuously with Cu-enriched concentrates containing 300 mg Cu/kg, at a rate of 1/2 kg per head and day, from May 2001 to January 2003. Following both copper supplementation regimens adequate serum Cu concentrations were measured, and markedly improved body weights, coat quality and reproductive results were observed, except for the period from March to September 2000 when no treatment was given. The results showed that in a deer herd, with a diet low in Cu, supplementation with CuO capsules had to be given at intervals of a few months to maintain adequate serum Cu levels. Free access to Cu-containing salt licks did not meet the animals' Cu demand. Good and stable results were achieved by the daily feeding of Cu-enriched concentrates.

Self-organized critical branching in systems that violate conservation laws

A non-conservative critical branching model is proposed to demonstrate that self-organized criticality (SOC) can occur in mean-field sandpiles that violate a conservation law. The critical state is characterized by avalanche sizes and lifetimes that obey an inverse power-law distribution with exponents τS = 3/2 and τT = 2, respectively. Criticality is achieved when the branching process is coupled to a background activity characterized by the spontaneous switching between refractoriness and quiescence among system components. The stationary state of the system is analysed mathematically and numerically, and is shown to exhibit a transition from a subcritical phase to a critical phase. SOC in sandpile models has been widely believed to occur only when grains are conserved during avalanches. However, such a conservation law is likely to be violated by open, non-equilibrium systems such as biological networks and socially interacting systems like animal groups. The model explores the role of dynamic synapses and synaptic plasticity in maintaining criticality of cortical networks. These brain networks have been found to display neuronal avalanches that obey a power-law distribution. The non-conservative model also emulates the main features of the size distributions of free-swimming tuna schools and red deer herds. Demonstrating criticality in self-organizing systems that violate conservation laws enhances the predictive ability of the theory of SOC in the arena of biocomplexity.

Productive behaviour of red deer (Cervus elaphus) relocated to the Neotropical Realm

In 1994, a herd of red deer (Cervus elaphus) was introduced to Mexico from New Zealand; animals were distributed among 17 farms. Information was gathered from two farms situated in the Neotropical Realm, south of the Tropic of Cancer. Farm A is a research facility in the temperate highlands; Farm B is for extension purposes, in the dry tropics. Being at similar latitudes (20°47'N and 20°04'N, respectively), both have comparable pho‐toperiods. Their main differences are their altitudes and climates (1990 versus 40 m above sea level; 17.4 versus 25.0°C average temperature; 460–630 versus 1000–1100 mm annual rainfall, respectively). On Farm A, animals were either confined (30 weeks) in earth‐floor pens and fed on hay, or grazed (20 weeks) on a mixed irrigated pasture. Until 2000, they were neither vaccinated, nor drenched or supplemented. Breeding lasted 8–9 weeks in late autumn (single‐sire mating; groups of 12–25 hinds). The herd's fertility rate was 92%. Most calves (80%) were born during June, weighing 9.4 kg. On Farm B, animals grazed year round on a mixture of tropical pastures, supplemented with assorted feeds. They were vaccinated against clostridial diseases, shipping fever, and paralytic rabies; drenched quarterly and dipped for tick prevention twice a month. They mated under uncontrolled breeding management for 2.5 months; 81% gave birth within May and June. Fertility was 79%; calves weighed 7.2 kg. In general, deer in Farm B seemed to be in a comparatively better body condition, however their productive performance appeared to indicate otherwise. On both farms, deer had kept their characteristic reproductive seasonal‐ity, although the calving season tended to last longer than in their place of origin.

A 12-MONTH SURVEY OF GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTH INFECTIONS OF CERVIDS KEPT IN TWO ZOOS IN BELGIUM

Infections with helminths are a major health issue in captive and wild deer. In this study, fecal egg count patterns and clinical signs associated with gastrointestinal nematodes were assessed for 12 mo in nine cervid herds kept under different husbandry conditions at two sites. At site 1, an urban zoo, fecal egg counts remained low and no clinical signs of parasitic gastroenteritis were seen in the herds of fallow deer (Dama dama), Dybowski's deer (Cervus nippon dybowski), pudu (Pudu pudu), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Helminth infection at this site may have been successfully prevented by daily dung removal of the small sandy-soil enclosures, and applying routine anthelmintic treatment was not justified. At site 2, a wild animal park, involved species were red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), Nelson's elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus), European elk (Alces alces alces), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Nematode eggs were frequently encountered in herds of red deer, Nelson's elk, and European elk, which were kept on larger, grassy enclosures that were irregularly cleaned. The trimodal pattern of fecal egg counts in herds from the wild animal park, consisting of a small spring rise in June, a peak in October, and a small rise in February, indicates that infective larvae on pastures are the main source of infection. In addition, routine anthelmintic treatment with fenbendazole in April and July limited egg shedding, but reinfection rapidly occurred. In two European elk and one reindeer, increasing fecal egg counts were associated with loss of fecal consistency and reduced appetite. Three genera and three species of nematodes were recovered at necropsy of one red deer and three Nelson's elk: Spiculopteragia spiculoptera, Trichostrongylus spp., Nematodirus filicollis, Capillaria spp., Oesophagostomum radiatum, and Trichuris spp., with total worm counts between 950 and 8,700.

A cost‐benefit analysis of the value of investment in a wapiti hybridisation research programme and the returns to New Zealand venison producers

Between the mid 1970s and the end of the 1980s a research programme evaluated hybridisation of red deer, initially with wapiti‐type captured animals and then with purebred wapiti imported from Canada. The cost of the research programme in 2001 dollars was $7.2 million. By 1980, the deer industry had begun introducing wapiti genes into farmed red deer herds. In 1990 wapiti hybrids accounted for approximately 5% of deer slaughtered for venison in New Zealand. By 2001 that figure had risen, possibly to as high as 50%. Due to their rapid growth to target slaughter weights, wapiti‐red deer hybrids have a greater potential than red deer of the same age to reach suitable weights in time to attain early season price premiums. Furthermore, the liveweight advantage of hybrid weaners over red deer has historically given them a price advantage at time of sale. Wapiti hybrids contributed a net present value (NPV) at 7% discount rate of $10.3 million to the New Zealand venison industry up to 2001 (internal rate of return (IRR) 13.4%). Based on MAFPolicy projections of numbers of animals slaughtered, the NPV (7%) is expected to increase to $23.6 million by 2006 (IRR 17.6%).

Isolation and characterisation of cervine herpesvirus-1 from red deer semen

AIM: This communication describes the isolation of herpesvirus during routine export examination of semen collected from red deer stags in New Zealand. METHODS: Virus isolation was carried out using bovine embryonic lung (BEL) cells and viruses were characterised by direct immunofluorescense, restriction-fragment-length polymorphism analysis (RFLP), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and nucleotide sequencing. RESULTS: Herpesvirus was isolated from red deer semen on 2 different occasions from different animals. In both cases the virus was identified as cervine herpesvirus-1 (CvHV-1), based on RFLP, PCR and sequence analysis. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the glycoprotein-D gene showed 99.7% homology to the Banffshire strain of CvHV-1 and 89.5 %, 89.2 %, 85.3 % and 79.6% homology to bovine herpesvirus 1.2 (BoHV-1.2), bovine herpesvirus 1.1 (BoHV-1.1), cervine herpesvirus-2 (CvHV-2) and caprine herpesvirus-1 (CpHV-1), respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first time that CvHV-1 has been isolated in New Zealand. Its inclusion in serological surveys will allow the prevalence of CvHV-1 in the red deer population to be assessed in this country. The clinical significance of CvHV- 1 infection in New Zealand red deer herds has yet to be determined.

Enzootic Ataxia in a Norwegian Red Deer Herd

Enzootic Ataxia in a Norwegian Red Deer Herd