Effects of maternal age and offspring sex on milk yield, composition and calf growth of red deer (Cervus elaphus).

Differential maternal allocation theory states that mothers will invest more heavily in the offspring sex that will secure higher reproductive output. Senescence theory is concerned with the gradual deterioration of physiological function with age. We analysed the offspring sex-dependent response of calf growth and milk traits to mother age in an Iberian population of captive red deer (Cervus elaphus) using a 22 year time series longitudinal data set. Previous studies revealed that there was little evidence for the differential allocation theory on milk traits and that most studies lacked proper control for confounding factors. Our results indicated that (i) calf growth was offspring male-biased, negatively affected by mother age and positively influenced by mother weight and parity, and (ii) there was no support for differential allocation offspring sex-dependence in milk traits (yield, energy density, fat, protein and lactose content). Our findings suggest that maternal allocation responds to offspring energy requirements, which are mainly driven by offspring body weight, and contingent on mother age and weight and previous maternal reproductive effort.

Heat stress reduces growth rate of red deer calf: Climate warming implications.

Climate models agree in predicting scenarios of global warming. In endothermic species heat stress takes place when they are upper their thermal neutral zone. Any physiological or behavioural mechanism to mitigate heat stress is at the cost of diverting energy from other physiological functions, with negative repercussions for individual fitness. Tolerance to heat stress differs between species, age classes and sexes, those with the highest metabolic rates being the most sensitive to stressing thermal environments. This is especially important during the first months of life, when most growth takes place. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) is supposedly well adapted to a wide range of thermal environments, based on its worldwide distribution range, but little is known about the direct effect that heat stress may have on calf growth. We assessed the effect that heat stress, measured by heat stress indices and physical environment variables (air temperature, relative air humidity, wind speed and solar radiation), have on calf and mother body weights from calf´s birth to weaning. We used 9265 longitudinal weekly body weight records of calf and mother across 19 years in captive Iberian red deer. We hypothesised that (i) heat stress in hot environments has a negative effect on calf growth, especially in males, as they are more energetically demanding to produce than females; and that (ii) the body weight of the mother through lactation should be negatively affected by heat stress. Our results supported hypothesis (i) but not so clearly hypothesis (ii). By weaning (day 143) calves growing under low heat stress environment grew up to 1.2 kg heavier than those growing in high heat stress environment, and males were more affected by heat stress than females. The results have implications in animal welfare, geographical clines in body size and adaptation to climate change.

What do rates of deposition of dental cementum tell us? Functional and evolutionary hypotheses in red deer.

Cementum is a bone connective tissue that provides a flexible attachment for the tooth to the alveolar bone in many mammalian species. It does not undergo continuous remodelling, unlike non-dental bone, which combined with its growth pattern of seasonal layering makes this tissue uniquely suitable as a proxy for tracking changes in body repair investment throughout an animal´s life. We tested functional and sexual selection hypotheses on the rate of cementum deposition related to the highly polygynous mating strategy of red deer. We used a sample of 156 first lower molars from wild Scottish red deer of known age between 1 and 17 years old, approximately balanced by sex and age class. Cementum deposition on the inter-radicular pad increased with age at a constant average rate of 0.26 mm per year, with no significant differences between sexes. Cementum deposition was independent of (i) tooth wear, other than that associated with age, and (ii) enamel and dentine micro-hardness. The results partially supported the hypothesis that the main function of cementum is the repositioning of the tooth to maintain opposing teeth in occlusion. However, teeth that had more wear or males´ teeth that had faster rates of tooth wear than those of females did not present the expected higher rates of cementum deposition.

Antlers - Evolution, development, structure, composition, and biomechanics of an outstanding type of bone.

Antlers are bony appendages of deer that undergo periodic regeneration from the top of permanent outgrowths (the pedicles) of the frontal bones. Of the "less familiar" bone types whose study was advocated by John Currey to gain a better understanding of structure-function relationships of mineralized tissues and organs, antlers were of special interest to him. The present review summarizes our current knowledge about the evolution, development, structure, mineralization, and biomechanics of antlers and how their formation is affected by environmental factors like nutrition. Furthermore, the potential role of antlers as a model in bone biology and several fields of biomedicine as well as their use as a monitoring tool in environmental studies are discussed.

Meat quality of farmed red deer fed a balanced diet: effects of supplementation with copper bolus on different muscles.

Supplementation with copper (Cu) improves deer antler characteristics, but it could modify meat quality and increase its Cu content to levels potentially harmful for humans. Here, we studied the effects of Cu bolus supplementation by means on quality and composition of sternocephalicus (ST) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles (n=13 for each one) from yearling male red deer fed with a balanced diet. Each intraruminal bolus, containing 3.4 g of Cu, was administered orally in the treatment group to compare with the control group. Meat traits studied were pH at 24 h postmortem (pH24), colour, chemical composition, cholesterol content, fatty acid (FA) composition, amino acid (AA) profile and mineral content. In addition, the effect of Cu supplementation on mineral composition of liver and serum (at 0 and 90 days of treatment) was analysed. No interactions between Cu supplementation and muscle were observed for any trait. Supplementation with Cu increased the protein content of meat (P<0.01). However, Cu content of meat, liver and serum was not modified by supplementation. In fact, Cu content of meat (1.20 and 1.34 mg/kg for Cu supplemented and control deer, respectively) was much lower in both groups than 5 mg/kg of fresh weight allowed legally for food of animal origin. However, bolus of Cu tended to increase the meat content of zinc and significantly increased (P<0.05) the hepatic contents of sodium and lead. Muscles studied had different composition and characteristics. The RA muscle had significantly higher protein content (P<0.001), monounsaturated FA content (P<0.05) and essential/non-essential AA ratio (P<0.01) but lower pH24 (P<0.01) and polyunsaturated FA content (P=0.001) than the ST muscle. In addition, RA muscle had 14.4% less cholesterol (P=0.001) than ST muscle. Also, mineral profile differed between muscles with higher content of iron, significantly higher (P<0.001) content of zinc and lower content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus (P<0.05) for ST muscle compared with RA. Therefore, supplementation with Cu modified deer meat characteristics, but it did not increase its concentration to toxic levels, making it a safe practice from this perspective. Despite the lower content of polyunsaturated FA, quality was better for RA than for ST muscle based on its higher content of protein with more essential/non-essential AA ratio and lower pH24 and cholesterol content.

Effects of Mn supplementation in late-gestating and lactating red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) on milk production, milk composition, and calf growth.

This study describes the effects of Mn supplementation of 20 late-gestating and lactating Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) females (hinds) fed a balanced diet on milk production and milk composition over the lactation period. Body weight of their calves at birth and at weaning was also evaluated. In addition, the effect of lactation stage was studied. For these purposes, 2 groups of hinds, one composed by 12 individuals (experimental) and the other by 8 individuals (control) were compared. Experimental hinds were s.c. injected weekly with Mn (2 mg Mn/kg BW) from day 140 of gestation until the end of lactation (week 18; forced weaning by physical separation). Control hinds were injected with a physiological saline solution with the same volume and at the same frequency as the experimental group. Serum Mn content of hinds was assessed just before the first Mn injection and at week 10 of lactation to assess whether the injected Mn increased Mn concentrations in blood. No differences were observed for BW of calves at birth but calves whose mothers were injected with Mn tended (P = 0.07) to have greater gain of BW from birth to weaning in proportion of BW at birth compared to calves from control hinds. In addition, supplementation with Mn increased (P ≤ 0.05) daily milk production by 10.2%, milk fat content by 11.2%, and total fat yield by 17.8%. Also, milk from hinds supplemented with Mn had more Ca (P < 0.001) and P (P < 0.05) than milk from control hinds. Manganese supplementation did not influence Mn serum content when blood was analyzed at week 10 of lactation, but increased the Mn content of milk by 18.3% (P < 0.001). Lactation stage affected (P < 0.001) fat, protein, lactose, and DM. Their contents increased as lactation proceeded, and protein was substituted by fat. Therefore, results suggest that Mn supplementation of hinds is recommended, even when they are fed a balanced diet, to increase milk production and the content of fat, Ca, P, and Mn of milk.

Does Cu supplementation affect the mechanical and structural properties and mineral content of red deer antler bone tissue?

The main factors affecting the mechanical (and other) properties of bone, including antler, are the proportions of ash (especially Ca and P) and collagen content. However, some trace minerals may also play more important roles than would be expected, given their low levels in bone and antler. One such trace mineral is Cu. Here, we studied the effects of Cu supplementation on the mechanical and structural characteristics, and mineral content of antlers from yearling and adult (4 years of age) red deer fed a balanced diet. Deer (n=35) of different ages (21 yearlings and 14 adults) were studied. A total of 18 stags (11 yearlings and 7 adults) were injected with Cu (0.83 mg Cu/kg BW) every 42 days, whereas the remaining 17 (10 yearlings and 7 adults) were injected with physiological saline solution (control group). The Cu content of serum was analysed at the beginning of the trial and 84 days after the first injection to assess whether the injected Cu was mobilized in blood. Also, the mechanical and structural properties of antlers and the mineral content in their cortical walls were examined at three (yearlings) or four (adults) points along the antler beam. The effect of Cu supplementation was different in yearlings and adults. In yearlings, supplementation increased the Cu content of serum by 28%, but did not affect antler properties. However, in adults, Cu supplementation increased the Cu content of serum by 38% and tended to increase the cortical thickness of antlers (P=0.06). Therefore, we conclude that, even in animals receiving balanced diets, supplementation with Cu could increase antler cortical thickness in adult deer, although not in yearlings. This may improve the trophy value of antlers, as well as having potential implications for bones in elderly humans, should Cu supplementation have similar effects on bones as those observed in antlers.

[Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas]. / Kyste lymphoépithélial du pancréas.

A 66-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and weight loss. Ultrasonography and computed tomography demonstrated a cystic lesion of the pancreas. After surgical resection, the patient's symptoms disappeared. Microscopic examination of the cyst lining showed mature, keratinizing squamous epithelium, surrounded by lymphoid tissue. Only three cases of this type of lesion, called "lymphoepithelial cyst", have been described previously. Histogenesis of this particular type of cyst is not well know, but can be histologically differentiated from other pancreatic cysts.

[Cystadenoma of the pancreas. Apropos of a case and review of the literature]. / Les cystadénomes du pancréas. A propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

With reference to a new case of pancreatic cystadenoma, the authors review the literature on the subject. These tumors are a relatively uncommon form of cystic lesion of the pancreas. They find the origin from pancreatic acinar cells or from ductal epithelium. Histologically, there are two different forms: benign, serous, microcystic adenoma and potentially malignant, mucinous, macrocystic adenoma. The type of the tumor is demonstrated by ultrasonography and computed tomography. but these examinations could not make a difference between benign and malignant form. Treatment of choice is complete tumor resection. Internal or external drainage of these cysts should not be done.

[Our experience in the treatment of reflux esophagitis with histamine H2 receptor antagonists]. / Notre expérience du traitement de l'oesophagite de reflux par les antagonistes des récepteurs H2.

The object of this study was to value the efficacy of reflux oesophagitis treatment by H2-blockers. Fifty-one patients were treated by Cimetidine or Ranitidine. After three months, we note a clinical improvement in 84% of cases and a regression of the endoscopic lesions in 61% of cases. A long term overlooking shows a high number of recurrences when the treatment is stopped, whereas the chronic treatment has essentially a stabilizing effect on the lesions.