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Author Turner, J.W.J.; Kirkpatrick, J.F.
Title Androgens, behaviour and fertility control in feral stallions Type Journal Article
Year 1982 Publication Journal of reproduction and fertility. Supplement Abbreviated Journal J Reprod Fertil Suppl
Volume 32 Issue Pages 79-87
Keywords Animals; Animals, Wild; Copulation/drug effects; Female; *Fertility/drug effects; Horses/*physiology; Male; Periodicity; Pregnancy; Seasons; *Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects; Sexual Maturation; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility/drug effects; Testosterone/*blood/pharmacology
Abstract This field study of feral stallions in Montana and Idaho examines and correlates the seasonal pattern of plasma androgens and specific sociosexual behaviour and reports the effect of a long-acting androgenic steroid on this behaviour and on fertility. Plasma testosterone was measured by competitive protein binding assay in samples obtained by jugular venepuncture from captured animals. In samples taken from 34 sexually mature stallions in 6 different months during the year, a definite seasonal pattern in testosterone was present, with a peak in May (3.04 +/- 0.63 ng/ml) and a nadir in December (1.55 +/- 0.34 ng/ml). Values were less than 2.0 ng/ml in non-breeding months and greater than 2.4 ng/ml in breeding months. Behavioural endpoints measured were (1) stallion scent marking in response to elimination by mares (elimination marking), (2) mounting and (3) copulation. The frequencies of each of these endpoints followed closely the seasonal pattern seen for plasma androgens. In the fertility study microcapsulated testosterone propionate (microTP) was administered i.m. to 10 harem stud stallions 3 months before the 1980 breeding season. In these stallions and in 10 control harem studs, the above behavioural endpoints were examined in the 1980 and 1981 breeding seasons, and foal counts were made in 1981. There were no direct inhibitory or stimulatory effects of microTP treatment on any of the behavioural endpoints in either year. In 1981 foals were produced in 87.5% of the control bands and 28.4% of the microTP-treated bands. These results indicate that microencapsulated testosterone propionate can provide effective fertility control in feral horses without causing significant alterations in sociosexual behaviour.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0449-3087 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes (up) PMID:6962905 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 138
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Author Klingel, H.
Title Social organization of feral horses Type Journal Article
Year 1982 Publication Journal of Reproduction and Fertility. Supplement Abbreviated Journal J Reprod Fertil Suppl
Volume 32 Issue Pages 89-95
Keywords Animals; Animals, Wild; Female; Horses/*physiology; Male; Sexual Behavior, Animal; *Social Behavior; Territoriality
Abstract The basic social unit in feral horses is the family group consisting of one stallion, one to a few unrelated mares and their foals. Surplus stallions associate in bachelor groups. Stallions are instrumental in bringing mares together in a unit which then persists even without a stallion. The similarity of social organization in populations living in a variety of different habitats indicates that feral horses have reverted to the habits of their wild ancestors, and that domestication has had no influence on this basic behavioural feature.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0449-3087 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes (up) PMID:6962906 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 1958
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Turner, J.W.J.; Liu, I.K.; Kirkpatrick, J.F.
Title Remotely delivered immunocontraception in free-roaming feral burros (Equus asinus) Type Journal Article
Year 1996 Publication Journal of reproduction and fertility Abbreviated Journal J Reprod Fertil
Volume 107 Issue 1 Pages 31-35
Keywords Animals; *Animals, Wild; Contraception, Immunologic/methods/*veterinary; *Equidae; Feces/chemistry; Female; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Tests; Swine; Zona Pellucida/immunology
Abstract Regulation of local overpopulations of free-roaming feral equids is in demand worldwide for ecological balance and habitat preservation. Contraceptive vaccines have proven effective in feral horses, which breed seasonally, but no data are available for equids such as the burro, which is reproductively active all year round. In the present study, 27 individually identified female feral burros (Equus asinus) roaming free in Virgin Islands National Park (St John, US Virgin Islands; Lesser Antilles) were remotely treated with pig zonae pellucidae (PZP) vaccine. Between January and May, 16 burros were darted with a 1 ml emulsion of PZP plus Freund's adjuvant. Ten to twelve months later each treated burro was given a single booster injection of PZP plus adjuvant to maintain contraception through a second year. Eleven adult untreated jennies served as controls. Beginning one year after initial vaccination, these burros were monitored for pregnancy and foal production. Collection of data to determine treatment effect was not begun until 12 months after initial treatment to ensure that pregnancies existing before vaccination were not included. Pregnancy was assessed using previously validated methods for steroid metabolite measurement in fresh faecal samples. None of the PZP-treated burros produced foals between 0 and 12 months after the last inoculation. One PZP-treated burro tested positive for pregnancy at 10 months after the final inoculation. During this same period, six of 11 untreated burros tested pregnancy-positive, and four were observed with foals. There was no difference in pregnancy rates among treated, control and randomly sampled jennies between 12 and 24 months after the last inoculation. The results demonstrate that, in free-roaming feral burros that are reproductively active all year round: (1) burros can be accessed for remotely delivered PZP vaccination; (2) PZP contraception is effective; (3) PZP contraception is reversible; and (4) pregnancy can be reliably detected by faecal steroid analysis.
Address Department of Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699, USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-4251 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes (up) PMID:8699431 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 144
Permanent link to this record