Abstract
Male reproductive tracts were collected from 57 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge during the 1988 and 1989 archery deer seasons. Organ weights and total numbers of spermatozoa present were determined for both testes and epididymides. Among yearling and adult males, the mean weights of testes and epididymides peaked during November and decreased through the end of the collection period in mid-December. Total number of spermatozoa in the tract increased through October, peaked during the last half of November, and decreased through mid- December. No significant difference was found between the mean number of spermatozoa in the tracts of yearling (1.5 years old) and adult ≥ 2.5 years old) males (p= 0.48). Testicular spermatozoa numbers (x 10⁹ ) averaged 2.9 ± 0.5 S.E. and 3.7 ± 0.6 S.E. for yearlings and adults, respectively. The mean number (x 10⁹) ofspermatozoa in the epididymides averaged 8.6 ± 1.1 S.E. and 9.8 ± 1.3 S.E. for yearlings and adults. No spermatozoa were found in the epididymides of 19 fawns sampled. However, low numbers of spermatozoa were present in the testes of 3 (16%) fawns.
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Thomas A. and Johnson, Michael W.
(1990)
"Fecundity of Male White-Tailed Deer on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge,"
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 44, Article 23.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol44/iss1/23
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Bioinformatics Commons, Zoology Commons
