Walker I H, Wilson P R, Beckett S D
Hawkes Bay Veterinary Services, PO Box 503, Waipukurau, New Zealand.
N Z Vet J. 2002 Oct;50(5):177-81. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2002.36307.
To investigate whether copper supplementation to rising 2-year-old red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) in winter and/or spring improved velvet antler weight, grade and financial value, and liveweight gain.
Rising 2-year-old red deer stags (n=142) on a commercial deer farm in Hawke's Bay were allocated to two groups on May 14, 1996. One group received 20 g boluses of copper-oxide wire particles. On August 15 each group was reallocated in a crossover design, each sub-group receiving either the same copper-oxide treatment or no treatment, to produce control, winter-only, winter-plus-spring, and spring-only copper treatment groups. Blood samples were collected for serum ferroxidase measurements from seven deer per group and all deer were weighed at 4-6-week intervals. Dates of antler casting and velvet removal, and velvet antler weight and grade were recorded, and the financial value of velvet calculated. Livers from a sample of deer slaughtered at the end of the trial mid-December were analysed to determine copper content.
Supplementation with copper did not significantly alter velvet antler weight, daily velvet antler growth rate, days from casting to removal, grade or value, or stag liveweight gain. Serum ferroxidase concentrations averaged 10.0-23.7 IU/l in control deer. Copper supplementation increased mean serum ferroxidase concentrations by approximately 10 IU/l. Mean liver copper concentration in control deer was 99 micromol/kg and ranged from 194 to 386 micromol/kg in the three treated groups.
Group mean serum ferroxidase concentrations of 10 IU/l and above are adequate for optimum velvet production and liveweight gain in rising 2-year-old stags.
研究在冬季和/或春季对两岁龄生长阶段的马鹿（ Cervus elaphus ）补充铜是否能提高鹿茸重量、等级和经济价值以及体重增加。
1996年5月14日，将霍克湾一个商业养鹿场的两岁龄生长阶段的马鹿（n = 142）分为两组。一组接受20克氧化铜丝颗粒大丸剂。8月15日，每组采用交叉设计重新分配，每个亚组接受相同的氧化铜处理或不处理，以产生对照组、仅冬季处理组、冬季加春季处理组和仅春季处理组。从每组七只鹿采集血样进行血清铁氧化酶测量，所有鹿每隔4 - 6周称重。记录鹿茸脱落和鹿茸采收日期、鹿茸重量和等级，并计算鹿茸的经济价值。对12月中旬试验结束时宰杀的一组鹿的肝脏进行分析以确定铜含量。
补充铜并未显著改变鹿茸重量、鹿茸每日生长速率、从脱角到采收的天数、等级或价值，也未改变雄鹿体重增加。对照组鹿的血清铁氧化酶浓度平均为10.0 - 23.7 IU/l。补充铜使平均血清铁氧化酶浓度增加了约10 IU/l。对照组鹿的肝脏平均铜浓度为99微摩尔/千克，三个处理组的铜浓度范围为194至386微摩尔/千克。
两岁龄生长阶段的雄鹿，血清铁氧化酶浓度达到10 IU/l及以上的组平均值足以实现最佳鹿茸生产和体重增加。
