Mg. Sams et al., PHYSIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF NEONATAL-MORTALITY IN AN OVERPOPULATED HERD OF WHITE-TAILED DEER, Journal of mammalogy, 77(1), 1996, pp. 179-190
We examined the relationship of development, immunocompetence, and tic
k burdens to neonatal mortality in an overpopulated herd of white-tail
ed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) during 1990-1992 in northeastern Okla
homa. Risk of mortality to 21 days of age was inversely related to bod
y mass, body mass/length(3), delayed hypersensitivity to phytohemagglu
tinin, and serum concentrations of gamma globulin and gamma-glutamyl t
ransferase (GGTP) for young less than or equal to 3days old. Serum GGT
P and gamma-globulin concentrations were the most significant predicto
rs of mortality to 21 days of age using multivariate-logistic regressi
on. Increased probability of mortality was associated with lower serum
gamma globulin and concentrations of GGTP, which suggested that inade
quate absorption of colostrum leads to a partial failure in the passiv
e process of transferring immunity from mother to offspring, and predi
sposes young to mortality agents among high-density herds.