EFFECTS OF BEHAVIOR AND HANDLING ON HEART-RATE IN FARMED RED DEER

The heart rate of farmed red deer hinds was affected by behaviour and handling, and the baseline heart rate changed seasonally. Heart rate w as measured in five red deer during 14 different behaviours throughout the day in October, January and May. Baseline heart rate in May (85 b eats/min) was some 70% higher than in January (50 beats/min). From a m inimum (i.e. baseline) when lying idling, heart rate increased by 15 b eats/min when the animal stood, by 30 beats/min when it walked and by 63 beats/min when it trotted. Head movements resulted in additional ch anges; heart rate increased 2 beats/min if the animal started ruminati ng, 4 beats/min if it started foraging, 6 beats/min if it started groo ming, or 13 beats/min for 'neck-up'. Heart-rate change during routine handling was investigated using 10 deer put through a handling procedu re designed to elucidate the effects of various environmental stimuli. The 'non-motor' increases in heart rate (in beats/min) produced by ha ndling were: visual isolation, 27; approach by familiar person, 12; ap proach by unfamiliar person, 14; noises in the housing area, 14. The e ffect of noises was unexpectedly high and it is suggested that sound-d eadening designs would reduce disturbance to deer maintained indoors.