Welcome to the
Roe Deer Research Group
The female European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) exhibits the reproductive strategy of delayed implantation. The objectives of this research is to more fully understand this phenomena. By understanding reproduction in the roe deer, the long-term future of this beautiful animal is assured
Click here to read about
Reproduction in the female roe
deer
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For detailed information on roe deer ecology go to
The
Ecology of the European Roe Deer
For
Photos of European Roe Deer Click here
For sources of
information about the ecology of all British deer
species try
these Links:
If you are considering zoology as a career contact Zoology, University of Aberdeen
UNIQUE PROTEIN FOUND IN ROE DEER EMBRYOS
Reproduction in female European roe deer has
been a bit of a mystery for over 200 years. She has not given up her secrets
easily. The roe deer has the reproductive strategy of embryonic diapause (delayed implantation), the rut takes place in
late July or early August and she gives birth the following late May or early
June. Between the time of the rut and late December the embryo remains
at about the 30-cell stage and is in a state of diapause. The embryo (biologically known as a blastocyst at this developmental stage) is
tiny, less than 1mm in diameter, during the period of embryonic diapause.
In late December or early January the blastocyst reactivates, grows rapidly and forms a placental
attachment to the mother and normal fetal growth
follows. What no one knew was what triggered the embryo to reactivate, as roe
does do not have any of the usual hormonal signals associated with the end of
the period of embryonic diapause found in other
mammals.
By using the latest scientific techniques
(similar to DNA sequencing) the Department of Zoology at the
A puzzle resolved and as always the European
roe deer does it differently than any other mammal. It is indeed a unique
animal.
To see what a reactivating roe deer blastocyst
looks like go to Embryo
Reactivation
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Roe Deer Research Group
____________________________
Vol: 51: 1
2005
A
pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) unique to the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and
its
role in the termination of embryonic diapause and
maternal recognition of pregnancy
Roger T Lambert
6th
European Roe Deer Meeting
Biology Department,
A pregnancy associated
glycoprotein (PAG) unique to the roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus) and its role in the termination of
embryonic diapause and maternal recognition of
pregnancy
Roger T. Lambert1,
Paul A. Racey1and Cheryl J. Ashworth2
1Department of
Zoology,
2Department of
Applied Physiology, Scottish Agricultural College, Bucksburn
The pre-oestrus signal, variations in pregnancy length and photoperiod
manipulation of pregnant roe deer does (Capreolus capreolus)
Roger T. Lambert1,
Paul A. Racey1and Cheryl J. Ashworth2
1Department of
Zoology,
2Department of
Applied Physiology, Scottish Agricultural College, Bucksburn
Journal
of
REPRODUCTION
Vol. 121:6 2001
Temporal
changes in reproductive hormones and conceptus-endometrial
interactions during embryonic diapause and
reactivation of the blastocyst in European roe
deer (Capreolus capreolus)
R.T. Lambert1, 2, C.J. Ashworth2, L. Beattie2, F.E. Gebbie 3,
J.S.M. Hutchinson 4,
D.J. Kyle2 and P.A. Racey 1
1Department of Zoology, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
2 Rowett Research
Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB21 9SB, UK
3 Department of Applied Physiology, Scottish
Agricultural College, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen,
AB21 9YA, UK
4Department of Agriculture, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA,
Reproduction(2001) 121:6 pp 863-871ISSN 1470-1626
(c) 2001 Journals
of Reproduction and Fertility
Click to Read Abstract You can also download the complete article as a pdf file CLICK to go to download page
_________________________
5th European Roe Deer Meeting
Instituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, Tredozio, Italy, 24
– 27 April 2001
Embryonic Diapause
in Roe Deer: The physiology and endocrinology of the pregnant roe deer between
the period of late embryonic diapause and early fetal growth.
R.T. Lambert ,
C.J. Ashworth , L. Beattie , F.E. Gebbie ,
J.S.M. Hutchinson , D.J. Kyle and P.A. Racey
___________________________
Society for the Study of Fertility and
Deutsche Gesellschaft Zum Studien Der
Fertilitat Und Sterilitat
Joint Winter Meeting 1998
17th-19th December 1998 at
Temporal changes in reproductive hormones during embryonic diapause and reactivation of the blastocyst in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
RT Lambert, CJ Ashworth, L Beattie, FE Gebbie, JSM Hutchinson, DJ Kyle andPA Racey.
Abstract published 1998, Journal of Reproduction and
Fertility, 22: 33.
ISSN:0954-0725
Further Publications
Lambert, Roger, 2005 The European roe deer: a unique mammal, Mammal News No. 141
Lambert, Roger, 2004 Reproduction in
European roe deer, Deer Vol:13 No.4
Lambert, Roger, 2000 Variation
in pregnancy length in the European roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus)Deer Vol.11, No.8: 415-416 ISSN 0141 4259
Lambert, Roger, 1999 Reproduction in roe deer.
BBC Wildlife,
Vol.15: No. 5
ISSN 0265-3656. BBC
Nature
Lambert, Roger, 1999 Monoestry in the European roe deer and Are pregnant roe kids an illusion? Deer Vol.11, No.2: 67-69 ISSN 0141-4259
Lambert, Roger, 1999 The 4th International Biology of Deer Congress (Oral Paper:
Temporal changes in reproductive hormones and conceptus-endometrial
interactions during delayed implantation in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
Deer Vol.11,
No 1: 9-11 ISSN 0141-4259
Lambert, Roger, 1998 Maternal behaviour in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) Deer Vol.10, No.10: 613-615 ISSN 0141-4529
Lambert, R. T. et al 1998 Temporal changes in reproductive hormones and conceptus-endometrial interactions during delayed
implantation in the European roe deer
4th International Deer Biology Congress, Pannon University of Agriculture Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár, Hungary, 30 June - 4 July 1998
Published 1999.- In: Z. Zomborszky (ed.) Advances
in Deer Biology, pp
136-139 ISBN: 963-9096-53-9
Research supported by the British
Deer Society
and the University of Aberdeen
The
animals in this study were under veterinary supervision and the greatest care
was taken to ensure no animal was harmed in any way and that their welfare was
of the utmost importance
Contact us at info@roedeer.org.uk