...today's research to satisfy the markets of tomorrow. The New Zealand Society of Animal Production has been the major NZ forum for the presentation of research results on farmed animals including: sheep, cattle, dairy, deer and goats for over 50 year's. Over 520 farmers, farm advisors, veterinarians, scientists and university students are members of the Society.

2008 Contents page

BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Reticulo-rumen growth and papillae development in farmed red deer calves from four to twelve weeks of age

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B.R. THOMPSON, G. HOFSTRA, K.J. HAMMOND, C.G. MACKINTOSH, S.O. HOSKIN, R.P. LITTLEJOHN and D.R. STEVENS

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 68: 47-48

Ruminants are born with an underdeveloped forestomach (Warner et al., 1956) and as such operate as a monogastric animals until the reticulorumen (RR) and omasum have developed. The development of the rumen from birth to weaning has been well studied in dairy cattle (Heinrichs & Lesmeister, 2005), but not farmed red deer. Understanding pre-weaning rumen developmental processes is required for feeding programmes aiming to maximise pre-weaning growth rates of young red deer calves for early venison production. This preliminary study aimed to document the changes in rumen growth and papillae development ...Continued

Keywords: NZSAPAB; red deer; rumen; reticulum; growth; papillae; tissue thickness

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Last modified: 2nd August 2008