Fertility control offers a potential alternative for controlling an abundance of wild ungulate populations where lethal methods are infeasible or unacceptable. A promising nonsteroidal, nonimmunologic approach to reversible contraception consists of agonist of gonadotropinreleasing hormone (GnRH). We evaluated the effects of the GnRH agonist, leuprolide, on reproduction, the suppression of luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone, blood parameters, and reproductive behavior in captive female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during December 1999 through June 2001. Leuprolide, administered as a controlled release formulation (ATRI-GEL®), was 100% effective in preventing pregnancy for one breeding season. Infertility was achieved by suppressing LH levels, which prevented ovulation and the formation of corpus luteum. Treated females regained normal ovarian function and conceived the following breeding season. Leuprolide had no adverse effects on blood chemistry and hematology, body weight dynamics, or the general health of treated females. In contrast to our predictions, leuprolide did not suppress estrous behavior in female deer during the “normal” breeding period, nor did treated females return to normal ovarian function and exhibit reproductive behaviors during the postbreeding period. This prolonged-release leuprolide formulation offers an alternative approach to reversible contraception in female deer that overcomes some of the problems associated with existing technology.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Endocrinology|
October 01 2004
GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE AGONIST: A NEW APPROACH TO REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION IN FEMALE DEER
Dan L. Baker;
Dan L. Baker
7
1 Colorado Division of Wildlife, Research Center, 317 West Prospect, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA
7 Corresponding author (email: dan.baker@state.co.us)
Search for other works by this author on:
Margaret A. Wild;
Margaret A. Wild
2 National Park Service, Biological Resource Management Division, 1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Mary M. Connor;
Mary M. Connor
3 Department of Forestry, Range, and Wildlife Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Harish B. Ravivarapu;
Harish B. Ravivarapu
4 SuperGen, Inc., 1059 Serpentine Lane, Pleasanton, California 94566, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Richard L. Dunn;
Richard L. Dunn
5 Atrix Laboratories, Inc., 2579 Midpoint Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Terry M. Nett
Terry M. Nett
6 Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
J Wildl Dis (2004) 40 (4): 713–724.
Article history
Received:
December 19 2004
Citation
Dan L. Baker, Margaret A. Wild, Mary M. Connor, Harish B. Ravivarapu, Richard L. Dunn, Terry M. Nett; GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE AGONIST: A NEW APPROACH TO REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION IN FEMALE DEER. J Wildl Dis 1 October 2004; 40 (4): 713–724. doi: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-40.4.713
Download citation file:
Citing articles via
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF HYDRATED LIME ON THE SCAVENGING OF FERAL SWINE (SUS SCROFA) CARCASSES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGING CARCASS-BASED TRANSMISSION OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VIRUS
Courtney F. Bowden, James Grinolds, Gregory Franckowiak, Lorna McCallister, Joseph Halseth, Matthew Cleland, Travis Guerrant, Michael Bodenchuk, Robert Miknis, Michael C. Marlow, Vienna R. Brown
Fatal Systemic Haemosporidiosis in a Free-ranging Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
Deborah L. A. Chong, Brittany McHale, Kayla B. Garrett, Michael J. Yabsley
Tacheng Tick Virus 1 and Songling Virus Infection in Great Gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) in Northwestern China
Na Ji, Nan Wang, Gang Liu, Shanshan Zhao, Zhiqiang Liu, Wenbo Tan, Shiyi Wang, Jinjiang Sheng, Fengshi Li, Yuanzhi Wang
Disease Surveillance of Cougars (Puma concolor) in Utah, USA
Annette Roug, Kristin Engebretsen, Arnaud van Wettere, Julie K. Young
Trypanosoma cruzi Survey in Poached Pichis (Zaedyus pichiy; Mammalia, Cingulata) from Mendoza, Argentina
Melisa E. Morales, Catalina Muñoz-San Martín, Pedro E. Cattan, Mariella Superina