INVESTIGATION ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PARASITIC INFESTATION OF DEER AT RAMSAGAR NATIONAL PARK, DINAJPUR

Abstract

In this study the feeds and feeding, birth, death, breeding and reproduction profile and herd management of spotted deer were investigated in captive condition at Ramsagar National Park of Bangladesh. A total of 48 deer (16 male and 32 female) were studied during January to June, 2017, among 48 deer, 12(25%), 20(41.67%) and 16(33.33%) deer were in good, fair and bad condition respectively. The body condition with the age showed significant difference (P<0.05). The amount of DM and CP were 1.30kg/day and 14.5% respectively. The average birth weight, height and length were 2.28±0.04kg, 0.42±0.006m and 0.45±0.009m respectively. The average estrous length, gestation length and age at first fawning were 19.60±0.340 days, 226.60±0.702 days and 23.60±0.306 months respectively, the birth rate (78.96%) was higher than the mortality rate (27.22%). It was also observed that congenital anomalies such as paralysis (8.33%), blindness (6.25%), shortening of lower jaw (6.25%) and death of fawn immediately after birth (12.5%) were developed due to inbreeding which became a great problem for their rearing. The prevalence of parasitic infestation in relation to age and sex was also studied and observed that <2 years 5(41.67%), 2-6 years 12(54.55%) and >6 years 8(57.14%) deer and 9(56.25%) male deer and 16(50%) female deer were affected with Ascaris sp., hook worm and lice. During this study some problems related to feeding, breeding and management practices were also identified which should be recovered for the growth, rearing and survival of these deer.