• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2023

Background: Research on the reproductive physiology of Water and Sika deer, an endemic in Korea, still needs to be completed. This study analyzed the ovarian development and morphological characteristics of wild Water deer and Sika deer. Methods: Water deer and Sika deer ovaries were collected from the Korean Peninsula and Russia-Korean Peninsula border during the estrus and pregnancy seasons, respectively. And, morphological and physiological analysis and immunohistochemistry were conducted to confirm the detection of Ca²⁺ and assess the morphological changes in the ovaries. Results: The results of morphological analysis of ovaries during pregnancy and estrus, the development of the corpus luteum and follicles of Water deer showed similar patterns to other mammals. In contrast, the corpus luteum of Sika deer differed in tissue morphology and composition from Water deer. Ca²⁺ related to tissue metabolism was detected in the theca cells zone of Water deer on the estrus and was highly detected in the luteum cells zone during pregnancy. The hormone receptor protein expression patterns were generally higher in the ovaries of Water deer on the estrus and the pregnancy than in Sika deer. The expression of LH receptor was relatively low in the lutein cell zone, unlikely that of Water deer. The expression of VEGF was also different from Water deer, and the response in Sika deer was relatively very low compared to Water deer in expressing all proteins-related development. Conclusions: Therefore, the results of the study were shown that the composition of the corpus luteum of Sika deer is not clear compared to Water deer, and there are many differences in the functional and morphological formation of the corpus luteum.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 2023

Background: Water deer and sika deer, which breed in the wild environment, are known to have similar reproductive physiology mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the differences in uterine development between water deer and sika deer during estrus. Methods: MMPs and uterine development-related factors were analyzed and morphological differences were compared in the uterus of sika deer captured near Russia near Korea and water deer captured in the wild in Korea. Results: In terms of morphological differences in the uterus, the glands that form villus within the endometrium of the water deer were newly developed, and the formation of small glands was high, but the villus and glands of the sika deer were expanded, and the stroma zone in the myometrium was higher than that of the water deer. Development has increased. Additionally, the expression of PAPP-A and VEGF factors was increased in the endometrium of water deer than in sika deer, but the actions of MMPs were increased in sika deer. Conclusions: As a result of this study, there is a significant difference in the development of glands in the endometrium of water deer and sika deer during estrus, and it is believed that there is a significant difference in the development of the uterus due to the physiological effects of estrus between water deer and sika deer. Additionally, it is believed that there will be differences in the timing at which pregnancy can be decided.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2005

Under a typical Mediterranean environment in southern Australia, the evaporation rate increases significantly in hot summers, resulting in highly saline drinking water for grazing animals. Also in the cropping areas, dryland salinity is a problem. Grazing animals under these environments can ingest excessive amount of salt from feed, drinking water and soil, which can lead to a reduction in growth rate. To understand the impact of high salt intake on grazing deer, two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of salt levels in drinking water on feed intake and growth rate of red and fallow weaner deer. The results revealed that fallow deer did not show any abnormal behaviour or sickness when salt level in drinking water was increased from 0% to 2.5%. Feed intake was not affected until the salt content in water exceeded 1.5%. Body weight gain was not affected by 1.2% salt in drinking water, but was reduced as salt content in water increased. Compared with deer on fresh water, the feed intake of red deer on saline water was 11-13% lower when salt level in drinking water was 0.4-0.8%. An increase in salt level in water up to 1% resulted in about a 30% reduction in feed intake (p<0.01). Body weight gain was significantly (p=0.004) reduced when salt level reached 1.2%. The deer on 1% salt tended to have a higher (p=0.052) osmotic pressure in serum. The concentration of P, K, Mg and S in serum was affected when salt level in water was over 1.0%. The results suggested that the salt level in drinking water should be lower than 1.2% for fallow weaner deer and 0.8% for red weaner deer to avoid any reduction in feed intake. Deer farmers need to regularly test the salt levels in drinking water on their farms to ensure that the salt intake of grazing deer is not over the levels that deer can tolerate.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.118-121
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• 2015

The water deer, Hydropotes inermis (Cervidae), is native to China and Korea and has two subspecies of the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis) and Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). To date, only the Korean water deer has been reported in South Korea. In this study, however, an intraspecific phylogeny and haplotype analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I indicated that both Korean and Chinese water deer are found in South Korea. The populations of the two Korean genetic lineages did not show distinct geographic distributions. Further morphological studies on the Korean water deer will be required to confirm its taxonomic status.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2011

The water deer (Hydropotes inermis) is one of the most primitive extant deer of the family Cervidae. Unlike Chinese water deer, Korean water deer have rarely been studied, even though they have relatively well remained in Korea. In particular, the home range of the Korean water deer has not yet been studied. Here we estimated the home range of the Korean water deer using two different methods (GPS and radio tracking) and analyzed the home range according to sex, time, and season. The mean home range size of four individuals was 2.77 $km^2$ and 0.34 $km^2$ under the 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) and the 50% kernel (K) method, respectively. There seemed to be a difference in home range size between males (3.30 $km^2$) and females (2.25 $km^2$) under the 95% MCP method. We also found a difference in home range size between day (1.90 $km^2$) and night (2.43 $km^2$) by 95% MCP method. In addition, a home range size difference was observed between summer (4.65 $km^2$) and spring (0.48 $km^2$) or fall (0.85 $km^2$) using the 95% MCP method. Water deer seemed to have a larger home range in night than in day, and males also have a larger home range. We presumed that the GPS tracking method of the code division multiple access system could be a very useful tool for understanding the ecology of the water deer using the radio tracking method. Using these tracking methods and through future research, we can better understand the habitat use pattern of these water deer.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.59-62
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• 2009

Susceptibility to chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervid species has been associated with polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP). The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the PRNP of the Korean subspecies of Chinese water deer via analyses of the DNA sequences obtained from 34 individual deer. Two SNPs were detected at codons 77 and 100. One SNP at codon 77 encoding Glycine was determined to be a silent mutation but the other SNP detected at codon 100 induced an amino acid change, from Asparagine to Serine. The prion protein (PrP) amino acid sequence of the water deer showed 98.8-99.2% homology with those of American elk, white-tailed deer and mule deer. The PrP of the water deer contained amino acid residues closely related with CWD-susceptibility. This study is the first to describe genetic variations in the PRNP of the Korean subspecies of Chinese water deer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.638-642
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• 2004

In Australia, many cropping areas are affected by salt. In these regions, Chenopodiaceous plants, such as Atriplex, Kochia and Bassia spp have been planted to improve soil conditions. These plants have become invaluable feed resources for grazing animals in dry summers, but have a high sodium content. To assess the impact of high salt intake on grazing deer, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment used 30 fallow weaner deer to examine the effect of salt level in the diet on feed intake, water intake and body weight of fallow deer. Salt was added to lucerne chaff at 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6% and fresh water was offered all the time. Increasing the salt level in the diet from 0 to 6% didn't affect feed intake, osmotic pressure and mineral concentration in blood of fallow deer. However, water intake was significantly higher (p<0.05) in deer fed diets containing more than 3% salt. Body weight was lower (p${\leq}$0.056) for fallow deer in July and August when salt content was over 3%, suggesting they can ingest over 15 g sodium/day without significant depression in both feed intake and growth rate if the fresh water is available. In the second experiment, 18 red weaner deer were fed lucerne chaff diets containing 1.5, 4.5 and 6.0% salt with 6 deer/diet. The results revealed that feed intake and blood osmotic pressure were similar (p>0.05) for red deer fed different levels of salt although the feed intake declined from 1.91 to 1.67 kg with the increase of salt level from 1.5% to 6.0% in the diet. Water intake was significantly higher for deer fed diets containing over 4.5% salt, but there was no difference in body weight during the experiment. However, no recommendation can be made on the salt tolerance of red deer due to limited increment of salt level in the diet.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 2010

Deer can be one of the susceptible animals to bovine infectious diseases, and thus, may play a role either as a reservoir or amplifier host for spreading the diseases to other species such as cattle and goat. This study was conducted to determine the serum antibodies to bacterial infectious diseases for brucellosis, tuberculosis (TB), paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in deer. Serum samples were randomly collected from 78 deer from 31 farms at Jeonbuk province, and 7 wild water deer from Jeonbuk wild animal treatment center during 2005 to 2007, respectively. Four farm deer (5.1%) showed antibodies to tuberculosis using Antigen Rapid Bovine TB Ab Test Kit. One elk (1.3%) and one wild water deer had antibodies for paratuberculosis. Antibody against Brucellosis was not detected in tube agglutination test (TAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These data suggest that caution should be applied to inspection of velvet, deer blood and meat for human consumption from deer because of zoonotic bacterial diseases in deer. In addition, farmed deer can be a transmissible host for zoonotic disease to diary or raising farm.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.359-362
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• 2015

A Korean water deer was rescued after being hit by a motor vehicle. Clinical and radiographic examination revealed a grade III open fracture of the right metacarpus with severe soft tissue injury. The water deer underwent closed reduction of the fracture, which was stabilized by the application of the Ilizarov method of 4-ring circular external skeletal fixation (CESF) as a minimally invasive technique. The water deer was successfully released into the wild. CESF was advantageous for the stabilization of open comminuted fracture and the management of a severely contaminated wound in a Korean water deer. CESF can be used successfully in wild deer with good tolerance and minimal complications.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.891-895
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• 2008

Natural substances have recently received much attention as therapeutic drugs to prevent many diseases in humans because they avoid the many side effects of treatment with chemical compounds. We examined the effect of water extract of deer antler in RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation. The effects of water extract of deer antler in osteoclast differentiation were determined by culture of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). The mRNA expression levels of c-Fos, NFATc1, TRAP, and GAPDH in BMMs were analyzed by RT-PCR. Cell lysates were obtained from the treated cells, the expression levels of c-Fos and NFATc1 were determined by western blotting with antibodies for c-Fos and NFATc1. Water extract of deer antler greatly inhibited RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation in osteoclast precursors without cytotoxicity. Water extract of deer antler inhibited the expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 in BMMs treated with RANKL. Our findings suggest that water extract of deer antler inhibited osteoclast differentiation by suppressing c-Fos and NFATc1 expression in response to RANKL. These results demonstrate that water extract of deer antler may be a useful the treatment of bone-related disease such as osteoporosis.