RED DEER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 10

RED DEER.

MALFORMED HEADS. .- • : REI'ORT CY;^R,..J.:A. I GILRUTH. ' .-! tuy TELEGRAPH—*PitESR 'ASSOCIATION.} ■ .Clirlstohurcli, February 16. Some time ago a number of specimens' of malformed heads' of red deer/stags from the: Aortb Otago herd .wore, submitted;'to. Pro-' fessor J. A. G.iirutly lute Chief Government Veterinarian,- and his report upon them has just been received .by Mr.'K.vflardcastlo, ofthis city. As: only a' ; smalL,.portion' of the skull , was>,brought in by the. iiien'.who .. shot tho stags, Professor Gilruth'was unable to make a complete examination as to the causes; of the malformation. Jhe .fourteen' specimens examined wero grouped by j,j m as follows:— » ■ . < -

(1) •. Variations' solely confined io tho horns, —two examples. . ; • Y ariafclon ' abiiorrail ne'tllclo (the projection upon tho Skull upon *> . . . e horn grows) without any evidence of ■ 111J ui'y whatever —four examples. • •..(?) Variation bf horn associated with abnormal jiedicle at. the base of which there is some evidence of. possible, but not always definite, injury—six examples.- •. • (4) Conmlete break ot the pedicle shaft duo to definite injury—'three' examples (but one is placed in group three). ' . . It'may be'mentioned that the numbers of ; examples in , groups three and four do not form the average proportion 'of such cases'; biit in obtaining specimens for. Professor Gilruth from the. Hawea Deerstalkers' Association, Mr.'Hardeastlo asked, that the selection should be made'from those which ivas considered "would establish the .accident theory, and the heads Were selected ' from about 150- malformed and weedy heads'that had been shot in tho Hawea : 'district. last j;* Br : • 11)0 two. with fractured pedicles were specially asked for in order. to ascertain whether tho horns had been renewed since the ill] ury. of which upon, examination there is complete .evidence. Professor-Gilrutlrde-scrines each' specimen; and in. liisireport 'he ; . points out that all the malformed antlers' .with tlie exception of' two,'liire - associated with some altered condition of tho pcdiclc:' Ino-altered direction of some of the pedicles is not. due to fracture, and complete fracturo: in two cases-has not induced. material. alteration in the development of the- corresponding horns. While innutrition would account for'tho poor development of horn, it would not account for one horri being well developed and tile-other. malformed, nor for the weight of' the. horn .with malformation of shape. Accident to the growing horn's Mr. Gilruth does not consider operates, as they are composed of bone and not of true horn. Tho malformation of the pedicle in .cases where there is lio definite or doubtful injury can only be explained ..by'.assuming a congenital defect, and suclu defective - pedicles \w_ould, 'produce defective horns. Each' successive year stags-with defective or malformed pedicles and horns would be liable -to transmit the tendency to their offspring to a certain extent, that is, a proportion of their male offspring iVou'ld develop similar malformations. In 'conclusion) Mr.' Gilruth says that while more complete specimens require to b& examined before: the' question of these malformations can be entirely : elucidated and '.'set: atrest; it, is evident "that some are congenital; in • origin, and it W hqves all-interested to take , steps ,to : weed 'diit stags showing aberrant horns ;in any degree. Endeavoprs should be made, to secure their heads. and, further/ it would bo of great value if one or two of these stags could bc'.sccured alive and kept under super-, vision, ; so that the development of successive • crops of antlers could be. watched.. -