Bioactive components of velvet antlers and their pharmacological properties

The voluntary food intake of farm animals

Stags are susceptible to the effects of nutrition at several stages during their lives and during the antler cycle. Nutrition during the in utero, post-natal (suckling) and yearling stages influences the size of spike antlers, and, generally, there is a close relationship between bodyweight and antler weight in stags aged up to 5 years. While antler size is not greatly affected by nutrition during the growth of immature (velvet) antler, it is influenced by body size and condition at casting, i.e. at the beginning of new antler growth. Antler growth appears to have a high priority for nutrients, especially energy, protein and calcium. Antler growth in adult stags is little affected by diet protein concentrations over 7%, but supplements of protected protein or methionine may improve antler growth. Substantial amounts of calcium and phosphorus are sequestered in antlers as they become mineralised, and calcium is withdrawn from the skeleton in support of this. Feeding programs to obtain good antler growth involve recognising the periods when juvenile stags are susceptible to under-nutrition, and providing sufficient nutrients to re-establish adequate body condition in adult stags between the end of the rut and antler casting.

Nutrition of antler growth in deer

The quantitative requirements of deer for energy, protein and water are reviewed, using where possible a factorial approach to defining requirements. Deer may be more efficient than cattle and sheep in metabolising digested energy and in utilising metabolisable energy as a source of net energy. The average net energy requirement for maintenance (NEm) of adult, non-lactating deer in winter–spring is 0.39 MJ/W (kg)0.75 per day. Temperate species have a higher requirement in summer–autumn, and tropical species in a subtropical environment have a greater requirement in winter. NEm declines with age, and is increased in lactating females. Diet protein contents that are reported to be adequate for maintenance and production are ~4–9% and 16–22%, respectively. It is difficult to use a factorial approach to describe deer protein requirements because of a lack of information on basal endogenous N excretion rates, the outflow of metabolisable protein from the rumen and the efficiencies of utilisation of metabolisable protein. Differences in digestive function between deer and other ruminants mean that data for cattle and sheep may not be applicable to deer. Guides to drinking water consumption by deer are a water  : dry matter intake ratio of ~3.5 : 1 and 139 g drinking water/W (kg)0.75 per day; but ambient temperature, physiological state and diet composition greatly affect water requirements. The salinity tolerances of cervine and rusine deer and of fallow deer are ~8000 and 12 000 mg/kg drinking water, respectively.

Quantitative nutrition of deer: energy, protein and water

Effect of antler growth period on the chemical composition of velvet antler in sika deer (Cervus nippon)

OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to investigate the supplementary effect of a phytogenic blend (SPA: a mixture containing fermented Schisandra chinensis pomace, fermented Pinus densiflora needle extract, and Allium tuberosum powder in the ratio of 2:2:1) on egg production, egg quality, blood constituents, and visceral organs in laying hens. METHODS A total of 135 Hy-line brown laying hens (48-wk-old) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments with 5 replicates of 9 hens. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet (no exogenous SPA addition) and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet containing SPA at the level of 0.1% and 0.3% for 6 weeks. RESULTS The feed intake was significantly improved in SPA supplemented groups as compared with the control (p 0.05). For egg quality traits, only Haugh unit (HU) was significantly improved in SPA (0.3%) (p 0.05). Furthermore, SPA supplementation did not affect the blood biochemical constituents except for the phosphate content, which was significantly higher in SPA groups than the CON group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in visceral organ characteristics and immune indicators (immunoglobulin A [IgA], IgG, and IgM) in SPA or CON groups. CONCLUSION This study suggested that the supplementation of SPA may have beneficial effects on feed intake and egg quality in laying hens.

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Effect of dietary supplementation of a phytogenic blend containing Schisandra chinensis, Pinus densiflora, and Allium tuberosum on productivity, egg quality, and health parameters in laying hens.

The aim of this study was to provide basic information to allow improved nutritional management for velvet production by investigating the effects of dietary protein levels on dry matter intake and production and chemical composition of velvet antler in spotted deer (Cervus nippon). Twenty-four spotted deer stags were assigned to 4 unreplicated groups, Control (15% CP in diet, higher dry matter), CP10 (10% CP), CP15 (15% CP) and CP20 (20% CP). The velvet antlers were harvested from each stag on the 55th day after casting of the buttons from the previous set, measured for their size and weight, and the chemical composition of each antler was determined in three sections (top, middle, and base). Dry matter (DMI) and crude protein (CPI) intake were highest (p<0.05) for the Control and increased progressively (p<0.05) with increasing dietary protein level. Although not significant, mean length and girth of the main antler beam tended to be larger in either left or right beam with increasing protein level in the diet, longest in CP20 and shortest in CP10. Velvet antler production was lowest in CP10 and highest in CP20, which differed significantly (p<0.05). Only negligible differences were found between groups in chemical composition. It is concluded that dietary protein clearly influenced dry matter intake and velvet antler production, whereas there was comparatively little effect of dietary protein on chemical composition of antler in

Effects of Dietary Protein Level on Dry Matter Intake, and Production and Chemical Composition of Velvet Antler in Spotted Deer Fed Forest By-product Silage*

This study aimed to provide basic information as the foundation for further studies on the assessment of velvet antler quality by investigating the changes in fatty acid, vitamin A and E, minerals and GAGs contents by development stage of antler in spotted deer (Cervus nippon). Twelve stags (aged 4 to 5 years) were divided into two groups and velvet antler harvested 40 days (FDG) and 60 days (SDG) after casting of the buttons from the previous set. Total saturated fatty acid was lower in FDG than SDG (p<0.05). Total monounsaturated fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid (p<0.05), polyunsaturated fatty acid and ω3 fatty acid were higher in FDG than SDG. The vitamin A content of FDG was higher than that of SDG, but the vitamin E content of FDG was lower than that of SDG (p<0.05). SDG had significantly higher calcium and phosphate content than FDG (p<0.05). The magnesium content showed a similar trend to the contents of calcium and phosphate, but there was no significant difference between SDG and FDG. Uronic acid content was higher in FDG than SDG but there was no significant difference. The contents of GAGs and sialic acid were significantly higher (p<0.05) in FDG than SDG. These results indicated that the longer stage of antler development had lower content of activating components and this lead to a decrease of antler quality.

Effects of antler development stage on fatty acid, vitamin and GAGs contents of velvet antler in spotted deer (Cervus nippon)

Serum biochemical values were measured in blood samples collected from 8 fasted stags from both jugular and femoral veins at 18-day intervals during antler growth Samples were analyzed for blood substrate, enzyme activity values, minerals and electrolyte There were no significant differences in total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, triglyceride, glucose or cholesterol concentration between veins or sampling dates However, total-bilirubin concentration in the jugular vein on the casting date was three times higher than on the other sampling dates (p<005) There were no significant differences in alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase with progressing antler growth The highest level of alkaline phosphatase concentration was on day 55 after casting There were no significant differences in inorganic phosphorus, sodium and chloride concentration between jugular and femoral samples Calcium concentration was significantly higher in the femoral vein on the cutting date (55 day) than in the jugular vein (p<005) There were few changes in serum biochemical values However, some electrolytes and minerals had differences during antler growth It is suggested that despite such a big event as antler growth, blood biochemical values are not variable if feeding conditions are consistently maintained as was the case in this study

Serum Biochemical Values during Antler Growth in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

The aim of this study was to provide basic information to allow improved feeding management for velvet antler production by investigating the effects of dietary protein level on production and chemical composition of velvet antler in spotted deer (Cervus nippon ). Eighteen male spotted deer of 5~6 years old were assigned to 3 unreplicated groups by production record of the previous year. Deer were fed on experimental diets at different protein level of 10% (T1), 15% (T2) and 20% (T3). Dry matter intake, crude protein intake and daily gain were increased with increasing the protein level in diets and there were significant differences (P<0.05) between groups. Although not significant, mean length of main beam tended to be longer in either left or right beam with increasing the protein level, and in girth at part of base of main beam, it was a similar pattern to the result of length. The velvet antler production was affected by dietary protein level and thus that was the smallest in T1 and the largest in T3 (P<0.05). The content of crude protein in velvet antler was higher in T1 than in T3, whereas the content of crude ash in velvet antler was contrast to that of crude protein, however, there were no significant differences. (Key words : Chemical composition, Deer, Protein level, Velvet antler production)

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S. H. Moon

Papers

Effect of dietary supplementation of a phytogenic blend containing Schisandra chinensis, Pinus densiflora, and Allium tuberosum on productivity, egg quality, and health parameters in laying hens.

Effects of Dietary Protein Level on Dry Matter Intake, and Production and Chemical Composition of Velvet Antler in Spotted Deer Fed Forest By-product Silage*

Effects of antler development stage on fatty acid, vitamin and GAGs contents of velvet antler in spotted deer (Cervus nippon)

Serum Biochemical Values during Antler Growth in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

Effects of Dietary Protein Level on Production and Chemical Composition of Velvet Antler in Spotted Deer (Cervus nippon)