Effects of an antiandrogen treatment on morphological characters and physiological functions of male fallow deer (Dama dama L.)

From mid‐April to late November, i.e., during antler growth phase and main breeding season, a group of four (later three) male fallow deer was treated with increasing doses of the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate (CA). Throughout the treatment period, plasma testosterone levels of the bucks were either undetectable or only slightly above the detection limit of 0.1 ng/ml. In marked contrast to controls, testicular volumes and neck girths of the CA treated bucks were basal during the application period, proving the strong antigonadotropic effect of CA (testicular volume) and the absence of androgen action at the normal target organs (neck girths), respectively. Antler growth in the CA treated bucks occurred during the normal time span for fallow deer and the antlers produced were of species specific shape. From this it is concluded that in fallow deer, onset, duration, and termination of antler growth are independent of androgen action. Velvet shedding in the CA treated bucks however did not occur at the normal time (late August/early September), but was postponed until late December/early January, i.e., about 5 weeks after the termination of CA application. Activity of alkaline phosphatase in the experimental animals increased during the antler growth phase, but was markedly lower than in controls. Maximum body weight in the CA treated bucks was reached already in June, i.e., about 3 months prior to controls. Furthermore, the rut associated, drastic decline in body weight observed in controls did not occur in the experimental animals. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.