How long can a doe hold off her gestation period?
04-05-2004, 07:19 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Da Burbs in North Rockland
Posts: 531
How long can a doe hold off her gestation period?
i was told that a doe can hold off her gestation period if she isnt healthy to insure a healthy fawn... Now with the does getting ready to drop their fawns soon this month, this question popped into my head.....
04-05-2004, 11:44 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 3,406
RE: How long can a doe hold off her gestation period?
I would be very suprised if a doe can hold off coming into season. Nature has a way of taking care of that after the fact. If a doe is unhealthy and cannot support bringing a fawn to full term, she will probably abort, especially if her own health is jeopardized.
04-05-2004, 12:32 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 947
RE: How long can a doe hold off her gestation period?
Fawns won't come into heat until they are strong and healthy enough to carry a healthy baby. Gestation period (210 days) is the length of time it takes from the time of conception until birth. I've never heard of them holding back the birth because of health reasons.
04-08-2004, 11:08 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bonnots Mill Missouri USA
Posts: 237
RE: How long can a doe hold off her gestation period?
Not intentially can a doe delay coming into estrus or giving birth to any degree. At least not to my knowledge. I have extensive agriculture reproduction background, but not deer in specific.
If the doe is not healthy, it may have estrus delayed, reduce the number of eggs ovulated or may not come into estrus at all. The body's priorities are remaining alive and growing into maturity. After that, energy will be spent for reproduction and other physiological items. So if the deer is in really poor physical condition, it will not spend it's limited energy for reproduction. If the doe is healthy, hormones will controll the estrus process and the deer itself will not be able to control them any more then a woman can control her ovulation time or menustration cycle. Almost all mamals lack the capacity to store semen as well, so fertilization of the egg must occur within a few hours of mating if it will occur at all.
As far as the birthing process is concern, the fetus actually signals the start of the process. After the process has start, the doe itself can delay birthing by only a few hours at the most.
If the doe is not healthy, it may have estrus delayed, reduce the number of eggs ovulated or may not come into estrus at all. The body's priorities are remaining alive and growing into maturity. After that, energy will be spent for reproduction and other physiological items. So if the deer is in really poor physical condition, it will not spend it's limited energy for reproduction. If the doe is healthy, hormones will controll the estrus process and the deer itself will not be able to control them any more then a woman can control her ovulation time or menustration cycle. Almost all mamals lack the capacity to store semen as well, so fertilization of the egg must occur within a few hours of mating if it will occur at all.
As far as the birthing process is concern, the fetus actually signals the start of the process. After the process has start, the doe itself can delay birthing by only a few hours at the most.
