Experiments on Starvation and Recovery of Mule Deer Does

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The hypothesis that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) subjected to a short period of starvation would exhibit better survival after feeding than deer starved presumably nearly to death was tested. No starved deer died after feeding resumed. Attempts to synchronize condition of starving deer to produce a group close to death at resumption of feeding were unsuccessful. Free-ranging deer starving in winter probably lack synchrony of declining physical condition also. Supplemental feeding can probably save a portion of the herd not already close to death. Comparison of blood parameters for nonstarved deer, starved deer and deer dying of starvation for 2 trials indicated that: deer catabolize stored fat and muscle protein during starvation, and increased catabolism of muscle protein as fat stores are depleted results in impaired gluconeogenesis and deer in this hypoglycemic state succumb to starvation.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: