lmmunocontraception in White-Tailed Deer

lmmunocontraception may have management application for white-tailed deer populations in parks and preserves. where hunting 1s illegal or impractical. This study examines physiological aspects of immunocontraception with porcine zonae pellucidae in 53 fertile white-tailed does. In separate studies, we employed protocols of three and two porcine zona pellucida (PZP) injections as well as two different protocols using one injection. Each one-injection vaccination consisted of one dose of porcine zonae pellucidae as in other protocols plus a second controlledrelease dose of the material delivered via an osmotic minipump implant or injected, biodegradable polymer micros~heres. We monitored fawn Droduction for 1 to 3 vears injections. PZP-treated does showing >50 percent of maximal antibody titers at the onset of a breeding season did not produce fawns: those showing <33 percent of maximal titers did. These data demonstrate in white-tailed does that (1) multiple-injection PZP vaccination can produce complete contraception for at least one breeding season, (2) the contraceptive effect is reversible within 2 years in most does, (3) an elevated anti-PZP antibody titer occurs after PZP vaccination, and (4) multiple-injection PZP vaccination produces a sustained antibody response through at least one breeding season. In separate field studies of wild, free-roaming deer in three locations. we successfullv lured does to within dartino n a i obes ano measurea ser-m PZP ant ooay r rers ai range -s ng oat slat ons ~n two locar ons we arrempred Jar 0,s limes after rrealmenl n 15 ranoom v selecleo PZP and acn e/ed remore at! iverv PZP dacc nallon of 60-90 does and in 2 control does. All three-injectibn PZP does percent of does. In the one iocation for which we have data were given a single PZP booster inoculation after 1 year. on fawn production, the fawning incidence was 0110, 619, None of the twoor three-injection does and none of the and 819 for two-and one-injection porcine zonae pellucidae one-injection does with a minipump produced fawns the first and untreated controls, respectively. In the same location, year after treatment, whereas two of seven does given a we monitored seasonal aspects of activity, behavior, and sinole iniection with controlled-release miCr0~Dhere~ ohvstcal condition. We also determined that there is a aood pr&uced fawns. In 49 control-doe breeding seasons, the boiential for remote assessment of pregnancy in does using D00led incidence of fawn ~roduction was 93.8 ~ercent. measurement of ~reanancv-specific elevations of steroid kegarding reversibility of infertility, the incidence of fawn metabolites in fecal samples. Droduction was 75 Dercent within 2 vears after treatment has a scont n-ea Se r~m anr -~Zp'anr ~ o d y r rers #ere