Quick Dips

A Summer Full of Science

Hard work but good experience, is how nine Otago University students saw an AgResearch Summer Bursary Scheme, with projects ranging from laboratory rearing native weevils to studying deer behaviour.

AgResearch funds several students for a ten-week study programme each year on the scheme, and organiser Richard McNamara believes it benefits everyone.

"It gives the students the opportunity [...] to work alongside those at the forefront of research, learning the practicalities of trial work, and having the chance to present results in a report and seminar format that's different to the university exam format," he says.

It also allows AgResearch to run projects that would either not be done, or would be carried out over a much longer period of time by science staff balancing the work with other commitments.

Students Andee Barrie and Daryl Endicott-Davies have determined that Pere David/red deer hybrid calves behave differently to pure red deer calves during the first two weeks of their lives.

Observation of this behaviour has previously been anecdotal, and the study set out to quantify the behaviour of new-born calves by recording and measuring.

Most young deer hide in long grass during the first weeks of their lives -- a mechanism which relates to avoiding predators and survival in the wild.

Little is known about the rare Pere David's deer, but what little observation there has been suggests hiding time is less, perhaps due to their supposedly migratory nature. More knowledge about their behavioural differences, preferences and requirements will help in the well-being, survival and productivity of Pere David/red hybrids. Management programmes can now be developed to suit the hybrid's special needs from birth.

Four hours of observations a day over five weeks produced enough data to show there are differences between the calves.

At first, the hybrids spent most of their time hiding, but after about ten days, they appeared in open view more, running around and playing, as well as suckling their mothers. Red deer calves, on the other hand, were five days older before they ventured into this behaviour.

Interestingly, the study shows this behaviour is inherited rather than the result of environment -- all the young had red deer mothers and were in the same paddock, yet initial behaviour was distinctly different.