A method of artificial insemination in captive White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus )

Production of fawns by artificial insemination in captive White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus ) has been accomplished by using frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The purpose of this study was to determine if frozen-thawed semen deposited at the posterior face of the os cervix could produce conception. Five hand-raised female White-tailed deer and one hand-raised male White-tailed deer were used over two breeding seasons 1984-1985 and 1985-1986. The vasectomized buck was ued to detect estrus in the does. The does were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen containing at least 100 million live normal cells with a 60% or higher motility. The artificial insemination catheters used in this study worked well, but due to the small size of the cervix, the catheter could only be passed up to the first cervical ring, the site at which the semen was deposited. Over two breeding seasons, nine does were inseminated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa; each doe was inseminated once each estrous cycle at one of the following times: 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 h. after detection of estrus. Of the nine does inseminated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa, six conceived and carried to term 11 healthy normal fawns, yielding an overall conception rate of 67%.