Seasonal variation in plasma LH, FSH, prolactin, and testosterone concentrations in adult male white-tailed deer

Abstract

Blood samples were collected monthly from captive and wild adult (12 months old or older) male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) over 1 year in southwest Virginia. Plasma was assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), and testosterone (T) using radioimmunoassays. LH and T levels for the captive and wild deer were essentially similar and followed a distinct annual cycle. LH concentrations (nanograms per millilitre) peaked earlier (October, captive, 4.5 ± 1.8 (mean ± standard error); September, wild, 3.3 ± 0.9) than T concentrations (nanograms per millilitre) (November, captive, 13.3 ± 2.7; November, wild, 23.7 ± 7.8) and dropped off sharply prior to, or concomitant with, T concentrations. LH and T levels were lowest during the late winter and spring. T concentrations were closely correlated with androgen levels (Mirarchi, R. E., P. F. Scanlon, R. L. Kirkpatrick, and C. B. Schreck. J. Wildl. Manage. 41: 178–183 (1977)) determined by competitive protein binding assay. Mean PRL and FSH concentrations in wild and captive deer also displayed seasonal variations. Prolactin concentrations (nanograms per millilitre) were highest in May (147.5 ± 0.0) and lowest in November while FSH levels (nanograms per millilitre) peaked in September (180.2 ± 22.4) and were lowest in March. Differences in hormone concentrations between deer and sheep, and the relationship between PRL and antler growth and FSH and spermatozoan production, are discussed.