Bowers, C. L.

Brown, C. G.

Gandy, S.

Neuendorff, Don A.

Quagliana-Kelly, K.

Strauch, T. A.

Willard, S. T.

English

Texas A&amp;M Repository

    PUBLICATIONS 2002 AN EVALUATION OF HAND-HELD INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY FORDETERMINING VELVET ANTLER GROWTH RATES IN RED DEER STAGSS. T. Willard, C. G. Brown, T. A. Strauch, D. A. Neuendorff, S. D. Bowers, S. Gandy,K. Quagliana-Kelly and R. D. RandelBackground. Growing velvet antler is a very dynamic tissue that can abruptly differentiateinto cartilagenous tissue and then calcify to essentially form bone - typically referred to as hardantler. While hard-antlered bucks are a marketable product (i.e., hunter-harvest), the growingvelvet antler represents a renewable resource from farmed deer which is also a marketable productthat can be processed and sold as part of the multi-million dollar "Nutraceutical" industry. ANutraceutical is defined as any class of dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and healingfoods that have medical or pharmaceutical effects on the body. The marketable aspects of growingvelvet antler are found in its use as a medicinal agent in traditional Eastern cultures, where it hasbeen used for centuries as a remedy for conditions ranging from infertility to the prevention ofgeneral ill health. While holistic medicine is often viewed with skepticism by Western societies,, .evidence exists which supports the use of velvet antler extracts for the natural performanceenhancement of athletes, anti-ulcer treatments, the healing of epidermal wounds, the inhibition ofsenescence in male and other effects. However, to understand how bio-active agents in velvetantler may be utilized, we must first understand the growth characteristics of antler from farmeddeer (e.g., red deer), as well as develop methods for determining the optimal harvest time tomaximize antler quality. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to monitor rates of velvetantler growth in red deer stags, and to determine whether hand-held infrared thermography (IRT), anon-invasive means for monitoring physiological changes in body temperature, would be useful todetermine when peak antler growth occurs. The use of IRT was suggested since highlyproliferative tissue like that of velvet antler should produce a characteristic thermal (heat) signaturewhich may change with growth and development of the tissue.Research Findings. Length of the antler main beams was positively correlated to bodyweight in yearling (R =0.61, P<.OOI) and mature (R =0.79, P<.OOI) red deer stags. However, nodifferences (P > .10) in velvet antler growth rates between the right and left antlers were observed(see Figure 1: Yearling - Left Panel; Mature - Right Panel); therefore data were pooled withinage class for further analysis. Yearling velvet antler growth rates increased from 0.16 ± 0.03cm/d between eruption and d 14, to 0.34 ± 0.04 cm/d between d 42 and 56 of growth. Maturestag velvet antler growth peaked at 1.3 ± 0.03 cm/d between d 28 and 42, and declined thereafter.9998 11284~Right Main Beam-Left Main Beam564228Mature Right and Left Main Beam Length6050-e 40~.s 30CG=j 20too h~--.--"T""""""'T--::::::;:=:;::::;::::;::::::;:::::;::::;:~5628 42Days148642O+--~-~-~-~-~-~-~---l70DaysFigure 1. Velvet Antler Main Beam Measurements in Yearling (Left Panel) and Mature(Right Panel) Red Deer Stags.Yearling Right and Left Main Beam Length16 T;::======~------:=--'14 ~Right Main Beam12e 10 -Left Main Beam~S+Z.?!"'-._--,.~)()( )(Velvet Antler Main Beam TipInfrared Thermal (IRT) Temperature41 .,-- -,39G 37;- 35...: 33....~ 31~ 29Eo- 27 -Chute Temp-Skin Temp25 +---=:;:...-.....-....2::;;::::::::==;=::::::;==::::;::=:::::;:=='14 28Days42 56Figure 2. Velvet Antler Main Beam Tip Infrared Thermal (IRT) TemperatureMeasurements from Yearling Red Deer Stags.Yearling stag base and tip velvet antler IRT were positively correlated with one another(R =0.43; P < .01) as were mature stag base and tip measurements (R =0.49; P < .05). However,both measurements were also positively correlated to background IRT (R = 0.37 to 0.65; P < .05).In mature stags, base antler IRT patterned (P < ..05) background IRT measurements, while tip IRTdid not change (P > .10) between day 56 through 112. Note in Figure 2 for yearling stags thatsurface head temperature (a background measure) and antler tip IRT were essentially the same(i.e., both lines lie on top of one another).Application. While some anomalies In velvet antler IRT were noted during antlergrowth, these data seem to indicate that hand-held IRT does not have the sensitivity to reliablymonitor antler growth rates. This conclusion has been reached since IRT thermal signaturescould not be separated from the background ambient environment. Physical measurement andvisual appraisal of velvet antler is the only means available to assess antler growth rates andquality.100

An Evaluation of Hand-Held Infrared Thermography for Determining Velvet Antler Growth Rates in Red Deer Stags

https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/1969.1/189632/1/article167.pdf

An Evaluation of Hand-Held Infrared Thermography for Determining Velvet Antler Growth Rates in Red Deer Stags

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An Evaluation of Hand-Held Infrared Thermography for Determining Velvet Antler Growth Rates in Red Deer Stags

Abstract

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Full text

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Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&M Repository