Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T17:23:21.492Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Non-Invasive System for Remotely Monitoring Heart Rate in Free-Ranging Ungulates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

J V Gedir
J V Gedir*
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A new, external non-invasive telemetric heart rate (HR) monitoring system was evaluated on eight wapiti, Cervus elaphus canadensis, yearlings in July and August 1996. The assembly consisted of a leather girth strap, onto which a HR transmitter and a customized carriage bolt electrode system were fixed. To prevent the girth strap from rotating on the animal, it was secured with adjustable nylon straps extending anteriorly between the forelegs up to an adjustable neck collar. In preliminary testing, audible tones were received during 99 per cent (n = 902) of the 15s intervals when the animals were active, but only during 33 per cent (n = 156) when they were bedded. After 2 weeks, the equipment remained functional (and was removed); the effective signal range was consistently beyond 500m. This HR monitoring system is easy to attach externally, obviates complications from surgery, and provides coverage over an extended range.

The monitoring system offers a reliable, humane and inexpensive method for short-term measurement of HR in captive or wild ungulates. Further tests may reveal a potential for long-term application. The ability to measure physiological responses under different management regimes can aid ungulate farmers in selecting optimal herd sizes and social structures for their animals; and in developing superior housing, enclosure designs, handling and transport methods. This improves the animals’ welfare, and ultimately leads to an increase in animal growth and herd productivity. In addition, information about heart rates can help wildlife managers to improve their management strategies, by gaining an understanding of the energy expenditure associated with various activities and environmental influences.

Keywords

animal welfareCervus elaphus canadensisheart rateungulatewapitiwildlife management
Type
Technical Contribution
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , February 2001 , pp. 81 - 89
Copyright
© 2001 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Baldock, N M and Sib ly, R M 1990 Effects of handling and transportation on the heart rate and behaviour of sheep. Applied Animal Behavioural Science 28: 15–39CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baldock, N M, Sibly, R M and Penning, P D 1988 Behaviour and seasonal variation in heart rate in domestic sheep, Ovis aries. Animal Behaviour 36: 35–43CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, G D and Taylor, L S 1984 Radio-telemetry transmitters for use in studies of the thermoregulation of unrestrained common wombats, Vombatus ursinus. Australian Wildlife Research 11: 289–298CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chabot, D 1991 The use of heart rate telemetry in assessing the metabolic cost of disturbances. Transactions of the 56th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference: 256–263Google Scholar
Chabot, D, Gagnon, P and Dixon, E A 1996 Effect of predator odors on heart rate and metabolic rate of wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis). Journal of Chemical Ecology 22: 839–868CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chabot, D, Geist, V, Johnston, R H and MacArthur, R A 1990 Heart rate telemetry as a means of investigating duration of disturbance and bioenergetics in free-living ungulates. In: Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers Telecommunication for Health Care: Telemetry, Teleradiology, and Telemedicine (SPIE Proceedings Vol 1355) pp 126–131. SPIE: Calgary, Canada.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Espmark, Y and Langvatn, R 1979 Cardiac responses in alarmed red deer calves. Behavioural Processes 4: 179–186CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fancy, S G and White, RG 1986 Predicting energy expenditures for activities of caribou from heart rates. Rangifer (Special Issue No 1): 123–130CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freddy, D J 1984 Heart rates for activities of mule deer at pasture. Journal of Wildlife Management 48: 962–969CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Friend, T H, Dellmeier, G R and Stuart, GL 1991 A non-invasive telemetry system for obtaining heart rate from free-ranging swine. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 29: 343–348CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geist, V, Stemp, R E and Johnston, R H 1985 Heart rate telemetry of bighorn sheep as a means to investigate disturbances. In: The Ecological Impacts of Outdoor Recreation on Mountain Areas in Europe and North America pp 92–99. Wye College: Wye, UKGoogle Scholar
Hargreaves, A L and Hutson, G D 1990a Changes in heart rate, plasma Cortisol and haematocrit of sheep during a shearing procedure. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 26: 91–101CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hargreaves, A L and Hutson, G D 1990b Effect of gentling on heart rate, flight distance and aversion of sheep to a handling procedure. Applied Animal Behavioural Science 26: 243–252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harlow, H J, Thorne, E T, Williams, E S, Belden, E L and Gern, W A 1987 Adrenal responsiveness in domestic sheep (Ovis aries) to acute and chronic stressors as predicted by remote monitoring of cardiac frequency. Canadian Journal of Zoology 65: 2021–2027CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holter, J B, Urban, W E Jr, Hayes, H H and Silver, H 1976 Predicting metabolic rate from telemetered heart rate in white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 40: 626–629CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobsen, N K 1979 Alarm bradycardia in white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus). Journal of Mammalogy 60: 343–349CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnston, R H, MacArthur, R A and Geist, V 1980 A biotelemetry system for monitoring heart rates in unrestrained ungulates. Biotelemetry Patient Monitoring 7: 188–198Google ScholarPubMed
Kautz, M A, Mautz, W W and Carpenter, LH 1981 Heart rate as a predictor of energy expenditure of mule deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 45: 715–720CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lieb, J W 1981 Activity, Heart Rate, and Associated Energy Expenditure of Elk in W. Montana. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Montana, Missoula, USAGoogle Scholar
MacArthur, R A, Geist, V and Johnston, R H 1982a Cardiac and behavioral responses of mountain sheep to human disturbance. Journal of Wildlife Management 46: 351–358CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacArthur, R A, Geist, V and Johnston, R H 1982b Physiological correlates of social behaviour in bighorn sheep: a field study using electrocardiogram telemetry. Journal of Zoology, London 196: 401–415CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacArthur, R A, Johnston, R H and Geist, V 1979 Factors influencing heart rate in free-ranging bighorn sheep: a physiological approach to the study of wildlife harassment. Canadian Journal of Zoology 57: 2010–2021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moen, A N 1978 Seasonal changes in heart rates, activity, metabolism, and forage intake of white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 42: 715–738CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moen, A N, DellaFera, M A, Hiller, A L and Buxton, B A 1978 Heart rates of white-tailed deer fawns in response to recorded wolf howls. Canadian Journal of Zoology 56: 1207–1210CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nilssen, K J, Johnsen, H K, Rognmo, A and Blix, A S 1984 Heart rate and energy expenditure in resting and running Svalbard and Norwegian reindeer. American Journal of Physiology 246: 963–967Google ScholarPubMed
Pollard, J C, Littlejohn, R P, Johnstone, P, Laas, F J, Corson, I D and Suttie, J M 1992 Behavioural and heart rate responses to velvet antler removal in red deer. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 40: 56–61CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Price, S, Sibly, R M and Davies, M H 1993 Effects of behaviour and handling on heart rate in farmed red deer. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 37: 111–123CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renecker, L A and Hudson, R J 1983 Winter energy budgets of free-ranging moose, using a calibrated heart rate index. Proceedings of the International Conference on Wildlife Biotelemetry 1983, Halifax, Nova Scotia: 187–21Google Scholar
Renecker, L A and Hudson, R J 1985 Telemetered heart rate as an index of energy expenditure in moose (Alces alces). Comparative Biochemical Physiology 82A: 161–165CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roshchevskii, M P, Konovalov, N I and Beznosikov, V S 1976 Cardiac component in emotional stress in elk Alces alces and reindeer Rangifer tarandus. Journal of Evolutionary and Biochemical Physiology 12: 347–349Google Scholar
Sokolov, A Y 1990 Heart rate of the unrestrained reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Journal of Evolutionary and Biochemical Physiology 26: 182–185Google Scholar
Stemp, R E 1983 Heart Rate Responses of Bighorn Sheep to Environmental Factors and Harassment. Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, CanadaGoogle Scholar
Syme, L A and Elphick, G R 1982 Heart-rate and the behaviour of sheep in yards. Applied Animal Ethology 9: 31–35CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallace, M C, Krausman, P R, Deyoung, D W and Weisenberger, M E 1992 Problems associated with heart rate telemetry implants. Desert Bighorn Council Transactions 36: 51–53Google Scholar
Wild, M A, Piermattei, D L, Heath, R B and Baker, D L 1998 Surgical implantation and evaluation of heart rate transmitters in captive bighorn sheep. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 34: 547–55CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed