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Relationship between antler development and plasma androgen concentrations in adult roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Summary. Four male deer (4–5 years old), living in normal park conditions, were captured every 2 weeks in the year to study annual variations in androgen levels and the relationship between testicular activity and the antler cycle. Data were also obtained from 77 wild adult males (>3 years old) caught in the forest. Plasma androgen concentrations rose briefly in April and markedly in August; the high values in August corresponded with the breeding period.

From the time of casting to maximum growth was about 60 days; mineralization of the antlers then lasted for 45 days only. The mineralization phase of antler growth corresponded to the reactivation of testicular function in late January (0·43 ± 0·16 to 1·99 ± 0·42 ng androgen/ml, N = 4).