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The onset of seasonal quiescence in the female Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus)

Summary. The breeding season of the non-lactating Bennett's wallaby terminates when animals enter the state of seasonal quiescence. To examine this transition, pouch young were removed from females at intervals which were 3, 4 or 8 weeks (6, 11 and 8 animals respectively) after the winter solstice. Within 48 days, 3, 1 and 1 females gave birth respectively, indicating that these animals were not in seasonal quiescence when pouch young were removed. Those animals which did not give birth were either in seasonal quiescence or had undergone a non-pregnant cycle. To differentiate between the 2 possibilities, techniques which would ensure the detection of pregnant and non-pregnant cycles were assessed in 8 females during the breeding season. As has been previously reported for the wallaby, changes in peripheral progesterone concentrations and the vaginal smear occurred during pregnant and non-pregnant reproductive cycles. In addition, mating was detected by marking the male with a mixture of coloured crayon and paraffin wax. It was concluded that reproductive cycles in female wallabies could be monitored by collecting blood samples 2 times each week for progesterone determination and daily examination of females for mating marks. These techniques were then used to study the onset of seasonal quiescence in 9 females. All animals continued to show reproductive cycles after the winter solstice and it was not until 10 weeks after the winter solstice that all animals were in seasonal quiescence. This represents an increase in the duration of the breeding season over that previously reported for this species.

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