The West Japan Journal of Animal Science
Online ISSN : 1884-6394
Print ISSN : 0914-3459
ISSN-L : 0914-3459
The Effect of Electric Fences on Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Invasion on the Meadow in Livestock Farm
Koji TAKAYAMAYuki UCHIYAMAKatsumi AKAIIJun HIROSEKiyomi KATAHIRAYoshimi IMURAYoshitaka NAKANISHI
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2008 Volume 51 Pages 33-37

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Abstract

The present study was conducted to develop effective techniques for preventing Sika deer (Cervus nippon) invasion on the meadow. We investigated the behavioural response of the domesticated deer to electric fences (no electricity), sensitivity of parts of its body surface to electrical (aversive) stimulation, and the effect of electric fences (electricity) on wild animals' invasion on the meadow. (1) The 7 deer included in this study were very cautious against electric wires (no electricity) fixed at heights of 0-30 cm (stage 1), 30-60cm (stage 2), 60-100cm (stage 3), and 100-140 cm (stage 4) and to those at a height of 140 cm. One of the 7 deer touched the wires 23 times a day (1100 - 1800 h) with his lips, and eventually, passed through the 30 - 60 cm wires. This exploratory behaviour was observed more frequently in the following order: stage 2 (60 cm), stage 1 (30 cm), and stage 3 (100 cm) high wires. However, no exploratory behaviour was observed in stage 4 (140 cm) wires. (2) The electric resistance of the lips of the deer was evaluated to be 30, 000 Ω, which was extremely lower than those of other parts of the body surface, such as the forehead, back, belly, and right foreleg (a six-to three-thousandth) . Thus, it is suggested that lips having the lowest electric resistance were most sensitive to the aversive stimulation. (3) The stage 4 and 140 cm electric wires (voltage and pulse interval, approximately 4, 000 V and 1 s, respectively) set around the meadow were more effective in preventing the sika deer invasion than the 175 cm fence composed of synthetic fiber and wire nets.
These findings indicate that electric fences with high-tension current are effective in preventing the sika deer invasion on the meadow in livestock farm.

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© Warm Regional Society of Animal Science, Japan
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