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.

Twenty-one wapiti calves, born between 24 May and 4 July were weaned on 5 September. They were weighed, divided into two groups (10 and 11 calves) and either moved to a familiar paddock, adjacent to their dams and allowed fence-line contact (contact wean - CW), or moved to a familiar paddock which was visually obscured, and separated from their dams by approximately 50m (remote wean - RW). For the next two days after weaning the calves were observed from dawn until dusk. All observations were done using a 10-minute instantaneous scan sampling technique. Activities recorded included the number of calves standing, walking, lying, fence-line pacing, running, grazing, and feeding at a trough. On day 4 the observation time was reduced to 9 hours and 20 minutes. Observations were continued for a further six days during 2-hour periods after dawn and before dark. The calves were held in these separate paddocks for 10 days and during that time were weighed. After that they were held together in the remote wean paddock and weighed again at 31 and 63 days. There were no significant differences in the amount of time spent grazing between the two groups and there were no differences in weight gains between the groups throughout the trial. The CW calves vocalized less and spent less time standing, walking, fence-line pacing and running compared to RW calves. The CW calves were also observed spending more time lying and feeding at the trough. Overall, the CW calves displayed fewer behaviours indicative of the distress following weaning.