Posted: May 27, 2020
It is fawning season at Penn State's Deer Research Center. Part of the University's Department of Animal Sciences, the Deer Research Center provides unique research and educational opportunities for students and faculty.
This 4-day old fawn was one of six born over the past weekend at the Penn State Deer Research Center. The annual fawning season is normally the last two weeks of May with the peak-time for births being around Memorial Day.
The Deer Research Center exists to provide research and educational opportunities for students and faculty of the university, and to share information about white-tailed deer with the public. Over the years, research projects have focused on antler growth, nutrition, repellents and exclosure fences. A recently completed collaborative study with the National Wildlife Research Center to address deer overpopulation issues in several eastern states led to the EPA registration of an immunocontraceptive vaccine for white-tailed deer. We have also collaborated with federal agencies and other universities in the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines for a variety of diseases affecting both farmed and wild white-tailed deer.
Current research includes studying the health benefits of probiotics in the rations of farmed deer and conducting palatability tests to determine preference for a variety of native and invasive plant species.
Each year the Deer Research Center provides numerous opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the research experiments both as student employees and student researchers. These hands-on experiences provide an excellent way for students to prepare themselves for careers in animal science, wildlife management, veterinary medicine and biology or graduate study.
Photo courtesy of Penn State News
