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Antler Mysteries

Scientists at AgResearch Invermay are slowing unravelling the mysteries of antler formation in deer, looking to improve antler velvet production.

At the heart of the research is an investigation into the growth of pedicles, which are essential in antler formation.

The pedicle is a separate bone on the stag's head, some five centimetres in length, which develops while the male deer is still in uteruo. Unlike the antler, it is a permanent feature.

Until recently, little has been known about pedicle formation or its relationship to antler growth. Deer researcher Chunyi Li has now demonstrated that nerves are not involved in pedicle growth, as was previously thought.

He is investigating the role of hormones in controlling this growth, hoping to gain a greater understanding of when and how the growth begins. There are indications that changes in the pedicle's underlying bone membrane occur much earlier than expected.