Preliminary communication
Contribution to knowledge of body growth of wild boars in their plain habitats in the Republic of Croatia
Dean Konjević
orcid.org/0000-0002-8584-9825
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Krešimir Severin
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Zdravko Janicki
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Alen Slavica
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Marijan Grubešić
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Conservation and Hunting Management, Svetošimunska 25, 10 000 Zagreb
Kristijan Tomljanović
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Conservation and Hunting Management, Svetošimunska 25, 10 000 Zagreb
Mirza Hadžiosmanović
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origin, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Lidija Kozačinski
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Hygiene and Technology of Foodstuffs of Animal Origin, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Abstract
As part of the regular game shooting in eastern Croatia during the 2007/2008 hunting season, 73 wild boars were collected and weighed. The boars were categorized according to age into piglets (up to 1 year of age), yearlings (between 1 and 2 years of age) and sub-adults (around 3 years of age). The purpose of the weighing was to establish the body growth of naturally bred wild boars in their plain habitats. The results show a faster body growth in females during their first and second year (average weight at the age of one was 30.45 kg, at the age of two 60.63 kg and at the age of three 79.17 kg), while males make up for the weight difference in their third year (average weight at the age of one was 27.24 kg, at the age of two 49.40 kg and at the age of three 81.28 kg). The observed growth dynamics coincides with the changes in the boar social life, precisely with the period when the rest of the sounder forces the males to leave. By coping with this stressful period and forming smaller groups, the males compensate for the noted slower growth during their third year.
Keywords
wild boar; body weight; body growth dynamics; age categories
Hrčak ID:
40667
URI
Publication date:
1.11.2008.
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