Welcome to Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin,

Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (23): 94-101.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2023-0177

Special Issue: 畜牧兽医

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Relationship Between Musk Yield, Apparent Traits and Age, Musk-extracted Time of Forest Musk Deer (Moschus berezovskii)

WANG Yongqi()   

  1. Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi’an 710032
  • Received:2023-03-03 Revised:2023-05-29 Online:2023-08-15 Published:2023-08-10

Abstract:

The study aims to explore the relationship between age, musk-extracted time and yield, quality of musk, and to supplement the information of musk secretion mechanism, quality traits and appropriate musk-extracted time. Stratified Random Sampling method was used to observe and statistically analyze the musk yield and color, shape of 59 forest musk deer (1-5 years old). The results showed that there was no significant effect on musk yield by age and musk-extracted time, but the musk yield of forest musk deer of 2.7-3.7 years old was higher than that of other age groups; the average musk yield of adult musk deer (>2 years old) was (17.636±6.642) g, which was 4.129 g higher than that of bred musk deer (≤ 2 years old) (13.444±3.356) g (P=0.002<0.05); the average musk yield of adult musk deer in March was (19.955±7.267) g, which was 4.759 g higher than that in September (15.196±5.0113) g (P=0.023<0.05); although there was no significant difference between the observed group and control group (P=0.230>0.05), individual forest musk deer had higher musk yield and a larger yield range. The proportion of powdery musk was 61.02%, blocky musk was 6.78%, dry mud or mud musk was 15%~17%, brown musk was 52.54%, dark brown musk was 13.56%, dark tan and tan musk were respectively11.86%, light brown musk was 6.78%, and chocolate brown and black tan musk were 1.69%, respectively; the powdery musk (85%) of bred musk deer was higher than that of adult musk deer (48.72%), and the proportion of brown musk was the highest (60%, 51.28%); Powdery musk of adult musk in March and September were 35% and 63.16%, blocky musk was 5% and 15.79%, dry mud musk was 15% and 21.05%, mud musk was 45% and 0.00%, respectively. In summary, there was no significant correlation between different ages, musk-extracted time and musk yield, musk yield of adult musk deer was significantly higher than that of bred musk deer, and musk yield in March was significantly higher than that in September; the observed musk deer population had the characteristics of wider distribution of musk yield and higher yield, which indicated that years of breeding had promoted the separation of quantitative characters of musk yield, and provided a preliminary basis for the establishment of the core population later; brown and powdery musk accounted for the highest proportion, and the musk with mud and high water content collected in March was significantly higher than that in September.

Key words: forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), musk yield, apparent traits