Immobilization of Adult Bull Bison With Etorphine

Authors

Arnold O. Haugen, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Melvin J. Swenson, Iowa State University
Milo J. Shult, Texas A&M University
Stephen J. Petersburg, National Park Service

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Bison, bison immobilization

Abstract

Between 1967 and 1972, 66 bison (Bison bison) (Linnaeus) bulls, 1 cow and 1 calf were dosed with the narcotic etorphine (M-99) on open range at Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, Valentine, Nebraska and at Wind Cave National Park, Hot Springs, South Dakota. Etorphine administered at levels of 5 to 6.3 mcg/lb of body weight brought the animals to sternal recumbency. Underdosing was associated with long, difficult pursuit and considerable chance of not apprehending the drugged animal. Adding of methotrimeprazine (Levoprome) up to 74.88 mcg/lb of body weight to the etorphine dosages for some old bulls seemed to have no noticeable effect. The efficiency of antagonists for etorphine is indicated by the fact that dosages of diprenorphine brought 71 percent of 28 bison to their feet in less than I 0 minutes and all the animals in less than 20 minutes. Cyprenorphine brought 52 percent of 25 bison to their feet in less than 10 minutes, 84 percent in less than 20, and all within a period of 27 minutes.

Publication Date

June 1976

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

83

Issue

2

First Page

67

Last Page

70

Copyright

©1976 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Haugen, Arnold O.; Swenson, Melvin J.; Shult, Milo J.; and Petersburg, Stephen J. (1976) "Immobilization of Adult Bull Bison With Etorphine," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 83(2), 67-70.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol83/iss2/8