This project is part of Ella Wilson's PhD program supported by AgResearch Ltd.
This project examines how red deer grazing behaviour changes across seasons and reproductive states using high-resolution GPS and accelerometer data. Behavioural metrics—including grazing time, rumination, idling, feeding stations, bite-rate proxies, walking distance, and diel activity patterns—are used to construct a detailed picture of how animals modify their foraging strategies in response to physiological needs and environmental conditions. These behavioural rhythms provide direct insight into energy expenditure, diet selection, and pasture use over the annual cycle.
By linking behaviour to metabolic, endocrine, and rumenfermentation data, the project identifies key behaviour–physiologyrelationships that underpin seasonal adaptation in deer. The goal is to improveunderstanding of how grazing patterns reflect internal nutritional demand andto support more targeted pasture management strategies that enhance welfare,productivity, and environmental sustainability.
