A comparison of several indices for assessing body condition of Mongolian gazelle

Abstract

Riney kidney fat index (RKFI), whole kidney fat index (WKFI), femur marrow fat index (FMFI), and tibia marrow fat index (TMFI) of 51 Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa), collected in Hulunbeier grassland, Inner Mongolian, China, were measured during spring, autumn and winter in 1997–98. These different indexes were compared for using them in assessing the body condition. There was a linear relationship (y=0.9444x−20.139; r=0.9454; p<0.01) between RKFI and KMFI. A linear relationship (y=0.9348x+1.1843; r=0.9875; P<0.01) between TMFI and FMFI also occurred for gazelles. There was a curvilinear relationship (y=31.44Ln(x)−44.403; r=0.8643; P<0.01) between FMFI and RKFI. FMFI remained high, while RKFI decreased to a certain extent. After most of the kidney fat was used, the femur marrow fat abruptly decreased. The results showed that the kidney fat index is more adequate for evaluating the population nutrition in good condition, but marrow fat index was more useful for assessing in poorer nutritional condition.

Keywords

Procapra gutturosa / fat indexes / nutritional condition assessment

References

[1] Cederlund G.N., Bergstrom R.L, Danell K. Seasonal variation in mandible marrow fat in moose [J]. J. Wildl. Magane., 1989, 53: 587-592.

[2] Zhaowen Jiang, Li Xu, Hong Zheng The comparative analyses on age identification indexes of Mongolian gazelle [J]. Chinese Wildlife, 1991, 3: 25-28.

[3] Johns P.E., Smith M.H., Chesser R. K. Effect of sex, age, habitat, and body weight on kidney weight in white-tailed deer [J]. Growth, 1980, 44: 46-53.

[4] Mech L.D., Delgiudice G.D. Limitations of the marrow-fat technique as an indicator of body condition [J]. Wildl. Soc. Bull., 1985, 13: 204-206.

[5] Ratcliffe P.R. Bone marrow fat as an indicator of condition in roe deer [J]. Acta Theriol., 1980, 25: 333-340.

[6] Riney T. Evaluating condition of free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus), with special reference to New Zealand [J]. New Zealand J. Sci. & Tech. Sect. B, 1955, 36: 429-463.

[7] Riney T. Study and Management of Large Mammals [M], 1982 Wiley: New Zealand Sci. Press

[8] Robbins C.T. Wildlife feeding and nutrition [M], 1983 Harbin, N. Y.: Acad. Press

[9] Sinclair A.R.E., Duncan O. Indexes of condition in tropical ruminants [J]. J. E. Afr. Wildl., 1972, 10: 143-149.

[10] Torbit S.C., Carpenter L.H., Bartmann R.M., Alldredge A.W., White G.C. Calibration of carcass fat indices in wintering mule deer [J]. J. Wildl. Manage., 1988, 52: 582-588.

[11] Van Vuren D., Coblentz B.E. Kidney weight variation and the kidney fat index: an evaluation [J]. J. Wildl. Manage., 1985, 49: 177-17.