Keywords
cholesterol
cooper
glucose
phosphorus
How to Cite
Abstract
Variations in body mass can influence the balance of trace elements and macrominerals in wildlife species. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between selected anthropometric traits (withers height, nose-to-tail length, tail length, ear length, foreleg length, and thoracic circumference), as well as age and body weight, and specific serum metabolites and mineral concentrations in gestating free-ranging female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) (n = 28) from northern Mexico. Principal components analysis identified differences in serum glucose concentrations associated with body dimensions. Significant negative correlations (p < 0.01) were observed between withers height and serum glucose (r = -0.54), and between nose-to-tail length and serum cholesterol (r = -0.46). In contrast, withers height (r = 0.44) and nose-to-tail length (r = 0.38) were positively correlated (p < 0.05) with serum iron concentrations. Additionally, tail length and ear length were positively correlated with serum phosphorus (r = 0.42 and 0.43, respectively; p < 0.05), while tail length showed a positive correlation with serum copper (r = 0.49; p < 0.01). Certain body measurements indicative of overall body size were negatively associated with serum metabolites related to nutritional status. Overall, smaller deer showed a more favorable blood metabolic profile than larger deer. These findings suggest that blood metabolites indicative of nutritional status may serve as useful biomarkers for characterizing body dimensions in white-tailed deer.
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