Mandible versus long bone marrow fat in red deer

Mandible and long bone marrow fat content of red deer Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 hinds (N=21) and calves (N=17) killed in the Carpathian Mountains from 1984 to 1988 were examined. In general mandible fat con-tent was lower than long bone fat. However, when femur fat was <40%, fe-mur and tibia fat levels were lower and only metatarsus fat exceeded the mandible fat level. Fat content in the mandible marrow was positively cor-related with that in long bones. The highest correlation was found between mandible and tibia, then mandible and femur, and mandible and meta-tarsus. These correlations were considerably stronger in hinds than in calves. Mandible fat content is recommended for determination of red deer condi-tion