A reliable body condition scoring technique for estimating condition in African buffalo
A reliable body condition scoring technique for estimating condition in African buffalo
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-2028.2008.00960.x
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发表时间：
2009-12-01
影响因子：
1
通讯作者：
O'Brien, Michael P.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ezenwa, Vanessa O.;Jolles, Anna E.;O'Brien, Michael P.
评估动物身体状况是许多生态学研究的必要组成部分。虽然已经开发了许多用于评估动物身体状况的方法，但相对较少的方法可用于估计活体动物的状况。非侵入性的身体状况评分技术已被开发用于评估牲畜的状况，最近这种技术已被应用于野生有蹄类动物。在这项研究中，我们研究了可靠性的身体状况评分技术评估非洲布法罗（Syncerus caffer caffer）的条件。我们比较了身体状况评分（BCS）的基础上，视觉评估和手动触诊的动物的身体状况的两个标准度量广泛用于哺乳动物：肾脂肪指数（KFI）和红细胞压积（HCT）。在所有布法罗中，BCS与KFI和HCT均显著正相关。对于HCT，在成年人、青少年、男性和女性中观察到这种模式;在雨季，但在旱季没有观察到。对于KFI，BCS与KFI在成年人、青少年和男性中呈显著正相关，但在女性中不相关。总之，我们的研究结果表明，BCS技术可以作为一个有用的方法，估计身体状况的布法罗。
Evaluating animal body condition is a necessary component of many ecological studies. Although many methods for assessing animal body condition have been developed, relatively few can be used for estimating condition on live animals. Noninvasive body condition scoring techniques have been developed for assessing condition in livestock and more recently such techniques have been applied to wild ungulates. In this study, we examined the reliability of a body condition scoring technique for assessing condition in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer). We compared a body condition score (BCS) based on visual assessment and manual palpation of an animal's body to two standard metrics of condition widely used in mammals: kidney fat index (KFI) and haematocrit (HCT). Across all buffalo, BCS was significantly and positively correlated with both KFI and HCT. For HCT, this pattern was observed among adults, juveniles, males and females; and in the wet season but not in the dry season. For KFI, BCS was significantly and positively correlated with KFI among adults, juveniles and males, but not in females. Overall, our results suggest that the BCS technique can serve as a useful method for estimating body condition in buffalo.