| Summary: | The ability to measure fat thickness in live moose offers potential as an index of population condition. Consequently, we evaluated the feasibility of using portable real-time ultrasound to measure body fat in five captive yearling bull moose (Alces alces). The rump region of the bulls was scanned, twice weekly for 3 weeks during the rut, using a 5 MHz transducer; an additional set of measurements was obtained in April 1993. Ultrasonic fat thickness was measured at multiple sites along a line between the spine, at its closest point to the tuber coxae (hip bone), and the uber ischii (pin bone), as well as along a second line perpendicular to the first line at its midpoint. The range of maximum subcutaneous fat thickness at the beginning of the study was 0.3 - 2.4 cm. Fat thickness declined significantly during the rut. The range of fat loss during the rut at the intersection of the 2 measurement lines was 0.2 - 1.2 cm. This in vivo technique exhibits potential to monitor body condition.
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