MORPHOMETRIC PREDICTORS OF NEONATAL AGE FOR WHITE-TAILED DEER

We examined development of 60 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianu s) fawns from birth to 31 days postpartum to evaluate morphometric mea sures for predicting neonatal age. We investigated variations in growt h due to gender and maternal nutrition that might affect age predictio n. Of 8 morphometric measures examined, hoof growth provided the most reliable and accurate aging model and was least affected by gender or maternal nutrition. Hoof growth was best represented by linear regress ion, which explained 87% of the variation and classified 74% of the fa wns to within 3 days of age. Because maternal nutrition influenced bod y mass, chest girth, and total body length measures of fawns, aging mo dels based on these variables should be avoided.