Iophenoxic acid as a serum marker for red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus)

As part of a study investigating the efficacy of toxic foliage baits for co ntrolling red deer in New Zealand, a pen trial was conducted to determine w hether red deer could be marked by oral dosing with the serum marker iophen oxic acid. The doses required to mark red deer, retention times, and the re lationship between dose and serum concentration of the marker were also inv estigated. Three groups of three deer were fed baits containing 0.26, 2.32, and 6.10 mg iophenoxic acid per kilogram of bodyweight. Mean serum iodine concentration was significantly greater in deer fed marked baits for at lea st 40 days after dosing than in deer fed unmarked baits. The level of marki ng in each group was proportional to the dose, suggesting that iophenoxic a cid may be used to quantify the amount of bait consumed by red deer, iophen oxic acid is, therefore, an effective serum marker for red deer and could b e used in short- and medium-term ecological and bait technology development field trials.