A Compression Method Indicates Fat Content of Elk (Wapiti) Femur Marrows

Chemical analyses may not be feasible for fat content of femur marrows of big game animals, and to describe color and textures of marrows subjectively is difficult except for extreme characteristics. It was found that the ether-extractable fat content of a femur marrow is related inversely to compressibility of the marrow. A known length of femur marrow reveals its compression and this is easily measured in percent. The freshly obtained femur marrows from 291 elk (wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) were measured at room temperature by the method described and the percent compression compared to the ether-extractable fat content of identical marrows. The amount of compression was also related to fat content of femur marrows of mule deer (Odocoileus h. hemionus), pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana), moose (Alces americana), and cattle. By chemical analysis, fat content varied up to 10 percent between fresh and frozen subsamples of a marrow. The method of measuring femur marrow compression indicates fat content accurately enough for some studies, without delay or laboratory costs.