Michael R. Miller 1989 <p>I used northern pintails (<i>Anas acuta</i>) collected from August through March 1979-82 in the Sacramento Valley, California to derive equations to predict ether-extracted carcass fat, carcass protein, and skeletal lean dry weight. Ether-extracted carcass fat was best predicted by total fat depot weight (wet skin, abdominal fat, and intestinal fat) (r² = 0.94) and estimates based on carcass water content (r² = 0.93-0.98). Measured carcass protein was best predicted by a multiple regression including total protein depot weight (breast muscles, leg muscles, and gizzard) and tarsus length (R² = 0.79). I predicted skeletal lean dry weight by a multiple regression incorporating culmen, tarsus, and wing length (R² = 0.77). Predicted carcass fat agreed well with measured carcass fat in an independent data set of 30 pintails using total fat depot (r² =0.92-0.96) and carcass water (r² = 0.97-0.99), but predicted carcass protein agreed less well with measured protein.</p> application/pdf 10.2307/3801318 en Wiley Estimating carcass fat and protein in northern pintails during the nonbreeding season article