Variation in Muskox (Ovibos Moschatus) Guard Hair Growth Rates: Implications for Measuring Chronological Biomarkers

The study investigated guard hair growth rates in 16 captive muskoxen in Fairbanks, Alaska, to determine if a general growth rate could be applied across muskox populations for segmental analyses of biomarkers. Hair samples were taken at 6, 14, and 30 weeks after shaving, and growth rates were measured. Results showed significant variation in growth rates depending on the period, with annual rates of 277±40 mm/yr (weeks 0-6), 248±47 mm/yr (weeks 7-14), and 165±36 mm/yr (weeks 15-30), averaging 210±14 mm/yr. These rates were faster than those of free-ranging Greenland muskoxen (78 mm/yr), indicating that a universal growth rate cannot be generalized across different muskox populations and time periods.