Consumer acceptance and quality of game meat "droëwors" sausages with different levels of added fat.

Droëwors (dried sausage) is a unique dried meat product from South Africa, which is not smoked, fermented, nor is nitrite used in its production. The objective of the study was to compare the quality parameters and consumer acceptance of common eland meat droëwors with different quantities of added beef fat. Three treatments containing either 10, 15, or 20% (by weight) added beef fat were compared regarding chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and sensory properties. Increasing the amount of fat in the dried product resulted in a significant decrease in the protein and ash percentages. The sausages with 10% added fat had the most favourable fatty acid profile in terms of nutritional value. Several differences were found in the sensory profiles of the products evaluated by the trained sensory panel; in particular, the evaluation scores for texture improved with increasing fat content. No differences were found between the products by the untrained consumer panel for appearance and taste. When the dataset was analysed according to gender, it was found that women evaluated the 10% fat samples more favourably. This is in line with their stated preference for low-fat meat products. For these reasons, the production of sausages with the lowest fat content can be recommended as they best meet consumer expectations.

Effects of immunocastration and supplementary feeding level on the performance and blood biochemical markers of farmed yearling fallow deer (Dama dama).

In cervids, blood biochemical markers may reflect changes in various physiological and environmental factors, especially in response to changes in metabolism following nutrient supplementation or the manipulation of hormone production. Decreasing androgen production through immunocastration (IC) to ease the husbandry of male animals is currently a more ethically acceptable method than physical castration, but its commercial use is unexplored in fallow deer. Forty yearlings male fallow deer were grouped into four treatment combinations: IC on high (200 g commercial pellets + 600 g concentrate mixture of 90% oats and 10% wheat grains) or low (100 g commercial pellets + 300 g concentrate mixture of 90% oats and 10% wheat grains) level of feed supplementation, or noncastrated bucks on a high or low level of feed supplementation. Immunocastrated animals were vaccinated at the start of the study (Week 1) and again during Week 3 of the study. Diet affected all body growth parameters (slaughter weight, daily gain, carcass weight, dressing percentage and body condition score). Fallow deer from all treatments showed increasing concentrations of fat and energy blood biochemical markers over the study period, including plasma glucose (GLU) and triglyceride (TRIG), and decreased cholesterol (CHOL) and lipase (LIPA) concentrations. The higher level of supplementary feeding decreased plasma albumin (ALB) and creatinine (CREA), and increased globulin (GLOB) concentrations. On the other hand, IC and lower-level supplementation reduced growth performance. Overall, IC may be an interesting tool for welfare management of yearling stags for slaughter; however, the advantage appears to only be in well-fed animals, as low-level of feeding can further reduce growth performance in immunocastrated animals. Further studies should evaluate the carcass performance of animals under similar treatment conditions to ascertain the effects on muscle and fat yields.

Effects of Immunocastration and Amino Acid Supplementation on Yearling Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Testes Development.

Forty-four fallow deer bucks (10 months old; 22.9 ± 2.4 kg) were utilized to investigate the effects of immunocastration and amino acid supplementation on testes development. Immunocastrated bucks were administered Improvac® at weeks 1, 8, and 20 of this study (control group: intact males). Starting at week 8, half of each sex received rumen-protected lysine and methionine (3:1) supplementation. At slaughter (week 37/39), body size, internal fat deposits, antler size parameters, testes weight, testes surface color, cauda epididymal sperm viability and morphology, and seminiferous tubule circumference and epithelium thickness were determined. Animals with larger body sizes, greater forequarter development, and antler growth also had greater testes development. Whilst the result of immunocastration on testes size is unexpected, testes tissue showed impaired development (atrophied seminiferous tubules), decreased sperm viability, and normal morphology. Testes tissue from immunocastrated deer was less red, possibly indicating reduced blood supply. Conversely, amino acid supplementation increased testes' redness and sperm viability, and intact males fed amino acids showed the greatest seminiferous tubule development. Thus, immunocastration may be a welfare-friendly alternative for venison production. Whilst the results support findings from the literature that testes size is not a reliable indicator of immunocastration success, this warrants further investigation in deer over different physiological development stages.

Preferences and acceptance of Czech and Spanish consumers regarding beef with varying intramuscular fat content.

Understanding the factors affecting meat eating quality and consumer demand is essential for estimating future trends in meat consumption. The objective of the study was therefore to compare Czech and Spanish consumer attitudes and preferences in relation to beef intramuscular fat content. Three hundred and one consumers participated in the study; they completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and evaluated grilled beef samples of three varying intramuscular fat contents (low, medium, high). The low-fat meat had an average intramuscular fat content of 1.3%, medium had 3.1% and high-fat had 5.2%. Sensory assessment scores tended to show a positive linear relationship with beef intramuscular fat content. While Czech assessors only noted differences in tenderness and overall acceptance between the beef samples, Spanish assessors were able to detect significant differences in all the descriptors evaluated. Age and gender affected the assessment scores of beef with different intramuscular fat contents.

Histological composition, physiochemical parameters, and organoleptic properties of three muscles from Fleckvieh bulls and heifers.

The histochemical characteristics, physical attributes, chemical composition, and sensory profile of three muscles (longissimus thoracis et lumborum - LTL, rectus abdominis - RA, triceps brachii - TB) from Fleckvieh (N = 24) bulls and heifers were compared. Samples of each muscle were taken within 1 h of slaughter to assess muscle fibre traits, while physio-chemical meat quality was assessed in each muscle at 48 h post mortem, followed by the sensory assessment of the muscles after 7 days of ageing. Despite identical raising conditions, bulls showed more favourable growth and slaughter performance, but heifers produced meat with more favourable sensory characteristics, as a result of a higher proportion of IIB fibres in their muscles, as well as a higher intramuscular fat content, and lower collagen content.

The Effect of Barley and Lysine Supplementation on the longissimus lumborum Meat Quality of Pasture-Raised Fallow Deer (Dama dama).

The chemical characteristics (proximate composition, amino acids, and fatty acids) and sensory quality of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of 45 farmed male fallow deer were investigated. The animals were divided into three separate groups (n = 15 per treatment): pasture-fed (P), pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). Differences were observed in LL moisture and the intramuscular fat contents, the latter being almost two-fold greater in the meat of B and BL groups compared to P. The concentrations of histidine, leucine, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine in the raw meat were higher in the BL group compared to the P group. Higher contents of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and consequently lower n-3 ratios, were found in the P group, compared to the BL group. The grilled meat samples from the P group scored higher than the other groups for grassy flavour, and lower for liver flavour.

The Effect of Barley and Lysine Supplementation of Pasture-Based Diet on Growth, Carcass Composition and Physical Quality Attributes of Meat from Farmed Fallow Deer (Dama dama).

Fallow deer (Dama dama) are important meat producing species providing venison and other products to an international market. The present study investigated the effects of different feed rations on the growth, carcass characteristics and physical attributes of the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (SET) muscles of 45 farm-raised male fallow deer. The animals were divided into three separate groups: 15 pasture-fed (P), 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). The animals were slaughtered at an average age of 17 months at three time points: after 155, 169 and 183 days on feed. The addition of barley to the feed ration significantly increased weight gain and had positive effects on slaughter and carcass weights, dressing-out proportion, carcass composition, the weight of LL muscle, and increased the redness, yellowness and chroma values of LL muscle. The supplementation with lysine reduced the amounts of carcass and internal fats without compromising other economically important traits.

Carcass and meat characteristics from farm-raised and wild fallow deer (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus): A review.

Deer species are utilised for food, hunting and other products throughout the world. Consumers are typically exposed to venison derived predominantly from both farm-raised or wild fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The production of venison under farm conditions, compared to the meat of deer hunted in the wild, allows for a regular supply of a consistently good meat. It is lean, tasty, and rich in proteins and minerals, with a low content of fat and cholesterol. Overall, the worldwide demand for meat is still growing, and both the potential of farming deer species and their use as meat producers have led to an increased interest in venison. The current knowledge about various factors (e.g. nutrition, age, sex, condition, season) affecting venison and game meat has significantly increased during past decades but information regarding the interaction between production system or pre- and post-slaughter handling and ultimate deer meat quality are still very limited.

Quality attributes and composition of meat from red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and Aberdeen Angus and Holstein cattle (Bos taurus).

BACKGROUND: The consumption of venison from deer species has increased in recent years owing to presumably positive health effects. Therefore a comparison was made of the physical characteristics, chemical composition and sensory attributes of meat obtained from red deer, fallow deer and Aberdeen Angus and Holstein cattle raised under conditions typical for commercial farming practice and slaughtered at similar ages. RESULTS: Venison had one-quarter the crude fat content, lower total collagen and a higher proportion of heat-soluble collagen. It was darker and less yellow than beef. Deer species provided meat with higher polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and lower atherogenic index. In addition, the venison of red deer contained five times as much n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as the beef. Steaks prepared from venison were scored higher than beef for flavour and aroma intensity; they were also tenderer and more easily chewable. CONCLUSION: Compared with beef, venison from two widely farmed deer species was superior in nutrient composition, thus offering potential benefits for human consumption, and it received higher scores for most of the sensory attributes examined.

Comparison of meat quality between eland (Taurotragus oryx) and cattle (Bos taurus) raised under similar conditions.

Physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of meat were compared between non-domestic eland (Taurotragus oryx) bulls (n=6) and domestic Fleckvieh (Bos taurus) bulls (n=6) which were finished under controlled conditions of feeding and management. Musculus longissimus lumborum from eland were darker and less yellow in colour, with a higher pH24 and lower contents of intramuscular fat and total collagen, compared to cattle. Contents (mg/100 g muscle tissue) and proportions (g/100 g of FA determined) of SFA and MUFA were higher (P<0.01) in cattle. Although the proportion of total PUFA were higher (P<0.001) in eland, contents of PUFA were similar between species. Meat from cattle was consistently scored higher (P<0.05) for sensory texture characteristics, juiciness, flavour, and overall acceptance. We concluded that bulls of eland provided low-fat meat with a beneficial fatty acid composition from a human nutrition perspective, but with lower sensory scores, compared to bull beef.