Body composition and venison quality of farmed red deer (<i>Cervus elaphus</i>) hinds reared on grass, <i>papilionaceous</i> or mixed pasture paddocks

Abstract

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) hinds (n=3×10) of identical initial body weight (BW, ca. 68 kg) were reared on a monocotyledonous grass (G group), on a grass–papilionaceous (GP group) or on pure papilionaceous pasture each of 2 ha (P group) for 219 d. At the end of the experiment carcass tissue composition was assessed by means of computer tomography, slaughter value and meat quality were characterized and tissue – longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), thigh and liver – samples were taken for fatty acid composition analysis. The primary aim was to assess nutrition-driven differences.Hinds of group P provided higher final BW (101 kg vs. 90 and 91.9 kg in groups G and GP, respectively) and higher BW gain (32.6 kg during the total period vs. 22.4 and 22.1 kg). The carcass weight exceeded those of the other groups significantly (68.8 kg vs. 59.3 and 63.2 kg), while there was no difference among groups in the perirenal fat weight and red color tone (a*) of the LTL. Groups G and P differed significantly in the LTL weight (highest in P), its dripping loss (lowest in G), lightness (L; highest in P) and yellow color tone (b*).In the thigh muscle, LTL and liver the highest proportion of fatty acid CLA9c11t was reached on the G pasture, and the same trend was true for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA , C22:6 n3) in the muscles. The n6 / n3 fatty acid ratio was the highest on the P pasture in the liver and both muscles. The liver incorporated the highest proportion of linoleic acid (C18:2 n6) and converted it rather effectively to arachidonic acid (C20:4 n6), coupled with the lowest italicα-linolenic acid presence.In conclusion, concerning muscle mass production, group P proved to be the most advantageous pasture; meanwhile LTL meat quality factors (dripping loss, DHA proportion, pH, color) were more favorable on the G pasture.

Fatty Acid Composition of Meat and Edible Offal from Free-Living Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

“…Red deer offal showed significantly lower proportions ( p < 0.001) of total MUFA compared to meat. Within the MUFA, oleic (C18:1n-9) fatty acid was found to be dominant in all the samples and this is in agreement with the data of other authors both in the muscles of red deer [ 32 , 35 , 36 ] and in the offal of other ruminants [ 46 , 47 ].…”

“…Red deer offal showed significantly lower proportions (p < 0.001) of total MUFA compared to meat. Within the MUFA, oleic (C18:1n-9) fatty acid was found to be dominant in all the samples and this is in agreement with the data of other authors both in the muscles of red deer [32,35,36] and in the offal of other ruminants [46,47]. The differences between the means in the rows with different small letters with and without superscripts are significant; SE = pooled standard error; MUFA = sum of all identified monounsaturated fatty acids.…”

“…Although results have been published regarding the fatty acid composition in red deer meat [29][30][31][32], these studies presented the data on farmed red deer. Only a limited number of studies are available on the composition and quality of meat of wild free-living red deer [33][34][35][36]. Despite different previous studies, information on the nutritional value of offal from red deer is scarce.…”

Accumulation of Toxic Elements in Bone and Bone Marrow of Deer Living in Various Ecosystems. A Case Study of Farmed and Wild-Living Deer

“…The body weight of the farmed animals was measured before slaughter as in Tajchman et al [ 30 ]. The weight of the wild red deer was estimated from the carcass weight, which accounts for 67% of the body weight of these animals [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. The carcass weight was determined after culling and evisceration of the animals.…”

Comparison of Lipid Properties and Cadmium and Lead Content in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Meat from Three Feeding Grounds

“…This number increased to 857 in 2021, with approximately 35,000 red deer reared on farms [ 26 ]. Many aspects have been addressed in investigations of the nutritional value and meat quality in free-living red deer [ 17 , 18 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ], farmed deer [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], and both groups in comparative studies [ 23 ]. The effects of sex [ 17 , 18 , 23 , 28 , 34 ], age [ 27 , 28 ], diet [ 33 ], slaughter season [ 32 ], and country of origin [ 32 ], mainly on the fatty acid profile, were determined in these studies carried out on conventional farms.…”