Effect of Harvesting Time and Area on Carcass Weight of the European Fallow Deer (Dama damaL.)

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to characterise carcass weights of the European fallow deer harvested during the hunting seasons 2001/2002-2004/2005 in four provinces of northern Poland. The average carcass weights of bucks, does and fawns harvested throughout the study period in the given area were 48.81 kg, 32.51 kg and 20.79 kg, respectively. Carcass weights of the fallow deer were found to be higher in provinces with a high percentage of farmland and lower in provinces with a high percentage of woodland area. In fall and winter carcass weights of bucks and fawns fluctuated: the highest body weights of bucks and fawns were recorded in October (65 kg) and December (25 kg), respectively. However, there were no considerable changes observed in body weights of does. Carcass weights of bucks and fawns were temperature-dependent, while precipitation totals affected only carcass weights of the youngest animals.

Seasonal Variation in the Body Composition, Carcass Composition, and Offal Quality in the Wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama L.)

“…The seasonal patterns of the changes body weight and body composition in deer are associated with the changes in the percentage of body fat, protein, and water. In the winter season, the body fat and protein reserves depend on the pre-winter and post-winter levels of these components [ 13 , 34 ]. In the present study, the proportion of fat was significantly greater in the carcasses, as well as in the individual carcass parts, of the deer obtained in winter compared to those from the summer season.…”

“…Although no effect of the season on the offal weight was found in our study, many researchers have observed seasonal fluctuations in the weight of some internal organs from wild deer. The variations in the weight of the gastrointestinal tract are caused by seasonal changes in the degree of filling the rumen with green forage [ 7 , 13 , 34 ]. This phenomenon is connected to the reduction in appetite in free-living animals and the decreased voluntary intake of feed [ 14 , 33 ].…”

“…Research focusing on the effect of the seasons on the body composition of wild ungulates is of significant importance as the proportion of the most valuable cuts and the not-edible parts (skin, head, and feet) determines the profitability of this special branch in the meat industry [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. According to the available research, the seasonal changes in the body condition of wild animals are related to the photoperiod and feed availability, with the second factor strictly dependent upon the type of environment and the population density [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Venison is valued as a culinary meat in different parts of the world [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], but its popularity in the production of processed products is also increasing [ 20 ].…”