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Changes in carcass composition with age in 16-26 month old Red Deer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

A. V. Fisher
Affiliation:
Division of Food Animal Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, U.K.
M. H. Davies
Affiliation:
ADAS Rosemaund, Preston Wynne, Hereford HR1 3PG, U.K.
D. W. Deakin
Affiliation:
ADAS Rosemaund, Preston Wynne, Hereford HR1 3PG, U.K.
J. A. Bayntun
Affiliation:
Division of Food Animal Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, U.K.
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Extract

Modern retailing of venison through supermarkets requires that the product be on the shelf for an extended period compared with the traditional short season in autumn/early winter. However, deer are highly seasonal animals and a range of strategies is needed to increase marketing opportunities for venison. One strategy utilizes extended winter daylength and high levels of nutrition to advance the slaughter season (Davies, 1995; Fisher et al., 1995). Another strategy is to adopt more natural, low input systems with reduced production costs, in which deer reach slaughter condition during their third summer at 22-26 months of age, but this needs full investigation. This study involved sequential slaughtering of deer to ascertain how rapidly carcass composition and meat quality changes over this period.

Type
Poster Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2001

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References

Davies, M. H. (1995). Effects of winter nutrition and light manipulation on finishing dates and carcass quality of red deer. National Deer Farming Seminar, Kildalton College, Ireland, July 1995, 10pp.Google Scholar
Fisher, A.V., Nute, G.R. and Davies, M.H. (1995). Effect of photoperiod manipulation and feed energy level on carcass composition and meat quality in red deer (Cervus elaphus). Animal Science, 60: 539.Google Scholar