Seasonal variations of carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutrition value in Iberian wild red deer

Aim of study: The effects of hunting season (autumn vs. winter) on carcass characteristics and meat quality of Iberian wild red deer were assessed.Area of study: A total of 100 males of wild red deer of Iberian genetic line (Cervus elaphus) were hunted on Ciudad Real (south central Spain).Material and methods: Yields for shoulder (with bone), neck, backbone, loin, tenderloin, leg (with bone), short plate and flank were determined. In addition, samples of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum and Rectus abdominis muscles were collected. Then, pH48, colour measurements, chemical composition, cooking loss, Warner Bratzler shear blade, fatty acid and amino acid profiles and mineral content were analyzed.Main results: Deer hunted in autumn (n=50) had higher (p<0.01) yields of shoulder, backbone and short plate and higher contents of intramuscular fat (IMF), cholesterol and K, Fe and Mn but lower (p<0.001) pH48 and Na, Mg, Zn and Cu contents than deer hunted in winter (n=50). Shear force tended (p=0.05) to be lower for meat collected in autumn than for meat collected in winter. However, loin yield was 59.2% higher (p<0.001) for winter than for autumn carcasses. Deer hunted in winter had higher α-linoleic acid (p<0.05) and long chain n-3 polyunsaturated (p<0.001) percentages than deer hunted in autumn.Research highlights: Autumn hunting is recommended to obtain carcasses with higher yields of shoulder, backbone and short plate and meat with higher IMF. Conversely, winter hunting is advisable for higher loin yield and for a profile richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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Bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.2478/pjvs-2014-0043 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 315-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

A. Bancerz-Kisiel ◽

A. Szczerba-Turek ◽

A. Platt-Samoraj ◽

P. Socha ◽

W. Szweda

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Virulence Markers ◽

Serotype O ◽

Gene Coding ◽

Environmental Reservoir ◽

Enterocolitica Infection

AbstractFree-living animals are an important environmental reservoir of pathogens dangerous for other animal species and humans. One of those is Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, the causative agent of yersiniosis - foodborne, enzootic disease, significant for public health. The purpose of the study was to identify bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) obtained during the 2010/2011 hunting season in north-eastern Poland. From among 48 rectal swabs obtained from 24 roe deer, two strains of Y. enterocolitica from one animal were isolated. Although both belonged to biotype 1A they were identified as different serotypes. The strain obtained from cold culture (PSB) belonged to serotype O:5, while the strain isolated from warm culture (ITC) was regarded as nonidentified (NI), what may suggest mixed infection in that animal. The presence of ystB gene, coding for YstB enterotoxin, directly related to Y. enterocolitica pathogenicity was detected in both strains using triplex PCR. The effect of the examination of 32 swabs obtained from 16 red deer was the isolation of two Y. enterocolitica strains from two different animals. Both belonged to biotype 1A with NI serotype, but were originated from different types of culture. They gave positive results in case of products of a size corresponding to the ystB gene. No amplicons corresponding to ail and ystA genes were found. Roe deer and red deer may carry and shed Y. enterocolitica, what seems to be important in aspect of an environmental reservoir of this pathogen. The Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from wild ruminants had the amplicons of the ystB gene, what suggest they can be potential source of Y. enterocolitica infection for humans

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Carcass and meat quality characteristics from Iberian wild red deer (Cervus elaphus ) hunted at different ages

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture ◽

10.1002/jsfa.9391 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 99 (4) ◽

pp. 1938-1945 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Aristide Maggiolino ◽

Mirian Pateiro ◽

Martina P Serrano ◽

Tomás Landete-Castillejos ◽

Rubén Domínguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Different Ages

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Geographical restriction of Hepatitis E virus circulation in wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Emilia-Romagna region, Northern Italy

Italian Journal of Food Safety ◽

10.4081/ijfs.2020.8463 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Silvia Bonardi ◽

Virginia Filipello ◽

Enrico Pavoni ◽

Valentina Carta ◽

Luca Bolzoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Wild Boars ◽

Emilia Romagna Region

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a singlestrand RNA virus that causes an acute viral hepatitis in humans. Among its eight recognized genotypes, HEV-3 and HEV-4 are zoonotic, infecting humans, pigs and wild boars. Recently, HEV-3 has been also detected in red deer, which represents another reservoir of HEV. Consumption of raw pork products (mainly liver sausages), undercooked wild boar meat, raw wild boar liver and deer meat has been responsible for foodborne HEV human worldwide. From November 2018 to March 2019, liver samples collected from 97 wild boars hunted in Emilia-Romagna region (Northern Italy) were tested for HEV RNA. The hunting area included two territories for an extension of 33 km2, named A (about 13 km2, natural park, deciduous wood) and B (about 20 km2, cultivated fields in proximity of a river) areas. Distance between the two areas ranged between 8 to 10 km. A total of 73 wild boars were hunted in area A, and 24 in area B. HEV RNA was detected by Realtime RT–PCR in 23/73 liver samples of wild boars living in area A only (31.5% - 95% CI: 22.0-42.8%). The HEV sequences (n=13) clustered within genotype 3. The majority of positives belonged to animals < 12 months (12/25; 48%), followed by subadults (13-24 months) (7/16; 43.8%) and adults (4/32; 12.5%). This difference was found to be statistically significant (p=0.0024). In absence of pig farms, the restriction of HEV-positive animals to a well-defined territory of 13 km2 (Boschi di Carrega Regional Park) could hypothetically be related to the presence of red deer (Cervus elaphus), which lived in area A at the beginning of the hunting season. Further studies are needed to confirm or deny our hypothesis.

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Effect of pelvic suspension on the instrumental meat quality characteristics of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) venison

Meat Science ◽

10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.010 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 98 (2) ◽

pp. 104-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

C.L. Hutchison ◽

R.C. Mulley ◽

E. Wiklund ◽

J.S. Flesch ◽

K. Sims

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Dama Dama

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First report of Leptospira infections in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer in Poland

Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.1515/jvetres-2016-0039 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 257-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jacek Żmudzki ◽

Artur Jabłoński ◽

Zbigniew Arent ◽

Sylwia Zębek ◽

Agnieszka Nowak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Serum Antibody ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Antibody Titres

AbstractIntroduction: Recently in Europe an increase in the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and fallow deer (Dama dama) has been observed. Research on the prevalence of Leptospira infections in Polish cervids has been performed for the first time.Material and Methods: During 2014/2015 hunting season, 147 blood samples from red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer were collected. The animals originated from different geographical regions across Poland. Serum samples were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for the presence of specific antibodies to the following Leptospira serovars: Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe, Tarassovi, Pomona, Canicola, Bratislava, Hardjo, Ballum, Zanoni, Hebdomadis, and Poi.Results: Serum antibody titres specific to Grippotyphosa, Pomona, and Zanoni serovars were found; none of the sera were positive for any of the other serovars. Out of 147 serum samples only 7 were positive, which gave an overall prevalence of 4.8% in the tested animal population.Conclusion: The low Leptospira antibody titres along with the low number of positive serum samples in deer indicate that these animals may not act as significant reservoirs of Leptospira for either humans or animals in Poland.

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Long-term epidemiology, effect on body condition and interspecific interactions of concomitant infection by nasopharyngeal bot fly larvae (Cephenemyia auribarbisandPharyngomyia picta, Oestridae) in a population of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182004005578 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 129 (3) ◽

pp. 349-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

J. VICENTE ◽

Y. FIERRO ◽

M. MARTÍNEZ ◽

C. GORTÁZAR

Keyword(s):

Body Condition ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Sublethal Effects ◽

Interspecific Interactions ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Future Research ◽

Cervus Elaphus Hispanicus ◽

South Central ◽

Iberian Red Deer

We studied the pattern of infection and the inter-annual variation and individual factors affecting the infection of 2 species of nasopharyngeal bot flies,Cephenemyia auribarbisandPharyngomyia picta(Diptera: Oestridae), in a population of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) from south central Spain (10 annual periods between 1990 and 2003). Mean prevalence±S.E.95%CIof infection was 35·19±4·24% (n=486). The frequency distribution of the parasites was markedly aggregated (K: 0·213, mean abundance±S.D.: 5·49±12·12). Parasite load of Oestridae peaked at calf and subadult age groups and declined thereafter, which suggests that acquired immunity may be acting. In common with other host–parasite relationships, male hosts were found to have higher prevalence and abundance levels than females. The prevalence ofP. pictawas positively affected by the presence ofC. auribarbiswhereas the intensity of infection ofP. pictawas negatively affected by the presence ofC. auribarbis. Intensity ofP. pictain concomitant infections withC. auribarbiswas lower than in pureP. pictainfections, whilst the intensity ofC. auribarbisinfections did not change. This provides good evidence of interspecific competence, which could be dealt with by parasites by means of asynchronous life-cycles and different maturation periods. Weather also affects the dynamics and transmission rates of these parasites. Previous annual rainfalls positively affected the level of infection with oestrids. Yearly autumn rainfalls affected positivelyP. picta, possibly due to an effect on the pupal stage survival. Infection of Oestridae affected body condition in calves and subadults, suggesting that oestrids could have sublethal effects on Iberian red deer. Future research is needed to investigate the effect of parasites on the dynamics of the Iberian red deer.

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

Archives Animal Breeding ◽

10.5194/aab-62-227-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 227-239

Author(s):

János Nagy ◽

András Szabó ◽

Tamás Donkó ◽

Julianna Bokor ◽

Róbert Romvári ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acid ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Composition Analysis ◽

Quality Factors ◽

Color Tone ◽

Total Period ◽

Yellow Color

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 α-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.

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A comparison of biochemical and meat quality variables in red deer (Cervus elaphus) following either slaughter at pasture or killing at a deer slaughter plant

Meat Science ◽

10.1016/s0309-1740(01)00110-3 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 85-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

J.C Pollard ◽

R.P Littlejohn ◽

G.W Asher ◽

A.J.T Pearse ◽

J.M Stevenson-Barry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer

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Effect of wild ungulate density on invertebrates in a Mediterranean ecosystem

Animal Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.32800/abc.2014.37.0115 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 115-125

Author(s):

A. J. Carpio ◽

◽

J. Castro–López ◽

J. Guerrero–Casado ◽

L. Ruiz–Aizpurua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Western Europe ◽

Red Deer ◽

Management Strategies ◽

High Density ◽

Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽

Taxon Richness ◽

Invertebrate Diversity ◽

South Central

In recent decades, the abundance and distribution of certain big game species, particularly red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa), have increased in south central Spain as a result of hunting management strategies. The high density of these ungulate species may affect the abundance of epigeous invertebrates. We tested the relationships between big game abundance and biodiversity, taxon richness, the biomass of invertebrates and their frequency on nine hunting estates and in comparison to ungulate exclusion areas. Ungulate exclusion itself affected invertebrate richness, since lower values were found in the open plots, whereas the highest differences in invertebrate diversity between fenced and open plots was found in areas with high wild boar density. Where wild boar densities were high, the number of invertebrates decreased, while where they were low, red deer had a positive effect on invertebrate abundance. Fenced plots thus seemed to provide refuge for invertebrates, particularly where wild boar were abundant. This study supports the idea that the structure of fauna communities is damaged by high density populations of ungulates, probably due to decreased food availability owing to overgrazing, modified conditions of ecological microniches and direct predation. However, the effects depended on the group of invertebrates, since saprophytic species could benefit from high ungulate abundance. Our findings reflect the need to control ungulate population density under Mediterranean conditions in south–western Europe and to implement ungulate exclusion plots.

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Assessing red deer hunting management in the Iberian Peninsula: the importance of longitudinal studies

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.10872 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e10872

Author(s):

Antonio José Carpio Camargo ◽

Jose Barasona ◽

Pelayo Acevedo ◽

Yolanda Fierro ◽

Christian Gortazar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Growth ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Ecological Impact ◽

Monitoring Data ◽

Mediterranean Ecosystem ◽

Management Scenarios ◽

Deer Population ◽

South Central

Understanding the dynamics of a wildlife population in relation to hunting strategies is essential to achieve sustainable management. We used monitoring data over 25 years from two red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations with different management (with and without supplemental feeding) in South Central Spain to: (i) characterise the density dependence of population dynamics under contrasted management, and (ii) provide the basis for sustainable extraction by considering the theoretical maximum sustainable yield (MSYt) as the reference. The red deer population displayed a typical management reactive culling approach (‘saw-tooth-like’ curves), with occasional strong annual harvests but not occurring on a regular basis. Interestingly, we found reduced population growth at high densities in both populations, indicating that density-mediated factors determined population growth even when artificial feeding was provided. However, no effects of sex not age class of the extracted population on the population growth rate were determined. The total number of animals hunted was only slightly above those predicted by MSYt (i.e. K50%) in both populations, despite high densities close to theoretical K, being consistent throughout the study period. The extraction rates (30.3 and 34.0%, for supplemented and unsupplemented populations, respectively) were 13.3% and 10.2% lower compared to the MSYt situation in the unsupplemented and supplemented populations, respectively. Long term population monitoring data provided feasible and suitable baseline values to optimise the sustainable exploitation of red deer populations in the Mediterranean ecosystem under these contrasting management scenarios. Adaptive management, involving objective-driven decision making informed by data on red deer population dynamic, can contribute (i) to maximising the total extraction over the long term while (ii) reducing the ecological impact of high population densities.

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