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Consolacion J, Ceacero F, Musa AS, Ny V, Kotrba R, Illek J, Škorič M, Needham T. Reproductive tract morphology and symmetry of farmed common eland (Tragelaphus oryx) bulls, and their relationship with secondary sexual traits and social rank. Anim Reprod Sci 2024; 263:107438. [PMID: 38417312 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Common eland bulls are important game ranching animals in southern Africa, for tourism, breeding/live sales, trophy hunting, and game meat production. Interest has grown in their production potential, intensifying animal husbandry and breeding approaches. However, little scientific information is available regarding the intensive management of this species, including information regarding scientifically based selection criteria for breeding bulls. Often, simple phenotypic traits are utilised unless high-value game animals are being bred, with horn and body size often being the only traits considered for breeding bulls. This study provides basic information about the reproductive tract morphology, symmetry, and their relationships with secondary sexual traits, social rank, and temperament in common eland. Six eland males (2-2.5 years old; 203 ± 20 kg) were utilised for the study. Social rank, body weight and body condition score, temperament score, and horn size were determined before the animals were culled, and their reproductive tracts were collected for morphometric and histological evaluation. Results indicate relatively low asymmetry in bilateral reproductive tract components. Individual traits of eland bulls such as age, body weight, and social rank correlated the development of some testicular morphologies and thus may possibly be used in zoos, game ranching, and commercial production for the selection of breeding males, but not temperament and horn length, which should be carefully evaluated. Whilst this study provides baseline information from a limited sample size, further studies should incorporate the assessment of testicular hemodynamics, as well as the effects of factors such as season and androgen secretion patterns over a wider age range of common eland males and populations to provide further information for the management practices of breeding common eland bulls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerico Consolacion
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Environmental Sciences, Mindanao State University at Naawan, Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
| | - Francisco Ceacero
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Abubakar Sadiq Musa
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veit Ny
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Kotrba
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague 104 00, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Illek
- Department of Large Animal Clinic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miša Škorič
- Department of Pathological Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tersia Needham
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Needham T, Bureš D, Černý J, Hoffman LC. Overview of game meat utilisation challenges and opportunities: A European perspective. Meat Sci 2023; 204:109284. [PMID: 37480669 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Re-wilding and similar initiatives have resulted in an increase in wildlife suitable for human consumption in Europe. However, game meat production and consumption present several challenges, including infectious diseases which pose risks to livestock, processers, and consumers. This review provides insights into the infectious diseases and toxic contaminants associated with game meat. The effect of killing method on the meat quality is also discussed and means of improving the meat quality of game meat is elucidated. The use of different food safety systems that could be applied to provide safe meat is reported. The importance of collaborative multi-sector approaches is emphasized, to generate and distribute knowledge and implement One Health strategies that ensure the safe, traceable, sustainable, and professional development of commercial game meat supply chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tersia Needham
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Daniel Bureš
- Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, 104 00 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Černý
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Louwrens C Hoffman
- Center for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Digital Agricultural Building. 8115. Office 110, Gatton 4343, Australia
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Sauvala M, Johansson P, Björkroth J, Fredriksson-Ahomaa M. Microbiological quality and safety of vacuum-packaged white-tailed deer meat stored at 4 °C. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 390:110110. [PMID: 36796163 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Vacuum packaging is widely used for extending the shelf life of commercial fresh meat products. It also ensures product hygiene during distribution and storage. However, very little information exists concerning the effects of vacuum packaging on the shelf life of deer meat. One of our aims was to evaluate how storage under vacuum at 4 °C affects the microbial quality and safety of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) meat cuts. This was assessed in a longitudinal study based on sensory analyses and measurements of (1) mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB), (2) lactic acid bacteria (LAB), (3) enterobacteria (EB), (4) and Escherichia coli (EC) counts, and the presence of foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella, stx-harbouring E. coli (STEC), Yersinia and Listeria). Microbiomes were additionally investigated by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing at the time of spoilage. In total, 50 vacuum-packaged meat cuts from the carcasses of 10 wild white-tailed deer harvested in southern Finland in December 2018 were analysed. A significant (p < 0.001) drop in the odour and appearance scores and a significant increase in MAB (p < 0.001) and LAB (p = 0.001) counts of the vacuum-packaged meat cuts were observed after 3 weeks of storage at 4 °C. A very strong correlation (rs = 0.9444, p < 0.001) between the MAB and LAB counts were found during the 5-week sampling period. Clear spoilage changes, manifested as sour off-odours (odour scores ≤2) and pale colour, were detected in the meat cuts spoilt after 3-week storage. High (≥8 log10 cfu/g) MAB and LAB counts were also detected. According to the 16S rRNA gene amplicon analyses, Lactobacillus was the dominant bacterial genus in these samples, demonstrating that LAB can cause rapid spoilage of vacuum-packaged deer meat cuts stored at 4 °C. The rest of the samples were spoilt after four or five weeks of storage, and a vast number of bacterial genera were identified in them. Listeria and STEC were detected by PCR in 50 % and 18 % of the meat cut samples, respectively, which may indicate a public health problem. Our results demonstrate that it is very challenging to ensure the quality and safety of vacuum-packaged deer meat stored at 4 °C, and freezing is therefore recommended to prolong the shelf life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikaela Sauvala
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Per Johansson
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Björkroth
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Fredriksson-Ahomaa
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Mcayiya M, Needham T, Hoffman LC. Physical properties during a 28-day ageing period of blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) Longissimus thoracis et lumborum and Biceps femoris muscles. Meat Sci 2022; 194:108979. [PMID: 36116281 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The study aimed to determine the effect of sex, muscle-type, and ageing on the physical properties of blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Biceps femoris (BF) muscles. Randomly assigned steak samples from twenty mature blesbok (10 of each sex) antelope were vacuum-packed and stored at 4.4 ± 1 °C for 2, 4, 7, 10, 17 and 28 ageing days. Cumulative purge loss, pH, colour (L*, a*, b), cooking loss, and Warner Braztler shear force were determined. Males had meat with higher (P = 0.032) pH values than females, while all other attributes were similar (P > 0.05). The LTL had greater (P < 0.05) purge losses, L* and a* values than the BF muscle, while other quality attributes were greater (P < 0.05) for the BF muscle. Despite fluctuations, there was an overall decrease in shear force with ageing time. According to all quality parameters measured, the optimum ageing period for blesbok would seem to be 10 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mzuvukile Mcayiya
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
| | - Tersia Needham
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16500 Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic.
| | - Louwrens C Hoffman
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; Center for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Digital Agricultural Building, 8115, Office 110, Gatton 4343, Australia.
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Physical Changes during Post-Mortem Ageing of High-Value Impala (Aepyceros Melampus) Steaks. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10134485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antelope meat production is rapidly growing, not only due to their adaptation to marginal land usage, but also because of its favorable nutritional properties and free-range production. However, limited information is available on the meat quality and processing potential of game meat for commercial consumption. The objective of this study was to determine the ageing period to achieve maximum tenderness of longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles of impala. The LTL muscles of 11 male and 11 female impala were harvested, and divided into eight portions. Each portion was randomly allocated to 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 days of wet-ageing (4 °C) in vacuum packaging. The meat pH, color, weep loss, cooking loss, and Warner–Bratzler shear force were measured throughout ageing. Initially the ageing profile differed depending on the sex of the animal from which the muscle was harvested; however, after 8 days of ageing, maximum tenderness was reached (13.5 ± 0.91 N) and no further sex differences were seen. Ageing improved the surface color of all meat until day 8, after which discoloration occurred. Therefore, it is recommended that impala LTL steaks should be wet-aged at 4 °C for eight days to achieve maximum tenderness and minimize sex variability.
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Needham T, Kotrba R, Hoffman LC, Bureš D. Ante-and post-mortem strategies to improve the meat quality of high-value muscles harvested from farmed male common eland (Taurotragus oryx). Meat Sci 2020; 168:108183. [PMID: 32438250 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The effects of immunocastration, pelvic suspension and wet ageing on the meat quality of the longissimus lumborum et thoracis (LTL) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles of male common eland were evaluated. Ten subadult males were either immunocastrated (n = 5) or remained intact (n = 5) throughout a four-month growth trial, after which their carcass sides were randomly allocated to either pelvic- or Achilles-suspension. The LTL and BF were further aged for 14 days, measuring changes in the physical quality weekly. The sensory quality of the LTL and BF were determined after ageing (8/9 days, respectively). Immunocastration had minimal effects on the meat quality of male eland, but pelvic suspension decreased the shear force. All muscles reached minimum shear force after seven days of ageing, and the panellists ranked the pelvic-suspended muscles higher for tenderness traits. Incorporating pelvic suspension and wet ageing into the commercial processing of eland carcasses should be considered to improve overall meat quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tersia Needham
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic.
| | - Radim Kotrba
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic; Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, Prague 10- Uhříněves, 104 00, Czech Republic
| | - Louwrens C Hoffman
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa; Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Health and Food Sciences Precinct, 39 Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains 4108. Australia
| | - Daniel Bureš
- Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, Prague 10- Uhříněves, 104 00, Czech Republic; Department of Food Quality, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
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