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Cutability, nutrient content, and comparison of harvested big game species at progressive stages of processing
The potential use of game meat as a nutrient dense food has been largely ignored regarding feeding a growing world population. Data assessing the yield of edible portion lean for many species of wild game is difficult to obtain. The objective of this study was to generate a database for the calculation of edible lean meat from harvest of big game species (Antelope, Whitetail, Mule deer, Elk, and Moose). The North Dakota Game and Fish Department assisted with recruitment of hunters who were instructed to retain both the entrails and carcass after field dressing. Twenty-two Antelope (Antilocapra americanus), 20 Whitetail deer (Odocoileua virginianus), 24 Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), 24 Moose (Alces alces), and 12 Elk (Cervus canadensis) were obtained to determine cutability. Weights of field dressed carcasses and entrails were recorded at the NDSU meat lab. Carcasses were skinned and lean tissue was removed to be weighed. The cutout weights obtained were field dressed weight, skinned and dressed weight, boneless lean meat and shot loss weight (tissue discarded due to bullet damage). One 454 g sample was taken from the same location of the longissimus muscle of each specie carcass for nutrient analysis. Means and standard deviations were determined and any tests of hypothesis that two means are equal were done with independent sample t-test. Nutritional values for antelope (121.5 mg/100g) and whitetail deer (117.1 mg/100g) had higher cholesterol compared to Standard (USDA marbling score Traces 00-100) beef (60.4 mg/100g) and other game meats. The average yield of lean red meat was 42.6% of live weight, 55.3% of field dressed weight and 68.4% of the skinned/dressed carcass of antelope; 48.7% of live weight, 58.5% of field dressed weight and 68.0% of the skinned/dressed carcass of whitetail deer; 42.8% of live weight, 54.2% of field dressed weight and 65.0% of the skinned/dressed carcass of mule deer; 36.5% of live weight, 50.3% of field dressed weight and 67.0% of the skinned/dressed carcass of moose; and 40.0% of live weight, 54.2% of field dressed weight and 64.8% of the skinned/dressed carcass of elk. These nutrition and yield data may be a valuable tool for estimating the potential dietary contribution of antelope, whitetail, mule deer, moose, and elk annually harvested in by North Dakota hunters.
Keywords: meat source, nutrient composition, wild game