Deer farming is a thriving industry for venison, velvet antlers, trophy hunting, and other by-products. Feeding and nutrition are important factors for improving production performance, especially dietary protein and amino acids (AAs), as they are the main components of all tissues. Only a few studies on AA supplementation (Lys, Met, Arg) have been performed on cervids, which show positive effects on weight gain, ADG, feed-:gain ratio, plasma AAs, carcass weight, dressing percentage, yield of high-quality muscles, storage of internal fat during winter, DM and CP digestibility, plasma protein- and fat-related metabolite concentrations, antler burr perimeter, weight, length and mineralisation, velvet antler yield, rumen volatile fatty acids, and microbiome composition. All these effects are relevant for supporting the production of cervids products, from venison to velvet or trophy antlers, as well as their general performance and well-being of captive-bred cervids. The current available information suggests that AA supplementation can be especially interesting for animals fed low protein rations, and growing animals, but should be avoided in high rations and during winter, since it may promote the accumulation of internal fat. Potential effects on milk production and the concentrations of different hormones involved in the regulation of the antler cycle should be further explored.

• Keywords
• Antler, Deer, Feed additive, Protein, Ruminant, Venison,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

The chemical characteristics (proximate composition, amino acids, and fatty acids) and sensory quality of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of 45 farmed male fallow deer were investigated. The animals were divided into three separate groups (n = 15 per treatment): pasture-fed (P), pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). Differences were observed in LL moisture and the intramuscular fat contents, the latter being almost two-fold greater in the meat of B and BL groups compared to P. The concentrations of histidine, leucine, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine in the raw meat were higher in the BL group compared to the P group. Higher contents of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and consequently lower n-3 ratios, were found in the P group, compared to the BL group. The grilled meat samples from the P group scored higher than the other groups for grassy flavour, and lower for liver flavour.

• Keywords
• amino acids, bucks, diets, nutrition, sensory analysis, venison,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Although fallow deer are abundant in South Africa, these cervids remain undervalued as a domestic protein source and little information exists on their meat quality. This study aimed to evaluate the proximate and mineral compositions of the meat from wild fallow deer (n = 6 male, n = 6 female) harvested in South Africa, as affected by sex and muscle. Proximate analyses were conducted on six muscles (longissimus thoracis et lumborum [LTL], biceps femoris [BF], semimembranosus [SM], semitendinosus [ST], infraspinatus [IS], supraspinatus [SS]), whereas mineral analyses were conducted on the LTL and BF. The proximate composition of the muscles ranged from 73.3-76.2% moisture, 20.4-23.1% protein, 2.2-3.2% fat, and 1.1-1.5% ash. Proximate composition was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced by muscle, but not by sex. The primary essential macro- and micro-minerals determined in the LTL and BF were potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and magnesium, as well as iron, zinc, and copper, with more variation in concentrations occurring with muscle than with sex. Minerals in the muscles contributing most notably to human recommended dietary requirements were potassium, iron, copper, and zinc. These findings indicate that wild fallow deer meat is a nutritious food source and should enhance utilisation of such products.

• Keywords
• fat, minerals, moisture, protein, proximate composition, venison,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The culling of layer cockerels due to economic inefficiency is an ethical problem. Organic or free-range fattening of these cockerels or dual-purpose genotypes breeding is a possible solution to this problem. The aim of the study was to assess the differences in performance and meat quality characteristics in dual-purpose cockerels Dominant of three genotypes (Dominant Sussex D 104, Dominant Brown D 102 and Dominant Tinted D 723, 100 cockerels per genotype) with access to pasture. The cockerels were housed in mobile boxes on the pasture herbage from the 50th to 77th day of age (stocking density: 0.108 m2/bird). The highest body weight on the 77th day of age (p < 0.001) and the nonsignificantly lowest feed conversion was achieved by Dominant Brown D 102 cockerels (1842 g and 2.79, respectively). Non-significantly higher pasture herbage intake on the 70th day of age was recorded in genotype Dominant Brown D 102 (7.41 g dry matter (DM)/bird/day) and Dominant Tinted D 723 (7.52 g DM/bird/day). The pasture herbage contained 56.9 mg/kg DM α-tocopherol, 170.3 mg/kg DM zeaxanthin and 175.0 mg/kg DM lutein and had a favourable n6/n3 ratio (0.26). The boiled meat of cockerels Dominant Tinted D723 showed the highest tenderness based on both the sensory evaluation (p = 0.022) and the value of shear force (p = 0.049). This corresponds with a higher (p < 0.001) cross-sectional area and muscle fibre diameter in these chickens. The highest content of n3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, clupanodonic and docosahexaenoic acids) in breast meat were found in Dominant Sussex D104 chickens (p < 0.001). In contrast, a significantly higher α-tocopherol content (p < 0.001) and higher oxidative stability (p = 0.012) were found in Dominant Brown D102 (4.52 mg/kg and 0.282 mg/kg) and Dominant Tinted D 723 chickens (4.64 mg/kg and 0.273 mg/kg) in comparison with the Dominant Sussex D104 genotype (3.44 mg/kg and 0.313 mg/kg). The values of the atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes were the lowest (p < 0.001) in meat from Dominant Brown D102 chickens. Moreover, a lower cholesterol content (p < 0.001) was recorded from the genotypes Dominant Brown D102 (396 mg/kg) and Dominant Tinted D723 (306 mg/kg) chickens, contrary to the Dominant Sussex D104 cockerels (441 mg/kg). It can be concluded that cockerels Dominant Brown D102 are a suitable genotype for free-range rearing due to higher performance and higher pasture herbage intake, which positively influences meat quality, whereas the meat of Dominant Sussex D104 cockerels shows higher amounts of n3 fatty acids and lower n6/n3 ratios.

• Keywords
• fatty acids, layer line chickens, oxidative stability, sensory analysis, α-tocopherol,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Nutrition is a major factor involved in the sexual development of livestock ruminants. In the male, a high-energy diet enhances the reproductive function, but its effects on the underlying processes such as spermatogenic efficiency are not yet defined. Moreover, the possible changes in sperm size due to a supplemented diet remain poorly investigated. The main goal of this study was to evaluate whether a high-energy diet affects the spermatogenic activity, epididymal sperm parameters (concentration, morphology, morphometry and acrosome integrity) and blood testosterone levels in fallow deer yearlings. For this purpose, 32 fallow deer were allocated into two groups according to their diet: control (pasture) and experimental (pasture and barley grain) groups. Fallow deer from the experimental group showed a significant increase in the Sertoli cell function and sperm midpiece length, together with a higher testicular mass, sperm concentration and percentage of normal spermatozoa than the control group (p < 0.05). We also found a tendency for higher blood testosterone levels in the animals fed with barley grain (p = 0.116). The better sperm quality found in the experimental group may be related to their higher efficiency of Sertoli cells and to an earlier onset of puberty. The results of the present work elucidate the mechanisms by which dietary supplementation enhances the male sexual development and might be useful for better practices of livestock management in seasonal breeders.

• Keywords
• barley, deer, nutrition, puberty, spermatogenesis, spermatozoa,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Fallow deer (Dama dama) are important meat producing species providing venison and other products to an international market. The present study investigated the effects of different feed rations on the growth, carcass characteristics and physical attributes of the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (SET) muscles of 45 farm-raised male fallow deer. The animals were divided into three separate groups: 15 pasture-fed (P), 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). The animals were slaughtered at an average age of 17 months at three time points: after 155, 169 and 183 days on feed. The addition of barley to the feed ration significantly increased weight gain and had positive effects on slaughter and carcass weights, dressing-out proportion, carcass composition, the weight of LL muscle, and increased the redness, yellowness and chroma values of LL muscle. The supplementation with lysine reduced the amounts of carcass and internal fats without compromising other economically important traits.

• Keywords
• diet, meat quality, muscle, performance, venison,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH