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THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CROPPING METHODS ON THE MEAT QUALITY OF VARIOUS GAME SPECIES

Ante-mortem stress is known to adversely affect the meat quality of animals, and cropping methods that induce the least amount of stress are thus key in ensuring acceptable meat quality from wild ungulates. The purpose of this study was to compare day and night cropping on the quality of red hartebeest meat. Forty animals were cropped, 19 during the day and 21 at night. There was no significant difference in stress score or serum cortisol (nmol/L) between treatments. Since the rate of temperature decline varied between animals, all pH measurements were adjusted to 4°C. Treatment had no significant effect on the adjusted pHu. None of the constants of the exponential decay model of the adjusted pH data (y = a + b e) differed (mean a = 5.49 ± 0.096; b = 1.86 ± 0.272; c = -0.21 ± 0.023). No significant differences were found in drip loss, cooking loss or shear force between treatments. Significant correlations were found between drip loss (r = -0.322) and cooking loss (r = 0.323) and pHu. A significant difference was found for a* and chroma between day (a* = 13.42 ± 0.236; C* = 16.12 ± 0.231) and night (a* = 12.71 ± 0.219; C* = 15.36 ± 0.215) cropped animals. All colour ordinates, except hue angle, were found to be significantly correlated to pHu. The results of this study indicate that if an experienced cropping team is used, neither of the two cropping methods has any adverse effect on the meat quality of red hartebeest.