Carcass composition and quality of meat from game pheasants (P. colchicus) depending on age and sex

The experiment was conducted on game pheasants (Phasianus colchicus L.). Birds were kept in confinement housing and fed ad libitum complete commercial diets for meat pheasants. At 12 and 17 weeks of rearing, 12 birds each were taken for slaughter. After determination of muscle pH(15), the carcasses were dissected into saleable cuts. Following dissection, breast muscles were sampled to determine water holding capacity, tenderness, sensory properties, colour parameters, total pigment content and mineral content, and leg muscles to determine water holding capacity and sensory properties. At the age of 17 weeks, male and female pheasants had significantly higher body weight and carcass weight, and non-significantly lower dressing percentage compared to birds reared to 12 weeks of age. Regardless of slaughter date, males were characterized by significantly lower body weight and carcass weight compared to females. The carcasses of older birds contained more neck and breast (significantly in females) and significantly fewer wings. The sex of birds had a significant effect on carcass leg percentage in 12-weeks-old pheasants and on carcass breast percentage in 17-weeks-old birds, the values of which were greater in females. With the advancing age, the proportion of skin from female breasts and the proportion of skin from male legs increased significantly, the proportion of leg bones decreased significantly in females, breast muscle tenderness evaluated by sensory analysis improved significantly in males, and taste intensity of breast muscles and juiciness of leg muscles deteriorated in females. The breast muscles of older males were found to contain more magnesium and iron, and less zinc, while a significant reduction in the amounts of sodium and zinc was found in females.