A comparison between the effects of two cropping methods on Red hartebeest meat quality

Cropping methods that induce the least amount of stress are key in ensuring acceptable meat quality from wild ungulates. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of day and night cropping on the quality of Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) meat. Ten animals were cropped during the day and ten at night. Emphasis was placed on ultimate pH (pHu) and rate of pH decline. All pH measurements were adjusted to a standard temperature of 4C. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) found between the mean pHu values for day (5.70 ± 0.056) or night (5.68 ± 0.057) cropped animals. An exponential decay model (Y = a + b e ) was fitted to the adjusted pH decline data. Non-linear regression analysis showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the rate of pH decline for day cropped (c = -0.19 ± 0.013) or night cropped animals (c = -0.19 ± 0.013). The results of this study indicate that there is no significant difference between the effect of day and night cropping on the rate and extent of pH decline of Hartebeest if an experienced cropping team is used. Introduction The potential of African ungulates for meat production has long been recognized (Ledger, 1963; Ledger, Sachs & Smith, 1967; Von La Chevallerie, 1972) and during the past 20-25 years the commercial utilization of wildlife has grown tremendously in South Africa (Mostert & Hoffman, 2007). Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of and concerned with the quality of meat products and in South Africa, game meat is often perceived as having a dark, unattractive colour as well as being dry. This may mainly be attributable to either pre-slaughter stress resulting in dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat or to the fact that wild ungulates are more active than domesticated animals so that their meat contains a higher amount of myoglobin and much less intramuscular fat (Hoffman et al., 2005). The former is a problem that could be addressed by minimizing the ante-mortem stress experienced by the animals through proper and efficient cropping methodologies. The plains game species (Springbok, Impala, Blesbok, Hartebeest, etc.) in southern Africa are usually cropped either during the day or at night, using vehicles, helicopters or with the use of boma capture (Hoffman & Wiklund, 2006). Many authors have found night cropping to be the method least stressful to wild animals (Hoffman 2001; Kritzinger, 2002; Lewis et al., 1997; Veary, 1991; Von La Chevallerie & Van Zyl, 1971) and this notion is generally accepted by most game meat producers. Most of the studies quoted were conducted on impala (Aepyceros melampus), or springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), two smaller species whose behaviour (found in herds, tend to stand and face the spotlight) is such that they are suitable for night cropping. This study was conducted to determine the effect of day and night cropping on the meat quality parameters of Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) meat, since, to our knowledge, this is the first study conducted on Red Hartebeest with regards to cropping methodology. Materials and methods For this study twenty Red Hartebeest were cropped at Neudamm Agricultural College in Namibia. Hartebeest are a gregarious species that predominantly occur in small (20-30 animals) harem or bachelor herds. The animals in this study were either cropped during the day or at night by a professional cropping team. At night, animals were spotted and blinded by 1-million candlelight spotlights. All the shots taken were either head or neck shots, with the exception of four animals that were wounded either in the stomach or leg and then shot a second time – this second shot was normally conducted within 60 120 seconds of the first. Viscera, stomach and intestines were removed in the field and tagged. Carcasses were then transported to an on-site veterinary laboratory where they were weighed, placed in a cool truck (5 -10C) and pH and temperature readings were taken in the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) at two to three hour intervals up until 24 hours post-mortem.