Evaluation of the ostrich carcass reared and slaughtered in Macedonia

Abstract

The examinations were conducted on 12 ostriches of Black-Neck African breed, reared in Macedonia and slaughtered at the age of 12 to 14 months. Following items were examined: live weight, slaughtered weight , weight of byproducts, dressing percentage, loss of weight after chilling, some linear measurements of the carcass, mass of the basic parts of the carcass and the content of meat and bones in the basic
parts of the carcass. It was established that the average live weight of ostriches was 103.72kg, slaughtered weight 51.33 kg and dressing percentage 49.49%. The participation of separate byproducts in live
weight of ostrich was: head 0,70%, skin 8,19%, legs 3,93%, liver 1,48%, lungs 0,57%, heart 0,97%, full gizzard 8,46%, empty gizzard 4,39%, full intestines 10,96%, oesophagus and trachea 0,46% and abdominal fat 4,23%. Carcass length (clavicula - os pubis) was 74,92 cm and thigh length (os pubis – tibia-tarsus ankle) 76,92 cm, circumference of thigh 62,83 cm and the length of the neck was 81,33 cm. Carcass length (clavicula - os pubis) was 74,92 cm and thigh length (os pubis – tibia-tarsus ankle) 76,92 cm, circumference of thigh 62,83 cm and the length of the neck was 81,33 cm. In the slaughtered weight thighs participated with 31,19%, back 49,78%, breasts 15,04% and neck 3,99%. The thighs contained 24,12% meat and 7,05% bones from the slaughtered weight, back contained 41,63% meat and 8,14% bones, breasts 4,75% meat and 10,29% bones. The thigh contained 77,39% meat and 22,61% bone, back – 83,64% meat and 16,36% bones and breasts 31,61% meat and 68,39% bones. Ostrich carcass contained 70,50% meat and 25.48% bones (without meat and bones from the neck).
Key words: ostrich, dressing percentage, by-products.