SLAUGHTER YIELD AND QUALITY OF MEAT FROM WILD TURKEY (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO SILVESTRIS VIEILLOT) REARED IN HUNTING RESERVE IN SOUTH BULGARIA.

A total of 6 wild turkeys Meleagris gallopavo silvestris Vieillot (3 males, 3 females) at 16 weeks of age were investigated after the species has been imported from Canada in the Hunting reserve of Trankovo, Stara Zagora region. The birds were reared in aviaries and occasionally, let free for hunting tourism. The birds were reared according to conditions adopted in the reserve, fed standard compound feeds according to their category. After 12-hour feed withdrawal, the birds were stunned and slaughtered. The slaughter analysis and meat chemical analysis were conducted at the Meat and meat products unit, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University -- Stara Zagora. After 24-hour cooling storage at 0-4 °C the carcasses (without the neck and edible offal) were cut up in commercial parts. Twelve slaughter parameters were determined after evisceration and weighing of internal organs: liver, gizzard, proventriculus, heart, intestines (g). They were used for calculation of slaughter yield. Samples of breast and thigh muscles were collected 24 hours after slaughter and prepared for determination of water, proteins, fat and ash content. Fatty acid composition of triglycerides red and white meat was determined. Triglyceride quantity and quality were assayed by gas chromatography with metal column with Supelcoport 100/200 mesh as stationary phase. The amino acid content was determined by ion-exchange column chromatography. Water holding capacity (WHC, %) was determined on the 24th h post slaughter on samples from m. Pectoralis superficialis, m. Pectoralis profundus and m. Femorotibialis. The slaughter analysis showed higher body weight and higher carcass weight in male birds, although the slaughter yield of female was higher than that in males turkeys 67.13% and 66.87% respectively (p>0.05). The differences in protein and fat content of breast and thigh meat in both turkey genders were not significant. The content of the essential amino acid methionine in the breast meat of wild turkeys was 2.61g in males and 2.50g in females. Lysine concentrations ranged between 9.58% and 9.69%. The eicosatrienoic omega-3 fatty acids was found only in the meat of male turkeys. Breast meat of female birds did not contain eicosatrienoic and arachidonic fatty acids. There were no differences in the content of macrominerals and trace elements in the meat of both genders wild turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]