Muscle fat composition of pheasants (, wild ducks () and black coots ()

Karin Nuernberg (1) , Jaroslav Slamecka (2) , Jozef Mojto (2) , Jozef Gasparik (3) , Gerd Nuernberg (4)

1 Research Unit Muscle Biology and Growth
2 Animal Production Research Centre Nitra
3 Slovak University of Agriculture Nitra
4 Research Unit Genetic and Biometry

The aim of this investigation was to characterise the fatty acid composition within intramuscular fat (IMF) of two muscles (breast and thigh) from 28 pheasants, ten wild ducks and 27 black coots from Slovakia. A high variability for all single fatty acids (FA) and the total fat concentration in muscles of wild birds was identified. Black coots deposited the highest fat in breast muscle whereas wild ducks and pheasants accumulated more lipids in thigh muscle. In general, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the IMF in wild bird muscles was high, and the saturated FA concentration was lower compared with muscles of domestic farm animals. The ratio between PUFA and saturated fatty acids (PSQ) ranked between 0.6 and 1.2, and the ratio of -6/-3 fatty acid was favourably low in black coot and wild pheasants (3.2 and 2.9, respectively). Farmed pheasants had increased IMF and more saturated and -6 fatty acids deposited in thigh muscle but not in breast muscle.

Mots clés: Wild duck; Pheasant; Black coot; Muscle; Fatty acid profile

Karin Nuernberg, Jaroslav Slamecka, Jozef Mojto, Jozef Gasparik, Gerd Nuernberg. Muscle fat composition of pheasants (, wild ducks () and black coots (). European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2011, 57 (4), pp.795-803. ⟨10.1007/s10344-010-0489-3⟩. ⟨hal-00657592⟩