Abstract

Data from an on-going study at a deer slaughter premises were analysed. Over one year 3856 deer, primarily red x wapiti hybrids, from 101 farms were observed. During overnight lairage a mean of 14 (s.d. 7.6) antagonistic encounters/hr occurred. In the race immediately prior to stunning, rearing was the most common form of unsettled behaviour (17% of deer). The incidence of unsettled behaviour differed between carriers (P<0.001). Bruising occurred in 24% of carcasses, increased with load size (P<0.01) and poor weather conditions (P<0.05), and differed between carriers (P<0.05). Half (48%) of all bruises were small and less than 5mm deep. Mean ultimate pH (pHu) was 5.65 (s.d. 0.139), and moderate-high pHu (>5.8) was prevalent in the shoulder (18.5% of carcasses) followed by the loin (10.6%) then the leg (5.6%). Behaviour, bruising and pHu all differed significantly between farms and days (P<0.001).

JC, Pollard, JM Stevenson-Barry, and RP Littlejohn

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 59, , 148-151, 1999