Abstract
Abstract. The present paper explores amino acid composition of breast and thigh muscles of common pheasant and compares it with that in broiler chickens. The experimental feeding of both pheasant and broiler chickens proceeded for a period of 42 days at the identical conditions employing the same diet and rearing technology. Muscles were analysed for the content of following amino acids: Asp, Thr, Ser, Glu, Pro, Gly, Ala, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Tyr, Phe, His, Lys, and Arg. The results show that the levels of most amino acids in thigh and breast muscles of pheasants (related to dry matter content) were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) than those in broiler chickens. In 42-day-old birds, the levels of individual amino acids in breast muscles (related to 100% of dry matter content) ranged from 8.02 to 127.32 g . kg-1 in pheasant chickens and from 19.77 to 110.33 g . kg-1 in broiler chickens while the corresponding average values in thigh muscles ranged from 14.77 g . kg-1 to 132.77 g . kg-1 in pheasant chickens and from 14.02 g . kg-1 to 93.53 g . kg-1 in broiler chickens. One interesting finding is that in the case of broiler chickens the levels of most amino acids in breast muscles were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) than those in thigh muscles. In the case of pheasant chickens, the difference between breast and thigh muscles was not confirmed which indicates that both muscles have high nutritive value. The results of amino acid composition of pheasant and broiler meat have proven a high nutritive value of pheasant meat in respect to human nutrition.
Highlights
Game represented the major portion of meat consumed by man before the development of agriculture (STEINHAUSER, 2000)
Our results indicate that the levels of amino acids in breast and thigh muscles of common pheasant are higher than those in broiler chickens
The study published by VEČEREK et al (2005) is one of a very few studies available that deal with the chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles in common pheasant in the course of intensive feeding, pointing out to the high content of protein in pheasant meat
Summary
Game represented the major portion of meat consumed by man before the development of agriculture (STEINHAUSER, 2000). Changes in chemical composition of meat from pheasant and broiler chickens in the course of feeding was studied by VEČEREK et al (2005). It follows from their results that chemical composition of pheasant meat significantly changes during growth. MELIN and LARBIER (1988) studied the effect of protein levels in a starter feeding mixture on the growth and plumage of pheasants. The aim of the present study was to find out if there is difference in amino acid composition of breast and thigh muscles between fattening common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and broiler chickens aged of 24 days
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