Game Meat Hygiene Aspects Of Dogging Red And Roe Deer

The present study on the one hand demonstrates the hygienic risks for game meat associated with deer dogging. On the other hand, it was shown that high quality game meat can be obtained if the animals hunted by dogging are properly dressed under hygienic conditions and subjected to cooling as soon as possible. In the course of two dogging hunts in Upper Austria and Salzburg as well as one drive hunt in Styria, 31 head red deer and 6 head roe deer were examined. The results were compared with the data of a previous study (Deutz et al., 2000). The following parameters were examined: game species, age, sex, time of shooting, shot placement, intervall between shooting and dressing, intervall between shooting and cold storage, air temperature from shooting of the first head of game up to transferring the day's kill to the cold storage room, temperature in the holding cover of game or the cold storage room, visual evaluation of the abdominal cavity and the inner side of the thigh, swab sample taken from the abdominal cavity or the inner side of the thigh 12 to 24 hours after dressing, pH measurements 3 to 5 hours as well as 24 hours after shooting,Compared to deer hunted individually, in deer dogging the shot placement was of inferior quality and dressing was carried out distinctly later. The detection rate of indicator organisms as well as pathogens on the surface of game meat obtained by deer dogging was albeit lower than the average percentage of game delivered to game collecting points. The average surface bacterial count amounted to 4.5 x 10(4) organisms/cm(2) (inside of thighs). Listeria and salmonella were not detected. Quite noticeable in comparison to deer hunted individually were the slightly lower pH(24) values as well as a faster rate of pH decline already 3 to 5 hours after shooting.Based on the results of these examinations recommendations on the hygienic production of game meat during dogging and drive hunts are given. These recommendations deal mostly with the duration of the hunt, dressing, cooling, displaying the gamebag as well as further processing of the game meat.