Effects of Sex and Hunting Season on Carcass and Meat Quality Characteristics of the Brown Hare (<i>Lepus europaeus</i>)

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of sex and hunting season on the carcass, meat and fat quality of hunted brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Twenty-two hares of both sexes hunted in winter (December) during two hunting seasons in accordance with the law on hunting in Lithuania were evaluated using reference methods The data were subjected to two-factor analysis of variance in the general linear (GLM) procedure. No significant differences in carcass measurements and muscularity or internal organs between the sexes of brown hares were found; however, the hunting season appeared to affect the size of hares. The biceps femoris (BF) thigh muscle of males had lower (p p p longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and affected dry matter, protein and hydroxyproline contents (p p p p p p p p < 0.05) thrombogenic (TI) index in the LTL compared with males.

Keywords

• game
• meat
• fat
• fatty acids
• hare
• carcass