Abstract:
The present study evaluates the influence of gender and age-class on the carcass traits,
meat chemical composition, and fatty acid profiles of randomly hunt-harvested wild boars from
Romania’s Frasin District hunting area, which is an important part of the stock density management
strategy. Only 76 wild boars were chosen to participate in the experimental design from a total of
94 wild boars hunted over seven winter seasons, based on two main criteria: right carcass part intact
and animal health status (suitable for human consumption) as determined by the veterinary health
notice issued by the Food Safety Authority, with all wild boars being evaluated before slaughtering.
After sanitary inspection and within the first 24 h postmortem, meat samples were taken in duplicate
from the right side of wild boar carcasses (m. Biceps femoris). The aim of this study was to compare
the carcass characteristics, chemical composition, and fatty acid profile of wild boar Biceps femoris
muscle obtained from the right side of carcasses, as well as the effects of gender, age-class, and their
interaction on these traits, in a context where venison is frequently regarded as organic food by
consumers due to the natural habitat in which wild animals live. The age of the animals had an effect
on the postmortem undressed warm and cold carcass weights (p 0.05). Considering the proximal
chemical composition, only the intramuscular fat (IMF) content was higher in adult meat samples
compared to young animals. C18:1 n-9 was the most abundant fatty acid in wild boar meat, followed
by C16:0, C18:2 n-6, and C18:0. For IMF content, gender, age class, and their interaction influenced
mainly MUFA fatty acids, in particular C16:1 n-9, C20:1 n-9 and C22:1 n-9, and also PUFA fatty acids C18:3 n-6, C20:3 n-3, C20:4 n-6, C20:5 n-3, C22:4 n-6, and C22:5 n-6. The appropriate amounts of
individual fatty acids in the muscles of the wild boars translate into a ratio of P/S acids that promotes
health as a bio-alternative resource of meat.
