This study determined the carcass yields of red hartebeest from Namibia and compared the physical-chemical meat quality characteristics of six different muscles (biceps femoris, infraspinatus, longissimus thoracis et lumborum, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and supraspinatus) for both males and females. Red hartebeest males were heavier (133.92 kg) than females (114.20 kg) but the average dressing percentage did not differ between the two sexes. Muscles from females had a lower mean shear force value of 3.59 kg/1.27 cm ø, compared to males (4.23 kg/1.27 cm ø). The most tender muscle was the infraspinatus of the female treatment group, while the semimembranosus of the male treatment group was the least tender muscle. Drip loss, cooking loss and L* (lightness) values were not affected by sex. The largest hue angle was observed in the semitendinosus muscle of the female treatment group (28.94°), and it was thus the lightest red muscle. The highest chroma values (17.3) were observed in the semimembranosus muscle. Muscle protein content averaged 20.5% over all treatment combinations, and the mean intra-muscular fat content for both male and female muscles was low (2.4%). The shoulder muscles, infraspinatus and supraspinatus, of the females had the highest fat content (2.7%). The results indicate that red hartebeest meat should be market according to specific muscles and that sex of the animals need not be considered during marketing.
Keywords: game meat; healthy; physical quality; tenderness; venison.