Evaluation of the Ostrich Carcass Reared and Slaughtered in Macedonia

The examinations have been made in 12 ostriches from breed – black-neck African ostrich, reared in Macedonia and slaughtered at the age of 12 to 14 months. Following items have been examined: live weight, slaughtered weight, weight of by-products, dressing percentage, losses of weight during the cooling period, some linear measurements of the carcass, mass of the basic parts of the carcass and the content of meat and bones in the basic parts of the carcass. It has been established that the average live weight of ostriches is 103.72kg, slaughtered weight 51.33 kg and dressing percentage 49.49 %. The participation of separate by-products in live weight of ostrich is: head 0,70 %, skin 8,19 %, legs 3,93 %, liver 1,48 %, lungs 0,57 %, heart 0,97 %, full gizzard 8,46 %, empty gizzard 4,39 %, full intestines 10,96 %, oesophagus and trachea 0,46 % and abdominal fat 4,23 %. Carcass length (clavicula - os pubis) is 74,92 cm and thigh length (os pubis – tibia-tarsus ankle) 76,92 cm, circumference of thigh 62,83 cm and the length of the neck is 81,33 cm. Carcass length (clavicula - os pubis) is 74,92 cm and thigh length (os pubis – tibia-tarsus ankle) 76,92 cm, circumference of thigh 62,83 cm and the length of the neck is 81,33 cm. In the slaughtered weight thighs participate by 31,19 %, back 49,78 %, breasts 15,04 % and neck 3,99 %. The thighs contain 24,12 % meat and 7,05 % bones from the slaughtered weight, back contains 41,63 % meat and 8,14 % bones, breasts 4,75 % meat and 10,29 % bones. The thigh contains 77,39 % meat and 22,61 % bone, back – 83,64 % meat and 16,36 % bones and breasts 31,61 % meat and 68,39 % bones. Ostrich carcass contains 70,50 % meat and 25.48% bones (without meat and bones from the neck)