Ostrich – yield and chemical composition

Faced with the fact that the world’s population is increasing year over year and that it is faced with the lack of food, especially meat, the alimentary technology should necessarily consider each alimentary source. This thesis studies the quality and quantity of ostriches' meat. The results of the live weight, slaughter weight, dressing percentage and losses of weight under chilling, the content of meat and bones in the main parts (thighs, back, thorax) and the chemical composition of the ostrich meat are expressed in this thesis. Therefore, examinations of 12 ostriches from the African black-neck ostrich breed at the age of 12 – 14 months are made. According to the examinations, it has been concluded that the live weight of ostriches amounts 103,72 kg, the dressing percentage of the warm carcass is 51,03 % and of chilled one is 49,49 %. The losses of weight under chilling are 3,04 %. Out of one ostrich, 36,20 kg meat can be obtained. The back contains the largest amount of meat which is 21,37 kg, the next are the thighs with 12,39 kg, and the lowest amount contains the thorax with 2.,44 kg. The ostrich meat contains water 74,52%, proteins 22,61 %, fats 0,34 % and minerals 1,22 %