Open    Access



Lean Meat for 21st Century: A Case Study of Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae (Le Souef 1907)



Author(s)

A. A. Adewumi, I. A. Ayodele and G. A. Lameed

Full-Text PDF XML     1177 Views

DOI:10.17265/2161-6256/2011.11A.010

Panacea for unsustainable harvest for meat is the production of non-conventional sources of meat such as Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae in Nigeria 16 emus at age 20 months were domesticated under semi-intensive system at Ajanla Farms, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria for 24 months. 2 kg of the chest and drum stick of emu meats were used for the study. The meats were trimmed of bone, nerves, blood vessels, connective tissues and external fat and were kept at 4 °C for 24 hours. The study assessed the proximate composition of emu meat compared with Ostrich meat and conventional meat like beef. Fat content obtained was highest (P < 0.05) in beef with a value of 6.4% as against values of 1.00%, and 2.10% for emus and ostrich meat. Protein content was highest in emu meat and ostrich meat with 24.00% and 22.90% and 18.95% of beef. The results also showed that emu meat had the lowest cholesterol level of 54.7 mg/100 g compared to 63 mg/100 g, and 86 mg/100 g for ostrich and beef. The results showed that emu’s meat is very low in fat, cholesterol and is very high in protein content.

Birds, domestication, emu, lean meat, wildlife.