Carcass composition comparison of male and female red deer and hybrids with Pere David's deer

The carcass composition of male and female red deer and 1/4 Pere David's de er hybrids were compared. Males had significantly more total carcass muscle and total carcass bone (P < 0.01), but significantly less total carcass fa t and intramuscular fat in the longissimus dorsi (P < 0.01) than females wh en compared at the regressed mean hot carcass weight of 72.9 kg (19-20 mont hs of age). Genotype differences were significant for muscle distribution w ith hybrids having relatively more muscle in the hind leg primal cut compar ed with red deer. Gender differences in muscle, bone, and fat tissue distri bution were also evident with males having relatively more fat and bone in the neck and shoulder primal cuts. Pere David's deer hybrids have significa ntly different muscle tissue distribution than red deer, which may be indic ative of a major gene effect similar to double-muscling observed in cattle and callipyge in sheep.