New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
The effect of removal technique and post-removal handling on velvet antler
colour
J. M. SUTTIE
S. R. HAINES
A. P. BROWN-SMITH
P. F. FENNESSY
AgResearch
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 50034
Mosgiel, New Zealand
N. S. BEATSON
Deer Records (NZ) Ltd
129 Mountainview Road
Timaru, New Zealand
Abstract Asian markets for velvet antler perceive the colour
of the core as a primary indicator of quality. The factors which influence
colour are not known, but the market preference in Korea is for an even mid-red
colour. The aim of the present study was to determine whether removal technique
and post-removal handling influence velvet colour. Investigations took place at
AgResearch Invermay and at Mount Hutt Station in mid Canterbury, New Zealand.
The influences on velvet antler colour of sedative drug, mild stress, local
anaesthetic administration, timing of tourniquet application, and restraint of
the stags in a crush or workroom for velvet antler removal were investigated.
The effects of antler orientation post-removal and post-removal environmental
temperature on velvet antler colour were also investigated. In all studies,
velvet antler was frozen and held at -20deg.C before being dried either by
freeze drying or commercially. In all trials, a consistent pattern of both
lightness and hue angle was shown from the tip of the velvet antler stick to
the base; the tip was lighter and browner, the mid section was darker and
redder, and the base was lighter and browner. There were no significant overall
effects of drug treatment on colour, but there were significant differences
among sections. Specifically, sedative drug treatments resulted in less red
velvet antler than in control antlers removed using local analgesic only. Mild
stress and method of local analgesic administration had no effect on any aspect
of velvet antler colour. Placing the velvet at an angle of 15deg. (tip down)
gave a darker and redder antler than the typical fully inverted position. There
were no significant differences in colour whether the velvet antler was frozen
immediately after removal or held at 4deg.C or ambient temperature for up to 6
hours prior to freezing. Overall, the use of sedative drugs produces velvet
antler that is lighter and less red, and post-removal handling technique can
influence colour.
Keywords deer velvet; antler; removal; handling; colour;
microbiological contamination
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 2000, Vol. 43: 207-225
0028-8233/00/4302-0207 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
2000
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1204K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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