The aim of this project is to study the zootechnical performance of rhea (Rhea americana), including slaughtering yields, chemical composition and sensorial analysis of its meat. Eleven birds were kept under confinement and each had a balanced ration on demand and access to run. Before slaughtering, the rhea were not allowed to drink water for 12 h, they were weighed and underwent the following: stunning, bleeding, manual feather plucking, skinning, and evisceration. The average rhea weight at the time of slaughtering was 19.393 kg, their average performance for food intake 529.82 g ration/day, weight gain of 53.20 g/day, and 9.44 food conversion. Relative to the carcass weight, the average meat yield was 63.33%, whereby 5.09% was fat and 22% bones. The average percentage composition obtained for the rhea meat was 22.81% protein, 1.59% lipids, 1.62% ash, and 74.72% humidity. The colagen content varied from 0.94 to 1.12% and the cholesterol content measured was 65.44 mg per 100 g of meat. According to the sensorial analysis, the processed meat was well accepted by the tasters. Therefore, we conclude that the rhea meat can be consumed as a source of animal protein.
ratite; zootechnical indexes; meat quality; sensorial analysis
