Comparison of Carcass Composition, Meat Quality, Metric Traits of the Digestive System, and Leg Bones of the Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L.) and Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix L.)

The aim of the study was to compare the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L.) and gray partridge (Perdix perdix L.) of the two species of game birds most popular in Poland occurring in the natural in terms of meat quality and morphometric and anatomical dimensions. A total of 40 birds were used for the study, 10 males and 10 females of each species. The compared bird species differed (p < 0.05) in body and carcass weight, share (%) of pectoral and leg muscles, neck and abdominal fat, chemical composition and physicochemical traits (EC_24h — electrical conductivity, L*, a*) of pectoral and leg muscles, and texture traits of m. pectoralis major, except for gumminess. Gray partridges had a higher percentage of pectoral muscles, but a lower percentage of leg muscles, and were less fattness than pheasants. The pectoral and leg muscles of pheasants had a higher intramuscular fat content. Partridge pectoral muscles had lower protein content and higher water content and were also darker, with less gumminess and hardness. Partridge leg muscles contained more collagen and had higher redness. Partridges had a higher percentage of heart and liver and relatively (per 100 g BW) longer intestinal segments and leg bone dimensions.