disease in game

[bear foot bowhunter]

hi guys and gals
I am wanting to get in to more hunting and would like to harvest the meat namely pig and dear , what am I to look for as far as visible singes of disease and what can be don to minimise the risk? any help would be appreciated

[bear foot bowhunter]

dose any one harvest wild game ?

[tom604]

if it looks good ,take it check the liver for worms, after you gut it have a look and see if anything looks iffy,tumors cysts , cook well

[bear foot bowhunter]

thanks mate for the reply , didn't think there would be much to worry about , if i freeze and then cook it not a whole lot would survive that wouldn't think.

[North East]

Get them cold mate as quick possible. I've got access to an insulated cool room kept at about 2C. I think the maximum temp allowed is 5C. Hang deer for at least 7 days, don't know about pigs.

[Pom]

if i freeze and then cook it not a whole lot would survive that wouldn't think.

Once it's been a few hundred degrees there isn't much going to be left kicking.

As for the signs it's usually pretty obvious in my experience. The meat/organs look healthy or they don't. Worms, liver will be obviously discoloured, if there are cysts there are usually clusters of them. etc. It's not like its medical science looking for tiny discrepancies.

If it looks good 99.9% chance it is good.

[zobster]

Coming from a food safety perspective, there's only very few pathogens or their cyst that survives pass 100 degrees Celsius. I order to be double sure, bring the internal temperature of what every you are cooking to 121 degrees celsius and hold it there for 15minutes. everything thing is now dead BUT the toxins that were produced before the death of the pathogens are still active. Having say all that, it's a probability game, if your animal is healthy with healthy looking internal organs feel free to cook your backstraps to rare and enjoy that with a nice glass of red!!

[monbeg]

Be very aware of Q Fever if handling animals. Don't use the same knife for removing intestines etc that you use for carving meat portions.
Worthwhile read below.
http://conditions.health.qld.gov.au/Hea ... 35/Q-Fever

[Oldbloke]

Good read monbeg. I have been carrying a pair of latex gloves for some time now. Easy and compact.

[bear foot bowhunter]

Thanks monbed for the info another good video whached was on a guy that works for a university in the us I'll try and pout it up here later

[Xerox]

Don't use the same knife for removing intestines etc that you use for carving meat portions.

This is just me but I usually have a billy on half speed at the fire while doing whatever. Use the same knife for everything but give the blade a quick bath in the boiling water before it hits food.