Possible abcess muntjac front left shoulder

[PEM406]

Butchering an MU buck this evening and saw this on its front left shoulder.



Smells very bad.

Rest of the carcass seems ok and no smell. Nodes all seemed fine. I’m assuming an old injury (there is a buck around that we’re trying to get with one long straight-ish antler ).

I’ll dispose of the shoulder and rib trim on that side. What about the rest of the carcass?

 

[CookM]

I know what l think.
Interested what other members post first.

 

[PEM406]

Sounds ominous.

Just reviewed the scope video again and he has a mark on the shoulder. Photo of the body shows the same.

Did all the checks on feet and mouth before gralloching but overlooked that.

 

[CookM]

How did all of the other lymph nodes look?

 

[PEM406]

All looked good. Neck shot so I could check bronchial for once. They looked fine as did messenteric and the retropharangial and sub maxillary. I struggle on portal. The ones inside the haunches also looked good. I didn’t check either shoulder because as soon as I smelt it I stopped even doing the other shoulder.

 

[PEM406]

Behaviour normal and inside of carcass was clean. Apart from that I’d have said it was a really clean animal.

 

[Tim.243]

All looked good. Neck shot so I could check bronchial for once. They looked fine as did messenteric and the retropharangial and sub maxillary. I struggle on portal. The ones inside the haunches also looked good. I didn’t check either shoulder because as soon as I smelt it I stopped even doing the other shoulder.

They fight all the time so that is par for the course with them, the more you shoot the often you will start to find that. I have binned 2 over time as they were very thin (both bucks with smashed tusks and ragged ears) But I must say out of all the other posts about old injuries or being sick
Roe are top of the list and muntjac being at the bottom.

 

[PEM406]

Would you bin the whole carcass? Landowner wants some for Christmas. Don’t want to give them anything risky.

 

[TringSaint]

Ditch the shoulder and keep the rest.
It’s likely a tooth or thorn injury that is localised.

 

[HallyButt]

Fling it and try again tomorrow, not worth risking IMHO

 

[PEM406]

This is the one I’ve been trying to find

 

[Tim.243]

Would you bin the whole carcass? Landowner wants some for Christmas. Don’t want to give them anything risky.

If it was me I would say, " It was not in the best of condition so will shoot and drop off the next one"

No wonder they get cut lol

 

[PEM406]

Thanks all. Appreciate the advice. It’s getting disposed of. Not worth the risk at all.

 

[VSS]

Ditch the shoulder and keep the rest.
It’s likely a tooth or thorn injury that is localised.

Exactly this ^^^

(Incidentally, I always eat a small piece off every single deer that I process for sale, "just to make sure".
I would do the same in your situation now).

 

[PEM406]

Exactly this ^^^

(Incidentally, I always eat a small piece off every single deer that I process for sale, "just to make sure".
I would do the same in your situation now).

Bush tucker trial? No way am I eating that stinky shoulder. Even with BBQ sauce

 

[PEM406]

Only kidding. Thanks again for the advice all

 

[VSS]

Bush tucker trial? No way am I eating that stinky shoulder. Even with BBQ sauce

No, you ditch that shoulder, no question about that.
But if the rest of the carcass looks OK and smells OK then it is OK. Just taste test a little bit, if you're still in any doubt about it.

(It's quite normal, even in abattoirs, for part of a carcass to be condemned and the rest of it be passed as fit for consumption).

 

[Tim.243]

Only kidding. Thanks again for the advice all

The thing is people selling venison would not add this to the label "prime venison from a deer with a stinking pus abscess on the carcass "

 

[CookM]

Every comment backed up what l think,outside a small injury.
Bin it.
Plenty of good meals running around the woods,remember,you did the right thing,and questioned yourself.

 

[VSS]

The thing is people selling venison would not add this to the label "prime venison from a deer with a stinking pus abscess on the carcass "

I've never seen beef labelled as being from bTB reactor cattle either, but guess what? If you’ve bought beef on a regular basis the chances are you'll have eaten some. Provided that the TB lesions are localised rather than widespread through the carcass it'll be trimmed and signed off as fit.