Antelope (and Venison)

As with other large game, antelope is sometimes sold in markets as VENISON.

Venison and other wild game was man's only source of red meat until a few species of
animals were domesticated. It still offers the most natural and nutritious meat
available. Low in fat and subsisting on a natural diet of herbs, browse, and native
grasses, it is healthful as well as flavorful. As a result of "market hunting" by early settlers, America has taken steps to ensure the long-term viability of our native game animals.

Over 50 years ago, Texas ranchers introduced the first "exotic" deer and antelope to Texas. Beginning with only a few animals, they have multiplied to the point where selective harvesting of these non-native species is necessary to maintain a balance between our native wild game and other livestock competing for the same food supplies. It is from these non-native deer and antelope that most venison products are produced. All harvesting is done under full inspection by the Texas Department of Health.

In common with beef, mutton, pork and veal, venison was a term introduced by the descendants of the Norman Conquerors of England to refer to the flesh of a
particular animal used as food. But it has not always meant " deer-meat". At first, it
referred to the meat of any animal killed in the chase, which could include wild boar,
hare, and rabbit as well as deer

The South Texas Antelope is native to the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains where it is known as the "nilgai antelope". Fifty years ago, a farsighted pioneer of Texas ranching introduced the nilgai antelope to the plains of South Texas. He was
convinced that the antelope was a potentially important source of nutritious meat and might be better adapted to the rangeland of South Texas than conventional livestock. These animals are truly wild, ranging over an area in excess of one million acres. They have thrived and now the herds are so large that limited harvesting must be done to keep the population within the capacity
of the rangeland they occupy.

Intramuscular fat is
the distribution of fat in streaks through the meat (marbling). Venison has almost no
intramuscular fat (less than three percent). Venison has one-eighth as much fat as beef. Venison has about one-third the calories per ounce as compared with beef. The cholesterol level is even lower than chicken.

Because venison eaten in restaurants is fram-raised, venison usually contains no hormones, drugs, or any other substance injected or fed to other animals such as beef cattle and venison farmed in other countries. Many people are allergic to beef but can eat our venison with no problems.

For information on Food Safety of Farm-Raised Antelope and other game, click on http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/farmgame.htm

For recipes using antelope, try: http://www.exoticmeats.com/recipie.shtml