Effect of breed types and castration on carcass characteristics of Boer and large frame indigenous Veld goats of Southern Africa

Abstract
Weaner male Boer Goats (BG; n = 36; 21 bucks and 15 wethers) and large frame Indigenous Veld Goats (IVG; n = 41; 21 bucks and 20 wethers) were raised on hay and natural grass ad libitum and the recommended amount of commercial pelleted diet to a live weight between 30 and 35 kg. Carcass quality characteristics (live weight, carcass weights, dressing %, chilling loss and eye muscle area) were measured. The right sides of the carcasses were divided into wholesale cuts and dissected into subcutaneous fat, meat and bone. Large frame Indigenous Veld Goat (IVG) wethers were slightly lighter than the IVG bucks with no significant difference observed between BG. Wethers compared to bucks had higher dressing %, subcutaneous fat % in all primal cuts, intramuscular fat %, kidney fat % and, overall, slightly less bone %. Some breed–wether interactions were noticed: IVG wethers were slightly lighter than the IVG bucks, but the IVG bucks tended to produce higher % meat compared to other test groups. Judged on the intramuscular fat % characteristics, it seems as if wethers should produce juicier and more flavorsome meat compared to bucks.
Description
CITATION: Van Wyk, G. L., et al . 2020. Effect of breed types and castration on carcass characteristics of Boer and large frame indigenous veld goats of Southern Africa. Animals, 10(10):1884, doi:10.3390/ani10101884.
The original publication is available at http://www.mdpi.com
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund
Keywords
Grazing, Goat's meat, Goat meat -- Nutritional aspects, Goat meat industry -- Nutritional requirements, Goat meat -- Quality -- South Africa, Goat's meat -- Quality, Goat breeds -- South Africa, Goat's -- Breed -- South Africa, Goat meat -- Carcasses, Goat meat -- Carcasses -- Evaluation, Meat industry and trade -- Quality -- South Africa, Sustainable development -- South Africa, Goat meat -- Microbiology, Goats -- Carcasses
Citation
Van Wyk, G. L., et al . 2020. Effect of breed types and castration on carcass characteristics of Boer and large frame indigenous veld goats of Southern Africa. Animals, 10(10):1884, doi:10.3390/ani10101884