Effects of concentrate levels on fattening performance, carcass and meat quality attributes of Small East African×Norwegian crossbred goats fed low quality grass hay

The Effect of Temperature and Storage Duration on the Quality and Attributes of the Breast Meat of Hens after Their Laying Periods

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of temperature (2 °C and 6 °C) and storage duration on the quality and attributes of hens' breast meat after their laying periods. The study included physicochemical characteristics (pH, drip loss, colour, shear force), microbiological quality (total Enterobacteriaceae family and Pseudomonas count), and sensory quality. Bacterial identification was performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The increased meat pH and drip loss was greater at 6 than 2 °C (p < 0.05). An increase in the tenderness of the meat stored at 6 °C was found as early as day 4, as well as at 2 °C on day 8 of storage (p < 0.05). On day 4 of storage, the meat was characterised by a darker colour than on the first day, but the darkening was greater at 6 °C than at 2 °C (p < 0.05). At 6 °C, on day 4 of storage, there was an increase in yellow saturation (b*) of the meat, which was higher at 6 °C than at 2 °C (p < 0.05). At 2 °C, the total bacterial count and number of Pseudomonas spp. in the meat gradually increased along with increasing storage duration, reaching 4.64 log cfu/g and 4.48 log cfu/g, respectively, on the 8th day of storage. At 6 °C, on the sixth day of storage, the total bacterial count in the meat exceeded 7 log cfu/g, considered the limit of microbiological safety. The meat stored at 2 °C had an acceptable sensory quality until the 8th day of storage. The study shows that storage at 2 °C preserves the sensory characteristics and microbiological safety of the hen meat longer at an acceptable level after the laying period. Extended storage life may be of importance to consumers and the meat industry.

Effects of different forage proportions in fermented total mixed ration on muscle fatty acid profile and rumen microbiota in lambs

Objective

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of different forage proportions in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) on growth performance, muscle fatty acid profile, and rumen microbiota of lambs.

Methods

Thirty 6-month-old small tail Han sheep × Ujumqin lambs with initial body weight (BW) of 27.8 ± 0.90 kg were selected for the test and divided into two groups of 15 sheep in each treatment (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) according to the principle of homogeneity. Two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated according to the NRC. The diet treatments were designed as (1) OH treatment containing 25% alfalfa hay and 35% oat hay, and (2) AH treatment containing 35% alfalfa hay with 25% oat hay. The forage-to-concentrate ratio for both diets was 65: 35 (DM basis). Three replicates were randomly selected from each treatment to determine growth performance, fatty acid profile and rumen bacterial communities in lambs.

Results

Results revealed no statistically significant (p > 0.05) differences in dry matter intake and average daily gain between the two diet groups. Cholesterol and intramuscular fat were significantly (p > 0.05) higher in the AH group, while no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in pH24 value. The muscle fatty acid compositions of lambs were obviously (p < 0.05) influenced by the diet treatments. Compared with the OH group, the C16:1, C17:0, and C20:3n6 contents were higher (p < 0.05) in the AH group, whereas the content of C18:1n9c, C20:1, C18:3n3, and C22:6n3 was obviously (p < 0.05) increased in the OH group. The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents were significantly higher in the OH group, whereas no significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected in saturated fatty acid (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents among the two diet treatments. Bacterial composition was generally separated into two clusters based on principal coordinate analysis, and the OH group had a higher Shannon index. The relative abundance at the genes level of the Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group was obviously (p < 0.05) increased in the AH group and the relative abundances of Prevotella_1, Fibrobacter, and Bacteroidales_UCG_001_unclassified were obviously (p < 0.05) enriched in the OH group. Integrated correlation analysis also underscored a possible link between the muscle fatty acid compositions and significantly altered rumen microbiota.

Conclusion

Overall, oat-based roughage in FTMR could promote a beneficial lipid pattern in the Longissimus lumborum muscles of lambs. These findings provide a potential insight into diet effects on fatty acid profile and the rumen microbiome of lambs, which may help make decisions regarding feeding.

Effect of different levels of concentrate supplementation on feed intake, growth performance, carcass traits and composition in finisher Barbari kids reared under intensive system

Thirty-two weaned male Barbari kids (av. age, 144.65 days; weight, 9.43±0.24 kg), reared under intensive system of feeding, were divided equally into four groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) to investigate the effect of supplementation of different levels of concentrate mixture on voluntary intake, growth performance, carcass traits and quality. All kids were fed with Bengal gram straw ad lib. + green fodder ad lib. as basal ration and supplemented with barley grain @ 0.7% of body weight in T1 and concentrate mixture @ 0.7, 1.4, and 2.1% of body weight in T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Dry Matter Intake (DMI, g)/kg W0.75 increased significantly in T1 and T4 than T2 and T3. Average daily weight gain (ADG) (g/d/kid) was enhanced significantly with each gradual increase in concentrate level. Slaughter weight and empty body weight were greatest in T4 compared with other treatments. Significantly greater dressing percentage and yield of separated lean meat was observed in kids under T3 and T4 than other two groups. But, meat:bone ratio and separated carcass fat yield was significantly higher only in kids under T4. Meat protein content (%) increased in T2, T3, and T4 as compared to control T1. Meat fat content increased linearly due to a gradual increase in the level of concentrate mixture supplementation to the finisher kids. Whereas, meat moisture and ash per cent remained unaltered due to different levels of concentrate supplementation to kids. Therefore, it may be concluded that supplementation of concentrate mixture @ 2.1% of the body weight in the roughage-based diet increased DMI in finisher Barbari kids with greater energy and protein values, which attributed to enhanced ADG in such kids by 408.3% over the control (supplemented with barley grain only), and also improved feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, carcass traits, and meat quality.

Effects of forage type on the rumen microbiota, growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality in fattening goats

Forages fed to goats influence ruminal microbiota, and further contribute to affect growth performance, meat quality and its nutritional composition. Our objective for current study was to investigate the effects of different forages on growth performance, carcass traits, meat nutritional composition, rumen microflora, and the relationships between key bacteria and amino acids and fatty acids in the longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles of goats. Boer crossbred goats were separately fed commercial concentrate diet supplemented with Hemarthria altissima (HA), Pennisetum sinese (PS), or forage maize (FG), and then slaughtered 90 days after the beginning of the experiment. Growth performances did not vary but carcass traits of dressing percentage, semi-eviscerated slaughter percentage, and eviscerated slaughter percentage displayed significant difference with the treatment studied. Meats from goats fed forage maize, especially semimembranosus muscles are rich in essential amino acids, as well as an increase in the amount of beneficial fatty acids. Our 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed that the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla in all groups but different in relative abundance. Further, the taxonomic analysis and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) identified the specific taxa that were differentially represented among three forage treatments. The spearman's correlation analysis showed that rumen microbiota was significantly associated with the goat meat nutritional composition, and more significant positive correlations were identified in semimembranosus muscles when compared with longissimus dorsi muscles. More specifically, the lipid metabolism-related bacteria Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group showed positively correlated with meat amino acid profile, while genera Oscillospiraceae_UCG-005 were positively correlated with fatty acid composition. These bacteria genera might have the potential to improve nutritional value and meat quality. Collectively, our results showed that different forages alter the carcass traits, meat nutritional composition, and rumen microflora in fattening goats, and forage maize induced an improvement in its nutritional value.

Effects of Replacing Alfalfa Hay with Oat Hay in Fermented Total Mixed Ration on Growth Performance and Rumen Microbiota in Lambs

The use of the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) is a promising approach for the preservation of feedstuff, but the effect of FTMR on the between growth performance and ruminal microflora of lambs are still limited. This study aimed to assess the effects of different roughage types in the FTMR on growth performance and rumen microbiota of lambs. Forty-five six-month-old Small tail Han sheep × Ujumqin male lambs were randomly allocated into three groups (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) with the initial body weight (BW) of 28.50 ± 1.50 kg. The three treatments were as follows: the low oat percentages group (LO) contained 200 g/kg oat hay + 400 g/kg alfalfa hay, the medium oat percentages group (MO) contained 300 g/kg oat hay + 300 g/kg alfalfa hay, and the high oat percentages group (HO) contained 400 g/kg oat hay + 200 g/kg alfalfa hay. The result revealed that the dry matter intake and average daily gain were markedly (p < 0.05) higher in the MO treatment than in the LO and HO treatments, whereas no significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in the final body weight. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences on the Shannon and Simpson index among the three treatments. The PCoA score plot illustrated the individual separation in the LO, MO, and HO treatments. At the phylum level, the presence of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes belonging to the dominant phyla is widely described in rumen communities among the three treatments. The relative abundances of Prevotella, Fibrobacter, and Succinivibrio in the level of the genes were remarkably higher (p < 0.05) in MO treatment than that in LO and HO treatments, while the relative abundance of Sediminispirochaeta was remarkably higher (p < 0.05) in LO treatment than that in MO and HO treatments. These results indicated that the MO treatments could more effectively improve growth performance than the LO and HO treatments, and also revealed that the different forage types in diets reshaped the compositions and function of the rumen microbiota. Consequently, the findings presented in this study provide a reference for the application of FTMR in animal production and the understanding of the interaction between diet, animal performance, and ruminal microbiota.

Metabolomics approach reveals high energy diet improves the quality and enhances the flavor of black Tibetan sheep meat by altering the composition of rumen microbiota

This study aims to determine the impact of dietary energy levels on rumen microbial composition and its relationship to the quality of Black Tibetan sheep meat by applying metabolomics and Pearson's correlation analyses. For this purpose, UHPLC-QTOF-MS was used to identify the metabolome, whereas 16S rDNA sequencing was used to detect the rumen microbiota. Eventually, we observed that the high energy diet group (HS) improved the carcass quality of Black Tibetan sheep and fat deposition in the longissimus lumborum (LL) compared to the medium energy diet group (MS). However, HS considerably increased the texture, water holding capacity (WHC), and volatile flavor of the LL when compared to that of MS and the low energy diet group (LS). Metabolomics and correlation analyses revealed that dietary energy levels mainly affected the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids of the LL, which consequently influenced the content of volatile flavor compounds (VOCs) and fats. Furthermore, HS increased the abundance of Quinella, Ruminococcus 2, (Eubacterium) coprostanoligenes, and Succinivibrionaceae UCG-001, all of which participate in the carbohydrate metabolism in rumen and thus influence the metabolite levels (stachyose, isomaltose, etc.) in the LL. Overall, a high-energy diet is desirable for the production of Black Tibetan sheep mutton because it improves the mouthfeel and flavor of meat by altering the composition of rumen microbiota, which influences the metabolism in the LL.

Effects of Replacing Alfalfa Hay With Native Grass Hay in Pelleted Total Mixed Ration on Physicochemical Parameters, Fatty Acid Profile, and Rumen Microbiota in Lamb

This study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing alfalfa with native grass on growth performance, meat quality, and rumen microbiota of lambs. Forty-five 6-month-old Ujimqin lambs with live body weight (BW) of 29.50 ± 0.26 kg were used for the experiment, and the lambs were assigned to three diet treatments (three pens per treatment and five lambs per pen) with 30 square meters per pen in semi-open housing based on similar BW. The lambs have received 30% alfalfa (HA, high alfalfa percentage group), 20% alfalfa (MA, moderate alfalfa percentage group), and 10% alfalfa (LA, low alfalfa percentage group) diets, respectively (dry matter basis). The diet treatments had a significant (P < 0.05) influence on the dry matter intake of lambs and the dry matter intake increased with the increasing percentages of native grass hay, while the significantly (P < 0.05) lower final BW and average daily gain were observed in the MA and LA groups compared with that in the HA group. The diet had a significant (P < 0.05) difference in meat pH value, water loss rate, cooked meat rate, moisture, and intramuscular fat, while no significant (P > 0.05) difference was found in protein. As native grass hay percentages increased in the diet, the contents of palmitic (C16:0) and palmitoleic (C16:1 cis-9) in the HA and MA groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in the LA groups, and compared with the HA group, the contents of elaidic (C18:1 trans-9), oleic (C18:1 cis-9), and linoleic (C18:2 cis-9–cis-12) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the MA and LA groups. The content of α-linolenic (C18:3n3) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the LA group than that in the HA and MA groups. The principal coordinate analysis profile displayed that the composition of the bacterial community of these groups was distinctly separated from each other. No significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed in the dominant rumen bacteria at the phyla and genus levels. In conclusion, the meat quality and fatty acid profile analysis revealed that replacing alfalfa hay with native grass hay is more beneficial for Mongolian lambs, and the meat from LA diet treatment is better than the others. In addition, correlation analysis of the association of rumen microbiome with growth performance, meat quality, and fatty acid profile provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the composition and function of rumen microbiota. These findings could provide knowledge of how the diet affects the animal performance, meat quality of lambs, and microbiota of the rumen, laying a theoretical basis for replacing alfalfa with native grass.

Effects of concentrate level and chromium methionine supplementation on the performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and meat quality of Tan lambs

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of concentrate level and chromium methionine (Cr-Met) supplementation on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acid composition of Tan lambs.

Methods

Sixty male Tan lambs (21±1.23 kg body weight) fed a finishing diet (concentrate-to-forage ratio: 35:65 [LC group] or 55:45 [HC group]) with daily Cr-Met supplementation (0, 0.75, or 1.50 g) were used in a completely randomized design with a 2×3 factorial arrangement of treatments.

Results

Lambs from the HC group had higher average daily gain (ADG), dry matter (DM) digestibility, dressing percentages, leg proportions, intramuscular fat (IMF) contents, and saturated fatty acid levels, but lower feed conversion ratios, globulin (GLB) and total protein (TP) concentrations, shear force, and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) levels (all p<0.05). Cr-Met supplementation increased the DM digestibility, GLB and TP concentrations, rack and loin percentages, and cooking loss, but decreased the IMF contents and leg proportions (all p<0.05). Cr-Met supplementation at 0.75 g/day increased the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content in both the HC and LC groups (p<0.01). Significant interactions between the concentrate level and Cr-Met dosage were observed for MUFA (p<0.01) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (p<0.01) levels. Meat from the lambs fed an unsupplemented LC diet presented the highest PUFA and MUFA levels (p<0.01). However, the MUFA and PUFA levels decreased significantly with increasing Cr-Met supplementation levels in the LC group (p<0.01), whereas the opposite trend was seen in the HC group.

Conclusion

The HC diet improved the growth performance of Tan lambs, increased their profitability by increasing leg and rack joint proportions, and improved meat quality by promoting an IMF content that was more visibly acceptable to consumers. Cr-Met supplementation at 0.75 g/day in a HC diet was the best choice and may be economically beneficial.

Microbiome-Metabolites Analysis Reveals Unhealthy Alterations in the Gut Microbiota but Improved Meat Quality with a High-Rice Diet Challenge in a Small Ruminant Model

Simple Summary

Effects of a high-rice dietary proportion on the meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolites in small ruminants are rarely reported. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the slaughtering characteristic and meat quality, acute phase reaction proteins (APRPs) in plasma and colonic microbiota and metabolites of goats subjected to a high-rice diet. After a 35-day period, sixteen goats received a high-rice diet (HR, 90% concentrate) or a control diet (55% concentrate). In summary, the results showed that the slaughter performance and meat quality were improved in the growing goats after being fed the HR diet. However, the HR diet induced an acute phase reaction and disturbed the gut microbiota to some extent, which increases the health risk to growing goats.

Abstract

Effects of a high-rice dietary proportion on the meat quality, acute phase reaction proteins (APRPs) and colonic microbiota and metabolites in goats are rarely reported. This study was designed to investigate the meat quality and metabolism in goats. Sixteen goats were equally divided into two groups and fed a control diet (Con, 55% concentrate) or a high-rice diet (HR, 90% concentrate) for five weeks. We found that the HR diet improved the slaughtering characteristic and meat quality but induced an acute phase reaction and decreased bacterial richness and diversity when compared to the control group. Furthermore, the levels of acetate, propionate and total VFA concentrations were higher in the colonic contents of the HR-fed goats than in those of the control group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the HR diet decreased the pH value, lactic acid concentration and increased the activity of amylase and lipopolysaccharide concentration in the colonic contents of goats (p < 0.05). The proportion of Oscillibacter increased while Phocaeicola and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group significantly decreased with the HR diet (p < 0.05). Collectively, the HR diet induced an acute phase reaction and altered the colonic bacterial community, which increases the health risk to growing goats.

Impact of Diet Supplementation and Age at Slaughter on Carcass Characteristics of Creole Goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet and age on finishing performances and carcass characteristics of male Creole goats. A total of 91 weaned male Creole kids [84 days old ± 7 days, 9.2 kg live weight (LW) ± 0.5 kg] were randomly allocated in a 2 × 3 experimental design. The animals were fed individually with two diets: C0: a 28-day-old Digitaria decubens grass alone, or C50: the same grass plus a commercial concentrate (50% of the total diet) and then slaughtered at 7, 11, or 15 months of age. Significant feeding regimen and age at slaughter effects were observed on the goat carcass characteristics. The addition of concentrate improved the average daily gain (ADG), the dressing percentage, and the conformation score (1-5 scale) from 46 to 88 g/day, 52.8 to 62.4%, and 2.2 to 4.9, respectively. Moreover, carcasses of the C0 group appeared lean with less developed fat than the C50 group and lighter than visceral fat. The meat color was significantly more affected by diet than age. Our data suggested that the production of heavy carcasses with low proportions of fat in the meat is possible in this local breed. The valorization of such a forage feeding system until 11 months of age or with the addition of concentrate from 7 to 11 months of age should be evaluated economically.

Soybean molasses to replace corn for feedlot lambs on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality

Soybean molasses (SBM) is a byproduct of the manufacture of soy protein concentrate and has high energy value. This byproduct has a high potential for use in the nutrition of ruminant animals, mainly in the replacement of other energy feeds such as corn grain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of SBM to replace corn grain up to 30% dry matter (DM) in the total diet on growth performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of feedlot lambs (½ Santa Inês × ½ Dorper). Forty intact male lambs with an initial average body weight of 20.6 ± 2.5 kg and approximate age of 120 d were used. The animals were distributed in four treatments (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% SBM), divided into five randomized blocks according to the initial weight and adapted for 16 d, with diets containing increasing concentrations of concentrate and SBM. Feeding behavior was analyzed at the beginning, middle, and final of the finishing period, and when animals reached 42 d on the finishing diet they were slaughtered. Data were evaluated using SAS software (version 9.4), by polynomial orthogonal contrasts, where the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality values were analyzed as randomized blocks, and the feeding behavior data as randomized blocks with a repeated measure over time. Significant differences were detected for the contrast 0 vs. SBM treatments, which the inclusion of SBM caused an increase (P ≤ 0.05) in ash intake but decreased the ether extract intake. The intake of DM in % body weight was higher for SBM treatments than 0% treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Feeding behavior, ruminating while lying down and drinking water presented a decreasing linear effect (P ≤ 0.05), and for feeding, efficiency increased with the addition of SBM (P ≤ 0.05). Fatty acids C14:0, C17:0, C17:1, C18:2n6c, C20:2, and C20:3n6 showed lower values ​​with the inclusion of SBM (P ≤ 0.05), while fatty acids C22:0 and C22:6n3 increased. The values ​​of n6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and n-6/n-3 ratio were lower (P ≤ 0.05) for SBM treatments. The values ​​of total polyunsaturated fatty acids showed a decreasing linear effect (P ≤ 0.05) with the inclusion of SBM. The use of up to 30% SBM in DM did not impair animal growth performance and feeding behavior did not cause damages to carcass parameters and still made the meat healthier, improving the n-6/n-3 ratio, therefore can be used to feed finishing lambs.

Feedlot performance of Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu finished on local feed resources

A study was conducted in Hanang District to assess potential for on-farm feedlot finishing of Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu (TSHZ) in dry season using locally available feed resources. A total of 65 (2-3 years old, 150-250 kg LWT) steers were randomly distributed into two dietary treatments in three villages. The steers were finished either in feedlots using compounded diets or under free grazing in accordance with farmers' practice. Following 90 days of feeding, all steers were slaughtered for detailed carcass and meat quality assessment. Growth performance, carcass and meat quality of experimental animals were assessed to determine feedlot performance of TSHZ. Results show that average daily gain of feedlot-finished animals (620 g/day) was nearly three-fold higher (P = 0.042) than that of grazed steers (223 g/day). Feedlot-finished steers produced 28 kg (P = 0.001) heavier carcasses than grazed ones. Carcasses from feedlot-finished steers cooled slowly as they had higher (P = 0.001) temperatures than that of grazed ones at 45 min (33.1 vs. 30.5 °C) and 6 h (21.0 vs. 19.5 °C) post-mortem. Feedlot-finished steers produced beef with higher (P = 0.003) marbling scores (3.4) than grazed ones (2.4). As a result, beef from the feedlot-finished steers was more tender (P = 0.016) than that from grazed ones, and it required 13 N less force to shear. It is concluded that TSHZ responds positively to improved feeding with significant enhancement on carcass gain and meat quality. Use of diets compounded using agro-processing by-products, instead of whole grain, can lower the cost of finishing TSHZ steers significantly.

Sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) supplementation on meat quality of Korean native black goat

The supplementation effects of sea tangle powders were determined for the meat quality in Korean native black goats. A total 90 castrated male black goats at 3-month age were divided into 3 dietary treatment groups: control (basal diet + mineral block), T1 (0.3% sea tangle feeding with the basal diet), T2 (0.9% sea tangle feeding with the basal diet). At 9-months feeding, 10 goats per treatment group were slaughtered, and the longissimus dorsi muscle samples were vacuum-packed, and subsequently analyzed for physicochemical evaluations. Analysis revealed decrease in the shear force and TBARS values of meat in the sea tangle dietary groups (p < 0.05). The T2 group exhibited increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids such as C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, and C20:4 (p < 0.05). The content of free amino acids with desirable taste such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, and serine were higher in T2, whereas alanine content was higher in both sea tangle dietary groups, as compared to control (p < 0.05). These data indicate that feeding dietary sea tangle as an alternative mineral source results in an improvement in the physicochemical profiles of goat meat.

Performance of kids produced by three breeds of goat fed diets supplemented with graded levels of turmeric powder

Inclusion of some plants especially spices in the diets of farm animals have been researched upon extensively for parameters like growth, blood chemistry, and feed utilization among others. In contrary, the use of turmeric as feed additive for ruminant production is so low, while its effects on reproduction (especially during pregnancy) in ruminants are not available due to little/no information on its properties, processing, and inclusion rate. Thus, a study was conducted to evaluate pre- and post-weaning performances of kids produced by three breeds of goat fed diets supplemented with graded levels of turmeric powder intensively in southwestern Nigeria. Kids produced by Kalahari Red (KR), West African Dwarf (WAD), and KalaWAD Does fed diets containing turmeric powder (TP) at different levels were monitored for pre-weaning that lasted for 12 weeks, while selected kids were observed for 4 weeks post-weaning. Each Doe breed was fed diet at 5% bodyweight during pregnancy and pre-weaning, including some selected kids during post-weaning. Dietary treatments included concentrate diet (CD) as TP-0, CD + 2 g/kg TP as TP-2g, and CD + 5 g/kg TP as TP-5 g. Brachiaria ruziziensis was used as basal diet. Data obtained were arranged in a 3 × 3 factorial layout in a completely randomized design, while analysis of variance was done using SAS 9.1. Significance level was taken at 5% probability, while means were separated using Duncan's multiple range test of the same statistical package. Results of the study for breed effect revealed that KR kids had the best (p < 0.05) pre-weaning performance from birth (3.2 kg) till weaning (14.5 kg) and for weight gains (11.2 kg and 134.0 g/day). No mortality was recorded for WAD kids. For TP effects, the kids fed TP-2g had the highest (p < 0.05) weight gains (1.6 kg and 58.6 g/day) and reduced value for feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 6.2 for post-weaning performance. Kids fed TP-5g had the highest (p < 0.05) value for protein efficiency ratio (PER) of 1.4 at the end of post-weaning. For interaction effects of breeds and TP, KR kids fed TP-5g performed best (p < 0.05) at the pre-weaning period in terms of weights from birth (3.6 kg) till weaning (15.7 kg), while KR kids fed TP-2g had highest (p < 0.05) pre-weaning weight gains (12.5 kg and 148.9 g/day). KR kids fed TP-5g performed best (p < 0.05) at the post-weaning period in terms of weight gains (1.8 kg and 64.4 g/day). KR kids fed TP-2g and KalaWAD kids fed TP-5g had the lowest FCR (5.2) and the highest PER (1.6) respectively at the post-weaning period. It can be concluded that breeds of kid, TP inclusion, and their interaction influenced pre- and post-weaning performances of the kids.

Effect of Slaughter Age on Muscle Fiber Composition, Intramuscular Connective Tissue, and Tenderness of Goat Meat during Post-Mortem Time

This study evaluated the effects of slaughter age and post-mortem time on meat quality traits, tenderness, histochemical analyses, and perimysium thickness in the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of the Korean native black goat (KNBG) maintained at 4 °C for up to 21 days post mortem. Samples of LT muscle were obtained from the carcasses of 24 KNBGs, including old and young goats (AG, n = 12, 18 months of age; YG, n = 12, 9 months of age), to measure all analyses during 21 days of post-mortem time. AGs had a higher percentage of type I fiber but a lower percentage of type IIA fiber than YGs (p < 0.05). AGs had higher a* value, lower released water (RW) %, and higher Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) value than YGs (p < 0.05). The perimysium thickness (PMT) of AGs was also higher than that of YGs (p < 0.05). Although the PMT did not change during post-mortem period, the WBSF value of AGs was higher than that of YGs after 21 days post mortem (p < 0.05). The results imply that AGs are tougher than YGs due to their muscle fiber characteristics and thicker perimysium.

Effects of Intensive Alfalfa Feeding on Meat Quality and Fatty Acid Profile of Korean Native Black Goats

The aim of this study was to determine meat quality characteristics and fatty acid composition of Korean native black goats (KNBG) finished on intensive feeding of alfalfa (ALF) and conventional feeding of commercial concentrate pellets (CCP) with low-energy common grasses. Ten KNBG (12 months old) were divided into two groups and subjected to either ALF or CCP treatments. The goats were slaughtered after 6 months of feeding with experimental diets to investigate meat quality characteristics and fatty acid compositions of longissimus lumborum muscle. There were no significant differences in proximate chemical composition, collagen, or myoglobin content between ALF and CCP groups of goats. Meat color, water-holding capacity, or tenderness was not significantly different between the two groups either. However, proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly (p<0.05) different between the two groups. The proportion of oleic acid was significantly (p<0.05) higher in ALF goat whereas proportion of linoleic and arachidonic acids were significantly (p<0.05) higher in CCP goat. Results suggest that KNBG finished with intensive feeding of alfalfa could produce goat meat with desirable fatty acids for human diets.

Growth and carcass characteristics of three Ethiopian indigenous goats fed concentrate at different supplementation levels

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of genotypes and concentrate levels on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Bati, Hararghe highland (HH) and Short eared Somali (SS) goat types found in Ethiopia. A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (3 genotype × 2 concentrate levels) was used to randomly allocate 36 goats (15.2 ± 0.30 kg initial weight); 12 goats from each genotype with age about 1 year were divided randomly into two groups for a feeding trial of 90 days. The two concentrate levels were L1 and L2, where L1 and L2 are levels fed to animals at the rate of 1 and 1.5 % BW, respectively. Hay was fed ad libitum with 20 % refusal rate. The mean daily dry matter intake of the goats was 520.5 g/day. The intake was about 67 g/day higher for L2 than L1 goats. Consequently, L2 goats had significantly (p < 0.05) higher average daily gain, dressing percentage, primal carcass cuts and total non-carcass fat than those fed L1. Among genotypes, HH goats were found to have higher (p < 0.05) carcass weight, heart girth, neck girth, and carcass cuts (legs and shoulders) than SS goats. However, they were not better in dressing percentage than SS goats. Compared to Bati goats, HH goats had significantly (p < 0.05) wider rib-eye area, heavier ribs/racks weights, and better dressing percentage. Despite smaller body size, the performance of SS goats was comparable to Bati goats. In conclusion, the study indicates the potential of Ethiopian indigenous goats to produce optimum amount of meat when supplemented with concentrate at the rate of 1.5 % body weight.

Effects of pre-slaughter diet/management system and fasting period on physiological indicators and meat quality traits of lambs

This study determined the effects of pre-slaughter diet/management system on blood and rumen parameters and meat-quality traits of Norduz lambs. Eighty lambs were divided into two groups according to diet (AH: alfalfa hay; BAH: alfalfa supplemented with 500 g/head barley) for 21 days. Following this period, lambs from each group were distributed among four groups according to pre-slaughter fasting period as 0, 12, 24 or 48 h. Cortisol concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the 24 h and 48 h groups when compared to the 0 h group (p<0.01). Diet and fasting period had limited effect on muscle glycogen content and ultimate pH·L*, WHC and moisture decreased in line with increases in the fasting period (p<0.01). In conclusion, carcass conformation and some meat quality traits were better in BAH lambs. Fasting had a negative effect on some meat quality parameters, with significant increases in some physiological stress indicators after fasting periods of 24 h or longer.

Partial substitution of barley for corn: effect on "Hamra" lamb growth performance, carcass and meat characteristics

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two kinds of given diets on growth, on some carcass characteristics and on the major meat nutrients of local Algerian sheep breed. The investigated sheep breed called "Hamra" is one of the most famous breeds in Algeria. Among one 106 animals, 40 lambs were selected according to their age, similar livestock characteristics and body weight. The samples were divided into two equal groups: control and experimental lambs according to their live weight; 24.63 ± 0.47 and 24.35 ± 0.64 kg, respectively. Both groups were fed with two varieties of concentrate diets: corn diet based for the first group of control lambs (n = 20) and corn substituted by barley (Variety Saïda 183) for the second experimental group lambs (n = 20). Both diets were supplemented with 200 g straw of barley/animal/ration. The chemical analysis of diets showed an elevated crude fibre content in the commercial concentrate. However, the experimental concentrate contained higher amounts of calcium. After 59 days of fattening, no significant difference was found among the two studied groups on the growth performance (p > 0.05), showing the same final body weight. In contrast, a significant difference was found (p ≤ 0.001) in relation to the cost of the given diet. This could affect the price of the produced meat. At 37.85 ± 0.78 kg live weight, 10 lambs fed with experimental concentrate were slaughtered. The dressing percentage was 46.65 %, with 2.49 % of carcass shrink. Furthermore, an interesting percentage of total muscle was obtained (63.73 %) with a good carcass conformation scoring 9.56. Compared to other breed sheep, Hamra carcass could be considered as the most valuable one economically.

Effect of days in feedlot on growth performance, carcass and meat quality attributes of Tanzania shorthorn zebu steers

A study was conducted on 50 steers (183 ± 4 kg initial body weight, 3 years of age) to assess effects of days in feedlot on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Tanzania shorthorn zebu (TSZ) cattle with the aim of determining appropriate finishing period. Periods were 0 day (P0), 25 days (P25), 50 days (P50), 75 days (P75) and 100 days (P100) with 10 animals per period. Steers were housed in individual pens, fed with a concentrate diet and hay on an ad libitum basis except the P0 group which was slaughtered at the beginning of trial. Long stay in feedlot, P100, increased concentrate dry matter intake by 2 kg DM/day over short stay, P25. Final weight and total gain increased (P < 0.05) from P25 (22.6 kg) to P100 steers (95.4 kg). Periods had no influence (P > 0.05) on an average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) but affected carcass characteristics. Empty body weight (EBW) and hot carcass weight (HCW) increased by 61 and 65 %, respectively, from no feedlot, P0 to P100. Dressing percentage was high (P < 0.05) for P100 steers. Carcass measurements, internal fat, fat thickness and carcass total fat were the highest (P < 0.05) on P100 steers and the lowest on P0 steers. Rate of pH decline increased with days in feedlot, while cooking loss and shear force values decreased in advanced ageing time. Feedlot periods of 75 and 100 days resulted into high intake, carcass measurements and tenderness, but 100 days further increased carcass fatness and fat thickness levels, thus, with this particular feeding system and animal's condition, 75 days is the recommended period to finish TSZ cattle in feedlots.

Meat Quality Characteristics of Small East African Goats and Norwegian Crosses Finished under Small Scale Farming Conditions

The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of feeding system on meat quality characteristics of Small East African (SEA) goats and their crosses with Norwegian (SEA×N) goats finished under small scale farming conditions. Twenty four castrated goats at the age of 18 months with live body weight of 16.7±0.54 kg from each breed (SEA and SEA×N) were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2×3 factorial arrangement (two breed, and three dietary treatments). The dietary treatments were; no access to concentrate (T0), 66% access to ad libitum concentrate allowance (T66) and 100% access to ad libitum concentrate allowance with 20% refusal (T100) and the experimental period was for 84 days. In addition, all goats were allowed to graze for 2 hours daily and later fed grass hay on ad libitum basis. Daily feed intakes were recorded for all 84-days of experiment after which the animals were slaughtered. Feed intake of T100 animals was 536 g/d, which was 183 g/d higher than that of T66 group. Supplemented goats had significantly (p<0.05) better feed conversion efficiency. The SEA had higher (p<0.05) hot carcass weight (8.2 vs 7.9 kg), true dressing percentage (54.5 vs 53.3) and commercial dressing percentage (43.3 vs 41.6) compared to SEA×N. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) for dressing percentage and carcass conformation among supplemented goats except fatness score, total fat depots and carcass fat which increased (p<0.05) with increasing concentrate levels in the diet. Increasing level of concentrate on offer increased meat dry matter with subsequent increase of fat in the meat. Muscle pH of goats fed concentrate declined rapidly and reached below 6 at 6 h post-mortem but temperature remained at 28°C. Cooking loss and meat tenderness improved (p<0.05) and thawing loss increased (p<0.05) with ageing period. Similarly, meat tenderness improved (p<0.05) with concentrate supplementation. Shear force of muscles varied from 36 to 66, the high values been associated with Semimembranosus and Gluteobiceps muscles. The present study demonstrates that there are differences in meat quality characteristics of meat from SEA goats and their crosses with Norwegian breeds finished under small scale farming conditions in rural areas. Therefore, concentrate supplementation of goats of both breeds improves meat quality attributes.

Effects of nutrition level of concentrate-based diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Hainan black goats

This study assessed the effects of different nutrition levels of diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Hainan black goat. Twenty-four goats were divided into six diet treatments, which consisted of two levels of crude protein (CP; 15 and 17 %) and three levels of digestive energy (DE; 11.72, 12.55, and 13.39 MJ/kg). The results revealed that 17 % CP significantly (P < 0.05) increased ADG and improved FCR compared with 15 % CP. Therefore, the CP levels of diet affected growth performance. CP and DE levels in the diet had no significant effects (P > 0.05) on carcass characteristics of the goats. The mRNA expression levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 in muscle tissues increased with increasing CP and DE levels (P < 0.05).

Carcass and non-carcass component yields of crossbred Boer and Brazilian semiarid indigenous goats subjected to different feeding levels

The effect of different feeding levels (ad libitum, 25 and 50 % restriction) and genotypes (½ Boer × ½ nondescript breed goats, Canindé, and Moxotó) on carcass quantitative characteristics and non-carcass components (NCC) were evaluated. Forty-five intact male goats were distributed in a 3 × 3 factorial design with five replicates. There was no effect of genotype on carcass weights and yields and retail cuts weights and yields (P > 0.05). Compared to Moxotó, ½ Boer presented better carcass conformation and higher weights (P < 0.01) and yields of viscera from gastrointestinal tract (P < 0.05), and compared to the other genotypes (P < 0.01), ½ Boer presented larger carcass compactness. Carcass weights and yields, retail cuts weights and NCC, and soft tissues yields were higher (P < 0.01) in goats fed ad libitum. The two restriction levels did not differ (P > 0.05) for these variables. There were interactions of genotype and feeding level. At ad libitum feeding, ½ Boer had higher weights of breast and shank, leg, soft tissues, and gastrointestinal viscera compared to the Moxotó (P < 0.05). The crossing of nondescript breed goats with Boer may be a strategy for increasing the efficiency of goat meat production in the Brazilian semiarid. Moreover, in times of feed scarcity, farmers may use higher feed restriction levels to keep animals, since for most of the parameters evaluated, there were no differences between the restriction levels.

Effects of Different Levels of Concentrate in the Diet on Physicochemical Traits of Korean Native Black Goat Meats

The effects of feeding of diets based on roughage supplemented with concentrate on the carcass and meat quality attributes of Korean black goats were investigated. The 40 male goats at 5 mon age were divided into four treatment groups; T1 (1.5%), T2 (2.0%), T3 (2.5%) and T4 (ad libitum) feeding of concentrate with ad libitum rice straw. Forty bucks at the end of the feeding were fasted for 12 h before slaughter and were then slaughtered. For carcass measurement, cold buck carcasses were examined after 24 h of chilling at 5℃. The carcasses were chilled in refrigerator at 2±2℃ for 24 h, then the longissimus dorsi muscle was removed from the carcasses. The samples were separately vacuum packaged, frozen and stored at -20℃ for up to 1 mon, prior to physicochemical evaluations. Carcass yields were greatly affected by rate of concentrate feeding. T4 showed the heaviest live and carcass weights and the highest dressing and fat percentages (p<0.05). The moisture contents were lower in T4 compared with other treatments, while the crude protein and fat contents were higher (p<0.05). monounsaturated fatty acid in T4 was significantly higher than others, which showed the highest percentages of oleic acid (C18:1). For the sensory test, T4 was tenderer and produced better flavor scores than others. Increasing the level of concentrate in the diet resulted in an improvement in growth performance, and carcass and physicochemical characteristics of goat meats.

Effect of concentrate supplementation levels on growth and slaughter characteristics of SEA and SEA × Norwegian goats under on-farm conditions

A 2 × 3 factorial experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of goat genotypes and different concentrate levels on growth and slaughter characteristics of Small East African × Norwegian crossbred (SEA × N) and Small East African (SEA) goats. The three concentrate levels were T0 (no access to concentrate), T66 (66 % access to ad libitum concentrate allowance) and T100 (100 % access to ad libitum concentrate allowance). Twenty-four castrated goats of each genotype (18 months old with an average weight of 16.7 ± 0.54 kg) were randomly allotted into T0, T66 and T100 treatments. Daily feed intake and fortnight body weight measurements were recorded for the whole 84-day experimental period, after which the animals were slaughtered. Feed intake of T100 animals was 536 g/day, which was 183 g/day higher than that of the T66 group. Supplemented goats (T66 and T100) had significantly (P < 0.05) higher daily gain and body condition score, and better feed conversion efficiency and dressing percentage than T0 goats. The SEA goats had higher (P < 0.05) hot carcass weight (8.2 vs. 7.9 kg) and showed better (P < 0.05) dressing percentage than SEA × N animals. Among supplemented goats, the cost of a 1-kg gain under T66 was Tshs 213/= cheaper than T100 (US$1 ≈ Tshs 1,500). It is concluded that goats should be grazed and supplemented with 353 g concentrate/day for satisfactory fattening performance and higher economic return on investment.

Chemical composition and meat quality attributes of indigenous sheep and goats from traditional production system in Tanzania

The aim of the study was to compare chemical composition and quality attributes of meat between male long fat tailed sheep (n = 17) and Small East African goats (n = 17) existing in Tanzania. Animals of 1.5 to 2 yrs in age and live body weight of 22.59±0.50 kg were purchased from livestock auction markets. Animals were fasted for 18 h and slaughtered according to standard halal procedure. Left carcasses were dissected into muscles, fat and bone and the muscle and fat were mixed together and chemically analysed. Meat quality attributes were measured based on Muscle longissimus thoracis et lumborum excised from right sides of carcasses. Goat carcasses had significant higher (p = 0.0302) moisture content (70.65% vs 66.96%) and lower (p = 0.0027) ether extract (2.49% vs 5.82%) than sheep but there was no significant species differences in protein and ash content. Sheep had lower (p = 0.0157) ultimate pH (5.74 vs 5.88) and higher (p = 0.0307) temperature (3.77°C vs 3.15°C) than goat carcasses. Sheep meat had lower (p = 0.0021) shear force values (29.83 N vs 34.07 N) than goat. Within species, at day 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 44.63% and 34.18% for sheep and goat. Pooled data showed that at d 9 of ageing, meat tenderness improved (p = 0.0001) by 39.25% (from 39.54 N to 24.02 N) compared to tenderness of meat which was not aged at day one of slaughter. The present study demonstrated the differences in chemical composition and quality attributes of meat existing between sheep and goats originated from East Africa.

Preliminary evaluation of slaughter value and carcass composition of indigenous sheep and goats from traditional production system in Tanzania

The aim of the pilot study was to evaluate slaughter characteristics and carcass composition of indigenous long fat tailed sheep and Small East African goats purchased from the auction markets slaughtered at 1.5 to 2 yrs of age and 20 kg to 25 kg live weight. The animals were slaughtered according to halal standard procedures. The left half carcasses were jointed into eight wholesale joints, and dissected into muscles, fat and bone, which were weighed separately. Sheep had greater (p<0.05) slaughter BW (22.29 kg vs 20.50 kg) and empty BW (20.17 kg vs 18.67 kg) than goats (p<0.05). Dressing percentages were lower (p<0.001) in sheep than goats when carcass weight was expressed as percentage of slaughter BW (42.31% and 47.15%) and empty BW (46.75% and 51.79%). Sheep carcasses had lower (p<0.001) proportion (66.18% vs 71.64%) of muscles and higher (p<0.001) proportion of fat (7.41% vs 3.44%) than goat carcasses. Sheep had proportionally lighter (p<0.001) shoulder (18.89% vs 22.68%) and heavier (p<0.05) proportion of chump (7.916% vs 6.76%) and main rib (8.12% vs 7.07%). Sheep had more (p<0.001) muscles in the leg (28.83% vs 27.08%) and main rib (7.62% vs 6.36%) than goats. Sheep had less (p<0.001) muscles (20.28% vs 23.56%) in shoulder joints when expressed as percentage of total muscle of carcasses. It is concluded that there are differences in sheep and goat both in terms of carcass and joint yields and composition. The present study also implies that there is need to consider setting different meat cuts and prices for these cuts when one takes into account the differences in muscle distribution within joints in sheep and goats.

Effect of concentrate level and slaughter body weight on growth performances, carcass traits and meat quality of Barbarine lambs fed oat hay based diet

This study was conducted to evaluate concentrate level (CL) and slaughter body weight (SW) effects on growth performances, carcass traits and meat quality of Barbarine lambs. Twenty-four weaned male lambs (23.1 kg), receiving an oat-hay based diet, were allotted into two groups. The LCL group received low concentrate level (300 g) and the HCL group received high concentrate level (600 g). Lambs were slaughtered at two prefixed weights (35 and 42 kg). For each group and each weight, six lambs were slaughtered. Lambs from HCL group had higher ADG, carcass yields, carcass compactness and subcutaneous fat thickness, and lower carcass meat proportion. CL increase did not affect meat pH, meat and fat color, chemical and fatty acid composition. Late slaughtering improved carcass yields and increased carcass adiposity. However, it did not affect carcass meat proportion and shoulder tissue composition. SW had effect on meat color and fatty acid composition.

Effect of supplementing crossbred Xhosa lop-eared goat castrates with Moringa oleifera leaves on growth performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of supplementing Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) on growth performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics of crossbred Xhosa lop-eared goats. A total of 24 castrated goats aged 8 months, with a mean initial weight of 15.1 ± 2.3 kg, were randomly divided into three diet groups with eight goats in each. The duration of the trial was 60 days. All goats received a basal diet of grass hay (GH) ad libitum and wheat bran (200 g/day each). The MOL and sunflower cake (SC) groups were fed additional 200 g of dried M. oleifera leaves and 170 g of SC, respectively. The third group (GH) did not receive any additional ration. The crude protein of MOL (23.75%) and SC (23.27%) were higher (P < 0.05) than that of the GH diet (14.08%). The attained average daily weight gain for goats fed MOL, SC and GH were 103.3, 101.3 and 43.3 g, respectively (P < 0.05). Higher (P < 0.05) feed intakes observed were in SC (491.5 g) and MOL (490.75 g) compared with GH (404.5 g). The hot carcass weight was higher (P < 0.05) for SC (10.48 kg) and MOL (10.34 kg) than for the GH group (8.59 kg). The dressing percentage in SC (55.8%) and MOL (55.1%) were higher (P < 0.05) than that of the GH (52.9%). The growth performance and carcass characteristics of SC and MOL goats were not different. Feeding MOL or SC improved the growth performance and carcass characteristics of goats in an almost similar way, which indicates that M. oleifera could be used as an alternative protein supplement in goats.

Growth, carcass yield and meat quality attributes of Red Maasai sheep fed wheat straw-based diets

Thirty-two castrated Red Maasai sheep (12.7 kg initial body weight, aged 12-18 months), were used in an 84-day experiment to evaluate diets based on treated straw upon growth performance, carcass yield and meat quality. The animals were blocked by weight into four similar groups and randomly allotted into four dietary treatments, with eight individually fed animals per treatment. The dietary treatments were ad libitum untreated wheat straw (UTS), wheat straw treated with urea and lime (TS), straw and ad libitum hay (UTSH), and TS and ad libitum hay (TSH). In addition, each experimental animal received 220 g/day (on as fed basis) of a concentrate diet. Treatment of straw increased (P < 0.05) dry matter intake (42.3 vs. 33.7 g/kg W (75)/day), energy intake (4.6 vs. 3.7 MJ ME/d) and the average daily gain (40.7 vs. 23.1 g). Animals on TS produced heavier (P < 0.05) carcasses (6.6 vs. 5.4 kg) with superior conformation than animals on UTS. Percentage cooking loss was higher in carcasses from animals fed TS compared to those from other diets. Except M. longissimus dorsi and M. semitendinosus, tenderness of muscles was not affected by diet but ageing of meat improved (P < 0.001) tenderness. Overall, straw treatment increased carcass yields with limited effects on meat quality attributes.

Carcass conformation and cut composition of Creole goat from Guadeloupe

Carcass data base of 164 Creole male goats was used in order to provide factual data on the carcass conformation. Standardised procedures of carcass measuring and cutting were followed. The European official grid of light lamb is implemented for meat goat in the French West Indies and included five levels. Weights of carcass, cuts and tissues, quality scores and linear measurements were analysed. Feeding system, age at slaughter and weight were taken into account for statistical analysis. There were significant differences among carcass conformation classes (CC) for many traits except for the fat score, leg length and compactness ratio (carcass width on length): 2.2, 34.5 cm and 0.30 on average, respectively. The values of chilled carcass weight and yield and the carcass linear measurements steadily increased until conformation class 4 or 5: 6.7 to 11.2 kg, 49% to 55% and 52.4 to 58.0 cm carcass length. For the weights of carcass cuts, significant differences appeared between two groups: classes 1 and 2 vs. classes 3, 4 and 5. Regardless of the carcass weight, the distribution of prime cuts remained similar. The indices calculated on a weight basis (kg/cm), either for the carcass or the leg, increased significantly (P<0.01): with 54% and 63% difference between the two extreme classes, respectively. The muscle, bone and fat proportions in the shoulder did not vary between CC with 0.72, 0.22 and 0.06, respectively. Corresponding traits in leg were 0.74, 0.23 and 0.03; the last two were different (P<0.05) from class 1 to class 5. The muscle/bone ratios calculated either in shoulder or in leg ranged from 3.1 to 3.6 (P>0.05).