Growth and distribution of non-carcass components of Small East African and F1 Norwegian crossbred goats under concentrate diets

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of sheep fed alfalfa hay to replace Bermuda grass hay

The objective of this study was to evaluate carcass characteristics, meat quality, and organ and viscera weight of forty male sheep, not castrated, initially weighed 26.5 ± 1.85 kg, and confined for 100 days (44 days for the adjustment period and 56 days of the experimental period). The treatments were four levels of replacement of Bermuda grass hay with alfalfa hay (0, 200, 400, and 600 g/kg, based on dry matter). The design was randomized blocks (one lighter group and other heavier group) with 10 animals in each treatment. There were no effects on weight gain or carcass parameters. However, an increase was observed on dry matter intake (g/day), crude protein intake (g/day), empty body weight (kg), and subcutaneous fat thickness (mm). There was also an increase in total organ weights in kg and g/kg. The tissue composition of the leg had a quadratic effect on the bone tissue weight (g) and linear effect on adipose tissue relative (g/kg) and muscle-fat relations. There was also a quadratic effect on bone tissues (g/kg) and muscle-bone relations. Likewise, there was a quadratic effect on the qualitative characteristics of meat (measure of luminosity), with the replacement of Bermuda grass hay with alfalfa hay in sheep feed. The replacement of Bermuda grass hay with alfalfa did not change carcass characteristics and meat quality.

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.

Medidas in vivo e da carcaça e constituintes não carcaça de ovinos alimentados com diferentes níveis do subproduto agroindustrial da goiaba

RESUMO O objetivo com este estudo foi avaliar a biometria, morfometria e os órgãos não-componentes da carcaça de ovinos Santa Inês, em confinamento, alimentadas com níveis crescentes (0; 20; 40 e 60% na matéria seca) de subproduto agroindustrial da goiaba como um substituto para o milho. Quarenta ovinos Santa Inês, machos (não castrados), com média de 17,41 ± 1,27kg de peso corporal (PC) e 120 dias de idade no início do estudo, foram utilizados neste experimento. Os animais foram abatidos aos 32kg ou 105 dias de confinamento. Foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com dez repetições por tratamento. Os animais submetidos a dietas com 60% de substituição apresentaram menor comprimento corporal (63,20cm), menor altura de cernelha (67,30cm) e de garupa (69,50 cm), baixo escore de condição corporal (2,40 pts), carcaças de conformação inferior (2,25 pts), menor perímetro do tórax (65,10cm) e baixos rendimentos de órgãos como coração (0,52%), baço (0,15%), rins (0,25%) e pulmão (0,89%). O milho pode ser substituído pelo subproduto da goiaba em níveis de até 40%, sendo relevante a obtenção de animais com características corporais desejáveis para produção de carne e com rendimento de órgãos não constituintes da carcaça satisfatórios ao mercado.

Desenvolvimento dos órgãos e deposição de gorduras em cabritos Canindé sob restrição alimentar

RESUMO Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da restrição alimentar sobre o desenvolvimento dos órgãos e deposição de gordura em caprinos Canindé castrados. Foram utilizados 21 cabritos confinados, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com peso inicial de 15,9 ± 1,03kg. Os cabritos foram alocados em três níveis de restrição alimentar (sete animais por nível): ad libitum (alimentados à vontade); restrição moderada (restrição de 20% em relação à quantidade de matéria natural consumida pelos animais alimentados ad libitum) e restrição severa (restrição de 40% em relação à quantidade de ração consumida pelos animais alimentados ad libitum). A ração experimental apresentou uma proporção de 55% de volumoso (Tifton) e 45% de concentrado. Aos 110 dias de experimento os cabritos foram abatidos com peso médio de 23,5 kg ± 2,5 kg. Esvaziou-se o trato gastrointestinal (TGI), a bexiga e a vesícula biliar e foram mensurados os seus pesos para determinação do peso de corpo vazio (PCV). Foram separados e registrados os pesos dos órgãos (baço, coração, fígado, pâncreas, pulmões, rins, sangue, TGI) e dos depósitos de gordura (cardíaca, mesentérica, omental e pélvico-renal). A restrição alimentar em caprinos Canindé afetou o peso absoluto dos órgãos e das gorduras (P < 0.05) que estão mais envolvidas com a função de reserva energética (mesentérica, omental e pélvico-renal), no entanto, não afetou o percentual dos órgãos em relação ao PCV (P > 0.05), indicando que mesmo sob restrição o desenvolvimento dos órgãos é proporcional ao desenvolvimento do corpo.

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.

Comparison of conventional and organic management conditions on growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological parameters in Karacabey Merino and Kivircik breeds

Growth performance, carcass characteristics, post-slaughtering and haematological parameters of Kivircik and Karacabey Merino male lambs in conventional and organic management systems were compared. The animals which were weaned at 7 weeks of age were divided into Kivircik conventional, Kivircik organic (KO), Karacabey Merino conventional and Karacabey Merino organic (MO) groups containing 12 lambs each. Fattening was ended when lambs attained 35 kg of live weight. The time to attain the determined fattening weight was significantly different among the groups, and Merino lambs having higher live weight gain were earlier than Kivircik lambs (p < 0.05). Overall conventional (CG) and organic group lambs were also compared. Live weight gain, intra-abdominal fat amount, external fat thickness and visceral organ weight were significantly higher in CG lambs (p < 0.05). Higher haematocrit and erythrocyte counts were obtained with the CG group (p < 0.05), whilst triglyceride, total plasma cholesterol and lipoprotein (HDL, LDL, VLDL) levels between groups were not significant. Pneumonia was the unique infection, with an incidence of 50% (six lambs) and 16.6% (two lambs) for MO and KO animals, respectively. The mortality rate was 16.6% (two lambs) for MO group, whilst no mortality was recorded for KO group animals. The present study has shown that although Karacabey merino lambs had higher growth performance compared to Kivircik lambs, organically fattened lambs in whole exhibited inferior growth performance. Lower infection and mortality observed with Kivircik lambs suggested that they could be more resistant to infections and outdoor environmental conditions.