Preslaughter management practices influence carcass characteristics of young goats
P. L. Greenwood A C D , J. A. Finn A , T. J. May B and P. J. Nicholls AA Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia.
C Present address: NSW Department of Primary Industries Beef Industry Centre of Excellence, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: paul.greenwood@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(7) 910-915 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08030
Submitted: 11 January 2008 Accepted: 15 March 2008 Published: 20 June 2008
Abstract
Effects of sex, weaning 3 weeks before slaughter, continuous fasting and water deprivation for up to 72 h, and initial liveweight (LW) and body condition score (CS) on LW and carcass characteristics were studied in 231 goats of ~16 weeks of age with a LW of 13.6 ± 2.4 kg (mean ± s.d.). Overall, the animals lost 5.9% of initial LW during the first 12 h of fasting, 7.5% by 24 h, 10.8% by 48 h and 14.1% by 72 h. Weaned goats lost 2.6% more LW than non-weaned goats after 48 h fasting, and animals denied access to water lost 1.5% more LW than those with access to water. Fasting period, weaning status, water availability and CS influenced dressing out percentage determined as percentage initial LW or percentage preslaughter LW. All six factors investigated significantly influenced hot carcass weight (HCW), retail meat yield (kg) and L2 (lumbar eye muscle site) tissue depth. Sex, weaning, fasting period, and initial LW and CS influenced retail meat yield (as a percentage of HCW) and GR (12th rib) tissue depth. Muscle colour score was affected by initial LW, water availability and fasting period. There was also a fasting period × sex interaction for muscle colour. The results provide information for estimation of carcass characteristics of young goats marketed for meat and demonstrate that preslaughter management of young goats influences factors that affect economic returns. They reinforce the need to minimise time off feed and water before slaughter of young goat kids, from both a welfare and an economic perspective, and for further research on preslaughter management factors that may influence welfare of goats and goat meat quality.
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Meat Research Corporation (Australia). The authors thank Mr Robert Connell and his family who provided the goats and assisted with their handling, and the staff at Wilberforce abattoir. We are also grateful to Fiona Bertus, Robert Gorman, Phil Graham, Michael Lollback, Michael Rawsthorne, Ted Scarlett, Peter Semple and Brent Turner of NSW Department of Primary Industries (formerly NSW Agriculture) who helped organise and conduct this research.
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