Carcass parameters and meat quality in meat-goat kids finished on chicory, birdsfoot trefoil, or red clover pastures

K E Turner; K A Cassida; H N Zerby; M A Brown

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.03.005

Carcass parameters and meat quality in meat-goat kids finished on chicory, birdsfoot trefoil, or red clover pastures

Meat Sci. 2015 Jul:105:68-74. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.03.005. Epub 2015 Mar 11.

Authors

K E Turner¹, K A Cassida², H N Zerby³, M A Brown⁴

Affiliations

¹ USDA, ARS, Grazinglands Research Laboratory, El Reno, OK 73036, USA. Electronic address: Ken.Turner@ars.usda.gov.
² Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
³ Meat Science, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
⁴ USDA, ARS, Grazinglands Research Laboratory, El Reno, OK 73036, USA.

PMID: 25817803
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.03.005

Abstract

This study was conducted during the 2009 and 2010 grazing seasons to assess carcass parameters and chevon (goat meat) quality when meat-goat kids (n=72) were finished on pastures of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RCL), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.; BFT), or chicory (Cichorium intybus L.; CHIC). Final live weight (P<0.05) and carcass weight (P=0.10) were greater when goats were finished on RCL compared to CHIC with BFT being intermediate. Ribeye area, backfat thickness, body wall thickness, internal fat score, and leg score were not different (P>0.10) among treatments when adjusted for the covariate of carcass weight. Finishing meat-goat kids on RCL, BFT, or CHIC impacted concentrations of fatty acids (FAs) 18:1 trans-10, 18:1 cis-11, 18:2, 18:3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-6, omega-3, and PUFA:saturated fatty acid ratio in longissimus lumborum samples. Finishing meat-goat kids on CHIC, RCL, or BFT pastures produced carcass weights acceptable for most ethnic markets in the USA.

Keywords: Birdsfoot trefoil; Carcass; Chicory; Goat; Meat quality; Pasture-finished; Red clover.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adiposity
Animals
Body Weight
Cichorium intybus / chemistry*
Cichorium intybus / growth & development
Diet / ethnology
Diet / veterinary*
Dietary Proteins / analysis
Fatty Acids / analysis
Fatty Acids / metabolism
Food Quality
Goats / growth & development
Goats / physiology*
Herbivory / ethnology
Islam
Lotus / chemistry*
Lotus / growth & development
Male
Meat / analysis*
Meat / standards
Muscle Development*
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Muscle, Skeletal / growth & development
Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
Orchiectomy / veterinary
Trifolium / chemistry*
Trifolium / growth & development
Weight Gain
West Virginia

Substances

Dietary Proteins
Fatty Acids