title: Meat from Sudan desert sheep and goats: Part 2-Composition of the muscular and fatty tissues.
abstract: Muscle fibre diameter and proximate chemical compositions were investigated in forty Sudan desert sheep and goats on two treatments-control and fattened. The fatty acid composition of fat depots from the fattened animals was also determined. Sheep had thinner fibres, more intramuscular fat and less muscle protein than goats. Sheep responded to the nutritional treatment by depositing more fat and goats responded by laying down more muscle protein. The fatty acids composition of subcutaneous, kidney and intermuscular fat depots was reasonably similar in both species but goats tended to have more oleic acid in their fat depots than sheep. The results suggest that goat meat is not inferior to mutton from a nutritional viewpoint. Consumption of goat meat should be encouraged in the Sudan, especially within the low-income groups, to meet their needs for protein.
authors: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, PO Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan.
authors: E S
authors: ES
authors: Gaili
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Ali