title: Studies on the Criollo goat of Northern Mexico: Part 1 - The effects of body weight on body components and carcass development.
abstract: Male Criollo castrate goats were reared on natural rangeland and also given some concentrate supplementation. They were slaughtered in groups of ten at 8, 12, 16 and 24 kg live weight. At slaughter the weights of body components were recorded and also carcass measurements and joint weights on the chilled left half of each carcass, which was then completely dissected into lean, fat and bone tissues. With increasing slaughter weight the proportion of internal body components minus gut contents, increased relative to the external components. In some of the goats from the higher slaughter weight groups the gut contents formed up to 26% of the total live weight. The dressing percentage based on empty body weight did not show an appreciable increase with increasing slaughter weight. The lean proportion in the carcass rose from 56% of the carcass weight in the 8 kg group to about 68% in the 24 kg group. The proportion of fat in the carcasses did not show any increase with increasing slaughter weight. The results indicate that, in terms of yield of lean meat and also edible offal, it is better not to slaughter castrate male Criollo goats before 24 kg live weight.
authors: Facultad de Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Apartado Postal F-28, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico.
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Owen
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Arias Cereceres
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Garcia Macias
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Nuñez Gonzalez