Effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E, Andrographis paniculata nees and Curcuma longa L. on growth, carcass and meat quality of goats

An investigation in the first experiment was carried out to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Andrographis paniculata, Curcumin longa and vitamin E on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, antioxidant activity and fatty acid profiles of Kacang crossbred male goats. Thirty-two male goats (13.0±0.29kg) were assigned to four dietary treatments of eight goats each. The diets were basal – control (CN), and basal supplemented with 400 mg/kg vitamin E (VE), 0.5 percent turmeric powder (TU) or 0.5 percent Andrographis paniculata powder (AP). Feeding was ad libitum as a total mixed ration for 16 weeks (including two weeks adaptation). After 14 weeks, the goats were slaughtered according to the Halal method and the carcass split two parts (right and left). The longissimus dorsi (LD), infraspinatus (IS) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were taken. The muscles were vacuum- packaged and conditioned for 0, 7 and 14 days in a chiller at 4oC. The feed intake was lower (P0.05) affected by different levels of AP and TU supplemented diets. The goats fed the AP 0.75% supplemented diet had a higher feed efficiency than the goats fed the basal diet (P>0.05), apparently due to a decreased feed intake. The AP0.75 treatment produced a more desirable leaner carcass with a higher proportion of meat and lower weight of subcutaneous fat and a bigger rib eye muscle area than the CN treatment (P<0.05) which is related to the lower back fat adipose and internal body fat (P<0.05). The AP and TU levels significantly affected the L*, b*, chroma value and Hue angle at different post mortem aging periods in the LD, IS and BF muscles (P<0.05). Different dietary levels of AP and TU significantly (P<0.05) improved tenderness of the muscles and post mortem aging periods significantly (P<0.05) reduce the WBSF value of chevon. Results of a sensory panel evaluation showed that AP and TU levels significantly (P<0.05) affected the aroma, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability of the chevon. All the experimental diets reduced the TBARS value in all the three muscles. The different levels of AP and TU also reduced (P