Productivity and Meat Quality with Meat Goat Management

The growth of kid meat goats and their carcass and meat characteristics with monensin sodium or decoquinate coccidiostats in feed were studied. Seventy-three goats of various breeds were divided into six groups with the treatments of control, monensin and decoquinate. Half of the goats were harvested at day 45 and the rest at day 60. The second harvest monensin group had a larger percentage of the goat carcass as the hind leg (P Supplementation of permanent pasture with sunn hemp forage or concentrate feed were compared for influences on growth, carcass traits, and meat properties of kid meat goats. Goats that were finished on concentrate had a heavier dressing percentage and heavier cuts (P Type of packaging alters the color and shelf life of meat during retail display. The M. Longissimus dorsi of 24 goat carcasses were randomly assigned to treatments of air-permeable and moisture-impermeable overwrap, vacuum, or nitrite embedded film packaging for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days of retail display. The muscles in nitrite embedded film had greater a* values indicating a brighter red color. Muscles in vacuum packaging with conventional or nitrite embedded film had lower rates of lipid oxidation at Day 12 (