Effects of genotype and nutrition on growth performance,carcass characteristics, and meat properties of goats in Laos

【Objective】A 2×2 factorial trial was carried out to determine effects of genotype and nutrition on improved growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat properties of goats in Laos. 【Method】The indigenous goat breed (Lat) was used as the control in comparison with F1 (BT×L) as a result of crossbreeding Lat does with Bach Thao bucks imported from Vietnam. For each genotype, 30 growing male goats at age of 7 months were chosen and equally divided into 2 groups, one was raised according to the traditional feeding regime (free ranging only) and the other with an improved feeding regime including cassava hay and mineral block provided ad libitum in addition to free ranging. The animals were observed for the average daily gain (ADG) and at the end, three animals per group were slaughtered to determine carcass characteristics (physical composition, primal cuts), and meat properties (shear force, color, pH, drip loss, and cooking loss). 【Result】The results showed that the ADG of F1(60.02 g/head/day) was very much higher (56.09%) than that of the indigenous goat (38.45 g/head/day). The ADG of goats supplemented with cassava hay and mineral block (55.45g/head/day)was also significantly higher (28.89%) than that of those not supplemented (43.02 g/head/day). No significant (P >0.05)effects of the crossbreeding and supplementation were found for dressing percentage and percentages of shoulder-foreleg, rump-rearleg, and breast-rip cuts in the carcass; however, the F1 had a bigger neck (P<0.01) but a smaller loin-abdomen cut (P<0.01) compared with the indigenous goat. No significant differences were observed for the parameters of meat characteristics between Lat and F1 goats under the two different feeding regimes. 【Conclusion】It was therefore concluded that crossbreeding with Bach Thao bucks and supplementation of cassava hay and mineral block improved meat yield without negative effects on meat quality of goats in Laos.