Search

The objective of this study was to evaluate the carcass morphology and quality of goats slaughtered at 8-9 and 11-12 months of age, which were reared extensively in the region of “Alto Camaquã”, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The carcasses of 37 male castrated goats, including 14 animals slaughtered at 8-9 months of age and 23 at 11-12 months, were evaluated. The following five cuts were obtained from the right half-carcass: foreleg, hind leg, fluctuating ribs plus loin and flank, fixed ribs and chest. These cuts were then dissected for determination of the composition of muscle, bone, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, and other tissues. There was a significant difference in hot carcass yield, commercial cut yield, cooling losses, carcass and leg length, and leg and chest depth between slaughter ages. An interaction between slaughter age and carcass cut was observed for muscle/fat ratio, muscle percentage, total fat, intermuscular and subcutaneous fat, and weight and percentage of other tissues. There was an effect of slaughter age, regardless of cut, on the variables bone, muscle, total cut weight, muscle/bone ratio and bone percentage. Commercial cut yield and hot carcass weight increase with age. However, the tissue composition of animals slaughtered at a younger age is characterized by a better muscle/fat ratio in the different cuts.

The objective was to evaluate the composition of carcass cuts and tissue of lambs shoulder and leg finished in feedlot receiving diets containing whole or disabled soybean grain with two concentrate levels (50% and 80% of DM). There were used 20 crossbreed entire male lambs, 120 days of age and initial body weight of 22.6 ± 2.06 kg. A completely randomized design was used, allocated in a factorial arrangement 2x2 (levels concentrate and processing of soybean grain). The slaughter criterion was body condition between 3 and 3.5. The weight of sirloin cut was superior with 80% of concentrate. In the shoulder tissue composition, the level of 50% concentrate increased the ratio of subcutaneous fat. In natura soybean provided higher values for weight and ratio of subcutaneous and total fat. For the leg tissue composition, the grain of disabled soybean showed higher muscle yield and muscle:bone ratio. Diets with 80% of concentrate, regardless of processing soybean grain, improved commercial yield and the diets containing disabled soybean more edible portion.