Influence of keeping method (indoors vs. biotope) on the meat performance of goat kids of different genotypes - 1st communication: Body weight development and carcass quality

Twenty pairs of twins of goat kids belonging to three different genotypes - Boer goat X German Alpine (F-1), F-1 x Cashmere (F-1 x K) and Cashmere (C) - were weaned at the age of 95,4 +/- 5,3 days and divided into two differe nt husbandry systems One half of the kids stayed in the stable with intensi ve ad libitum feeding, the other half was sent to an infertile grassland pa sture biotope for 77 days. At the age of 182,4 +/- 5,3 days this group was put into the stable for intensive finishing under housing conditions, too. At the age of 267,4 +/- 5,3 days all kids were slaughtered. For the whole i nvestigation period the body-mass development of all kids was registered to find out their daily gain of weight. As carcass traits the dressing percen tage and the amount of the high value parts back and hind quarter (with gig ot) in the body were measured. Additionally, a visuable carcass judging was done. There was a striking influence of the husbandry system and of the breeding group on the investigated traits. The extensive-kept kids showed during the grazing period especially but also in the following fattening period, lowe r daily gains of weight than the permanentely intensive fed animals. For th is, the final body-mass and the mass of the slaughtered body were lower for the extensive group. The dressing percentage was not influenced much by th e keeping method while the amount of high value parts was significantly hig her for the extensive-fed kids. This is especially due to a lower fat conte nt of their bodies. Cashmere kids realised the lowest body masses and also showed significantly low quality of the slaughtered bodies.