Effect of breed-type and feeding regimen on goat carcass traits

Meat-type (Boer x Spanish and Spanish) goats from two feeding regimens (fee dlot and range) were slaughtered and live and carcass weights were obtained . At 24 h after death, various yield and quality measurements were collecte d. One side from each carcass was fabricated into major wholesale cuts for dissection into major carcass components. Feedlot goats had heavier (P < .0 5) live and carcass weights and carcasses that yielded more (P < .05) disse ctible fat and lean and less (P < .05) bone, as a percentage of carcass wei ght, than did the carcasses of range goats. In the feedlot environment, Bee r x Spanish goats had greater (P < .05) live weights, carcass weights, actu al and adjusted fat thicknesses, carcass conformation scores, and leg circu mference scores than did Spanish goats of similar age. The only breed-type differences that were significant after adjusting for live weight using ana lysis of covariance were that Beer x Spanish goats in the feedlot treatment had greater (P < .05) actual and adjusted fat thickness and carcass confor mation than Spanish goats on the feedlot treatment. The Beer x Spanish goat carcass trait advantage could mainly be attributed to their larger size an d enhanced capacity for growth.