Fattening performance and carcass characteristics of Turkish indigenous Hair and Honamlı goat male kids

Abstract

This study was undertaken to measure the effect of fattening duration (60, 80, and 100 days) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of male kids from indigenous Hair and Honamlı goat breeds reared under intensive fattening systems in Turkey. Fattening duration had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on the fattening performance and a number of carcass characteristics of kids. An interaction was detected between genotype and fattening duration for average daily gain (ADG). Hair goat kids grew at a faster rate than Honamlı kids in the 20–40 day and 40–60 day fattening periods, but they maintained relatively similar ADGs within other fattening periods. On average, over the course of the fattening trial, Honamlı kids grew at an average daily rate of 209 g/head, while Hair goat kids grew at a daily rate of 231 g/head. Dressing percentage and carcass lean and fat percentages of kids increased (P < 0.05–0.001) with slaughter age and weight for both genotypes, whereas the percentage of bone decreased (P < 0.001) with each successive fattening period. No genotypic differences were detected for a number of carcass characteristics at the time of slaughter, with the exception of relatively higher (P < 0.01) fat deposit rates within the kidney and pelvic areas for Hair kids.