Age-Related Changes Of Meat Quality And Effect Of Dietary Supplementation Of Cysteamine On Meat Tenderness In Goats

Variable slaughtering age/weight and poor mutton quality are two limiting factors that hinder the development of goat industry in China. Boer × Suining White crossbred goats of different ages were employed to compare the growth and meat quality traits in order to determine the optimal slaughtering age. In addition, the effect of dietary supplementation of cysteamine on growth and meat quality was investigated in goats, and the possible mechanism underlying this effect was discussed.1. Age-related changes of carcass and meat quality and profiles of serum hormone concentrations in F₁ population of Boer× Suining White Goats.Boer × Suining White crossbred goats at the ages of 3 months (Group I , n=10), 5 months (Group II, n=8) and 8 months (Group III , n=8) were selected randomly and employed to compare the carcass traits and meat quality, as well as the serum concentrations of some hormones determined with RIA. The results showed that body weight, body length and width increased significantly with age (p<0.05); Dressing percentage, meat color and intramuscular fat of Group I were significantly lower than the other two groups (p<0.05), while no differences were found between GroupII and III; marbling score, shearing force and water holding capacity of Group I were lower than Group III (p<0.05), and there was no differences between Group II and the other two groups. The serum level of insulin was not significantly different among the three groups. However, leptin concentration of Group I were higher than Group III (p<0.05), and no differences were found between GroupII and the other two groups. The ratio of T3/T4 in Group I was the highest among the three groups (p<0.05), and there was no differences between Group II and Group III. The results showed that goats at the age of 3 months show very strong tendency of growth and 5-month-old goats exhibit the best carcass traits and meat quality.