Effects of utilizing treated and untreated corncobs and cassava peel-based diets on carcass and meat performance of West African dwarf goats

Résumé

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of utilizing treated and untreated corncobs and cassava peels-based concentrate diets on carcass and meat performance of West African Dwarf (WAD) buck goats. Sixteen WAD buck goats of ages between 9 and 10 months, balanced for weight were randomly assigned to four diet treatments with four goats per treatment diets of T1 = untreated cassava peels T2 = Treated corncobs, T3 = Treated cassava peels and T4 = untreated corncobs for 91 days. At the end of the feeding trial, three goats were randomly selected from each treatment and slaughtered. Data were collected on fasted, bled, clean carcasses' weights, lengths, chilled weights, chilling losses, chilling loss weights and dressing percentages as well as external and internal offals, while data on physical, (cooking loss, cooking yield, thermal shortening, cold loss, cold shortening and water holding capacity) proximate (moisture, crude protein, ether extract (fat), ash and nitrogen free extract) and organoleptic (colour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness, texture and overall acceptability) properties of meat were taken in a completely randomized experiment. Data were statistically analysed and significant means were separated at p=0.05. The results of the chemical composition of the experimental diets showed significant differences. Clean carcasses' lengths and chilled weights were higher in T3 than in other treatments, while bled carcasses' weights and chilling losses were lower (p<0.05) in the same T3 than in others. Bled carcasses' weights, chilling losses and percentage chilling losses were higher in T1 and T4 respectively. All the external and internal offals were higher in T3 followed by T2 and least (p<0.05) in T4, but cooking yield and water holding capacity were higher in T3 while thermal shortening, cold loss and shortening were lower. Moisture, crude protein, ether extract (fat) and ash except nitrogen free extract were higher in T3 followed by T1, T2 and least (p<0.05) in T4. Meat from T3 had higher colour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness, texture and overall acceptability followed by meat from T2 and least in T4. All the variables measured except nitrogen free extract were higher in T3. It can be concluded based that diet T3 was the best due to higher effect on the carcasses and meats of experimental goats. Therefore, diet T3 is highly recommended for farmers followed by diet T2.