Allometric growth of non-carcass components and hind limb tissue composition in Saanen goat kids reared under natural and artificial systems

Abstract

The aim was to investigate the growth of certain non-carcass components and hind limb tissues using allometric coefficients in Saanen goat kids reared under natural and artificial systems and slaughtered at 80 days or 120 days of age. 42 Saanen kids were used in the study [(24 artificial reared kids (SA-80: 12 kids, SA-120: 12 kids), 18 natural reared kids (SA-80: 9 kids, SA-120: 9 kids)] for determination of indicated parameters. The effect of rearing system was not significant in weights of non-carcass components and hind limb tissue compositions, which indicates that, even though they were fed with milk replacers, artificial reared kids can have similar growth performance when they slaughtered at similar age with natural raised kids. However, slaughter age had significant effect on many non-carcass components, since the weight of the organs increases in parallel with animal’s live weight. It is seen that allometric growth of non-carcass parameters, except skin and testis in both rearing groups and stomach and intestines in natural rearing, was slower (b