Carcass Traits of Growing Meat Goats Fed Different Levels of Hempseed Meal

Abstract

Abstract Industrial hemp is currently being investigated as a potential new crop in the U.S. with the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills passage. Hemp seeds are utilized to produce hemp oil and result in Hempseed Meal (HSM) production, rich in crude protein and fiber, making it an ideal candidate as a feedstuff for ruminant animals. This study evaluated the effects of feeding different levels of HSM on the carcass traits and meat quality of crossbred Boer goats. Forty castrated male goat kids with an initial average body weight of 25.63±.33 kg and approximately six months of age and kg were assigned to one of four treatments (n = 10) in a completely randomized design. Goats were fed pelleted diets (50% forage and 50% concentrate). Treatments consisted of different levels of HSM: control with 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% HSM supplementation of the total diets. The goats were harvested, and carcasses were processed at the Lambert-Powell Meat Laboratory at Auburn University after a 60-d feeding trial. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) on the mean values of dressing percentages (46.59, 45.42, 45.77, and 46.16% for 0, 10, 20 and 30% HSM, respectively) and ribeye area (3.68, 3.4, 3.47, 3.39 inches, respectively). The percentage of moisture, fats, proteins, and collagen in the muscles showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the different levels of HSM-containing diets. The marbling scores (376, 399, 355, 364 respectively) were also not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the treatments and are representative of marbling scores indicative of “slight.” Results suggest that producers can include up to 30% of HSM in the diets of growing meat goats without creating a detrimental effect on carcass traits.