Effects of litter size and sex on meat quality traits of kid meat

Abstract

The influence of litter size and sex on meat quality traits was investigated using 40 Nebrodi kids slaughtered at 47 days of age. Carcass measurements (body components, carcass joints, pelvic limb tissue composition, meat fatty acid composition and M. longissimus dorsi (LD) colour), body weight at birth and at slaughter were evaluated. Nebrodi kids had a low body weight at birth, with significant differences between male and female (4.1 kg versus 3.9 kg) and between single and twin (4.2 kg versus 3.8 kg). Male kids were heavier at birth and at slaughter, however, females had a higher percentage of kidney and pelvic fat (2.1% versus 1.5% of the right side; P<0.01). Both males and females, on the contrary, were similar in fat percentage for pelvic limb (11.4% versus 11.6%) and chemical composition of meat (5.1% versus 4.9%). The fatty acid composition of fat in the pelvic limb was not influenced by the animals’ sex, but single kids presented higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than twin kids (5.7 g versus 5.4 g/100 g of meat fat; P<0.05). Physical characteristics and colorimetric parameters of longissimus dorsi muscle were not influenced by sex and litter size. Female kids showed a significantly higher cooking loss (16.5% versus 14.9%) and lower pH than male kids (5.5 versus 5.69); twin kids showed light coloured meat than single kids (51.8 versus 49.3; P<0.01). The meat of Nebrodi kids has desirable qualitative characteristics and, on the basis of this it is possible to consider it to be of high quality.