Abstract
BackgroundImplantation of goats with melatonin can induce cashmere growth and significantly increase cashmere production performance. However, the impact of melatonin implantation on the carcass characteristics, meat quality and related hormone levels in muscle and viscera of cashmere goats has not been studied. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of melatonin implantation of cashmere goats during the non-growing period on meat quality and related hormone levels in the tissues. It aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the practical application of melatonin in cashmere goat production systems.ResultsMelatonin implantation (2 mg/kg live weight) had no influence (P > 0.05) on daily weight gain, carcass weight, dressing percentage, loin muscle area, or the pH, moisture level, crude fat (except for Gluteus muscle) and amino acid content of muscles of cashmere goats. After implantation for 1 month, shear force of Longissimus dorsi and water loss rate of Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris of cashmere goats were increased (P < 0.05), whereas the cooking yield of Gluteus muscle was reduced (P < 0.05). The melatonin treatment decreased (P < 0.05) muscle crude protein, Gluteus muscle crude fat and ∑n-3PUFA content and decreased (P < 0.05) ∑n-6PUFA content. However, after 2 months of implantation most of these effects had resolved. Melatonin implantation had no effect (P > 0.05) on the melatonin or prolactin contents of kidney, heart, spleen, liver, Longissimus dorsi, Biceps femoris and Gluteus muscles. Melatonin content of lung tissue was lowered (P < 0.05) and that of prolactin was elevated (P < 0.05) by the melatonin implantation.ConclusionThis study has shown little impact of melatonin implantation of cashmere goats on carcass quality. A few meat quality indices i.e., shear force, water loss rate, ∑n-3PUFA, ∑n-6PUFA, and crude protein content of Longissimus dorsi; water loss rate, cooking yield and crude protein content of Biceps femoris; ether extract, crude protein content of Gluteus; were affected briefly (at 1 month of implantation) but these effects were not evident after 2 months of implantation. There was little effect of the melatonin treatments on tissue levels of melatonin or prolactin except in lung.
Highlights
Implantation of goats with melatonin can induce cashmere growth and significantly increase cashmere production performance
MM = melatonin implanted in May, Group MJ = melatonin implanted in June 2 Cross sectional area of Longissimus dorsi muscle muscles of Group MJ goats in comparison with those of controls (Group C) (Table 2)
The 1 month of melatonin implantation (Group MJ) reduced (P < 0.05) muscle crude protein content below that of controls and reduced (P < 0.05) crude protein content of Longissimus dorsi and Biceps femoris muscles below that of goats implanted with melatonin for 2 months (Group MM) (Table 2)
Summary
Implantation of goats with melatonin can induce cashmere growth and significantly increase cashmere production performance. The impact of melatonin implantation on the carcass characteristics, meat quality and related hormone levels in muscle and viscera of cashmere goats has not been studied. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of melatonin implantation of cashmere goats during the nongrowing period on meat quality and related hormone levels in the tissues It aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the practical application of melatonin in cashmere goat production systems. Duan et al [11] and Chu et al [13] have developed use of melatonin implants (2 mg/kg live weight) on two occasions during the non-growing period (late April and June) as a practical method for enhancing cashmere production in seasonal breeds such as Inner Mongolian cashmere goats
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