Use of a modified skin slice with subcutaneous fat and carcase weight without this slice for prediction of meatiness and fatness in young slaughter geese

Abstract

1. White Italian geese (40 males and 40 females) were reared until 12 weeks of age and fed standard diets ad libitum. After rearing ended, the geese were weighed (males–5216 g, females–4945 g) and killed. Carcases were chilled and skin slices with subcutaneous fat removed. The remaining part of the carcase was dissected into meat, intermuscular fat and bones. 2. The weight of a skin slice with subcutaneous fat, taken from the carcase surface excluding the forewings and wing tips (X 2), and the weight of a carcase excluding this slice, the forewings and wing tips (X 1) were very good indicators of the content of skin with fat (r > 0·99) and meat (r > 0·98) in a whole carcase. 3. The above traits provided a basis for deriving regression equations to estimate the content of meat (Ŷ) or skin with subcutaneous and intermuscular fat (Û) in whole carcases of White Italian geese. The following equations are recommended for practical application: Ŷ = 0·755X 1 – 27·8 (Sy = 26·3 g); Û = 1·070X 2 + 19·5 (Su = 11·4 g)