Growth potential and carcass characteristics of native Machaeras, Damascus, and Machaeras x Damascus male kids

摘要

The native Machaeras (M) and Machaeras x Damascus (MxD) goats are well adapted to the hilly and mountainous areas of Cyprus, while Damascus (D) goats are raised under intensive production systems. The present work examined the growth and carcass characteristics of M, MxD (F_1) and D male kids. Following weaning at 7 weeks post-partum, male kids of the three groups were intensively fattened to the age of 80, 110 and 140 days. For each age and genetic group, 14 kids were slaughtered. For D, M and MxD kids, the respective growth rate (g/day) from weaning to 80 days was 174, 194 and 249, to 110 days it was 235, 198 and 256 and to 140 days, 264, 210 and 267. Dressing percentage (cold -International standards) of the respective D, M and MxD groups, expressed as empty slaughter weight, was 53.1, 54.6 and 55.4 at 80 days; 54.7, 53.8 and 54.8 at 110 days and 54.9, 55.1 and 55.7 at 140 days of age. The percentage of meat in the carcass varied between 63.5 and 65.6 with no substantial differences between genetic or age groups. In the 80, 110 and 140 age groups, the respective fat percentage varied from 7.8 to 11.7, from 11.1 to 12.7 and from 12.8 to 16.1, with the D breed having the lowest and the crossbreds the highest percentage at all ages. The results show that under intensive fattening, the performance of M and MxD male kids, in terms of post-weaning growth and carcass characteristics, is very good and comparable to that of D male kids, indicating that farmers on hilly and mountainous areas of Cypruscan improve their income if they intensively fatten their kids.