Levels of feed supplementation on the qualitative aspects of meat from crossbred goats finished on caatinga

Abstract

The effect was evaluated of feed supplementation (0.0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2% of body weight) on the qualitative
aspects of goat meat (moisture, ash, fat, protein, colouring using the CIE (L*, a* and b *) system, pH, cooking loss and
shear force), and also on the sensory attributes of goat aroma, off-aroma, colour, texture, tenderness, flavour, off-flavour,
juiciness and overall appearance. A total of 32 crossbred Anglo-Nubian goats were used, organised into randomised blocks
and finished on a pasture of caatinga. There was a quadratic effect (p<0.05) on the levels of ash and protein, with a maximum
of 1.06 and 20.44 g/100 g respectively. A positive linear affect (p<0.05) was seen on fat levels, with an increase of 0.52
g/100 g. There was a negative linear effect (p<0.05) on the qualitative parameters of cooking loss, shear force and L*, with
decreases of 3.32%, 0.77 kgf/cm2
and 3.39 respectively, and a quadratic effect (p<0.05) on a*, with a maximum of 9.13.
There was a quadratic effect (p<0.05) on the parameter b*, with a maximum of 8.12, while the pH was not affected, with an
average of 5.57. The sensory attributes were not influenced (p>0.05) by feed supplementation, except for colour and general
appearance. Feed supplementation at 0.8% of body weight provides an increase in ash, fat and protein levels associated with
qualitative improvements in cooking loss, tenderness and colouring, with increases in the sensory attributes of colour and
overall appearance.