Released October 6, 2011

A carcass comparison study is being conducted in association with the 2011 Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.

The carcasses of nine goats from the pasture test are being compared to carcasses of nine goats that were pen-fed a diet of hay and grain. Each goat from the pasture test had a companion goat in the pen with similar genetics.

The goats were harvested by Country Foods, a custom-exempt slaughterhouse in Waynesboro, Penn., on September 29. The carcasses were deboned and measured on October 5.

While the carcasses from the pen-fed goats had more kidney and heart fat (KH) and overall fat, their carcasses were heavier-muscled, had a lower percentage of bones, and yielded a higher percentage of boneless meat. According to the meat cutter, the quality (firmness) of their meat was superior to the pasture-raised goats.

In both groups, the highest yielding goat was a Myotonic consigned by Whitmore Farm (MD).  The Myotonic breed is known for having a superior meat-to-bone ratio. While the Myotonic carcasses were shorter, they showed superior conformation, especially in the hindsaddle.

Download carcass data, carcass comparison data, and consigner comparison data at http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2011/10/pen-fed-goats-produce-superior.html.

The carcass study will have a second part:  meat quality. A sample of the longissimus dorsi muscle was collected from each carcass. The samples will be sent to the meat lab at The Ohio State University for analysis.

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University of Maryland, http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com/2011/10/pen-fed-goats-produce-superior.html

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