Effect of Breed Types and Castration on Carcass Characteristics of Boer and Large Frame Indigenous Veld Goats of Southern Africa

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The purpose of this paper is to describe and compare the carcass characteristics of same-aged young wethers and bucks of Boer Goat (BG) and Indigenous Veld Goats (IVG: Cape Speckled and the Cape Lob Ear)—a collective name for the eco-types conserved by the Indigenous Veld Goat Society of South Africa. Results of this study showed that, under the same production conditions, IVG could have a similar potential for meat production. Carcass characteristics differed more between wethers and bucks than between breed types. Large frame Indigenous Veld Goat (IVG) bucks seemed particularly suited for meat production, due to higher meat yield that is leaner with lower subcutaneous and intramuscular fat, compared to the BG bucks and, in particular, to the wethers of both breed types. The wethers meat with increased subcutaneous and intramuscular fat could satisfy another consumer market segment that prefer a somewhat juicier and flavorsome meat—these aspects warrant further research. Development of the formal commercial market for goat meat would offer more diversity of species for red meat producers and especially benefit smallholder farmers who typically produce most of the goats in the world. ABSTRACT: Weaner male Boer Goats (BG; n = 36; 21 bucks and 15 wethers) and large frame Indigenous Veld Goats (IVG; n = 41; 21 bucks and 20 wethers) were raised on hay and natural grass ad libitum and the recommended amount of commercial pelleted diet to a live weight between 30 and 35 kg. Carcass quality characteristics (live weight, carcass weights, dressing %, chilling loss and eye muscle area) were measured. The right sides of the carcasses were divided into wholesale cuts and dissected into subcutaneous fat, meat and bone. Large frame Indigenous Veld Goat (IVG) wethers were slightly lighter than the IVG bucks with no significant difference observed between BG. Wethers compared to bucks had higher dressing %, subcutaneous fat % in all primal cuts, intramuscular fat %, kidney fat % and, overall, slightly less bone %. Some breed–wether interactions were noticed: IVG wethers were slightly lighter than the IVG bucks, but the IVG bucks tended to produce higher % meat compared to other test groups. Judged on the intramuscular fat % characteristics, it seems as if wethers should produce juicier and more flavorsome meat compared to bucks.