Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2002, Vol. 5(1) : 21-28
Twenty-four half carcasses of small East African goats (8 females 8 entire males and 8 castrated males) were jointed into seven joints namely: hind leg, chump, loin, rib, breast, neck and fore leg. These joints were further dissected into the separable components: muscle, bone and fat. The carcasses of these goats, were composed of 7.8, 16. 5% fat, 55.6-62, 7% muscle and 27.9- 29,5% bone. The proportions of muscle in carcasses of females (56%) and castrates (58%) were significantly (P<0.05) lower than in entire males, (63%). Fat content in the carcasses of females (16%) and castrates (12%) were signtficantly (P<0.05) higher than in entire males (9%). The neck of entire males had higher (P<0.001) percentage muscle weight (11%) than the neck of females (8%) and castrates (9%). The hind leg females had higher (P<0.05) percentage muscle weight (28%) than hind leg of males (25%) but castrates had values in between the two (27%). The fore leg off females had the least (P<0.001) percentage of muscle (21 %) compared wiith males (23%) and castrates (24%). The loin and fore legs of females had higher (17% vs. 12%) and lower (16% vs 20%), percentage of fat than those of castrates and entire males. The fore leg of females had lower (10% vs 12%) percentage of bone than that of entire males and castrates. The neck and fore leg of goats above 3 years old had higher (10% vs 9%) and lower, (22 vs 23%) percentage of muscles respectively than those of goats aged 2 to 3 years. The loin and hind legs of goats with body condition score of 4 had higher (12% vs 11%) and lower (25% vs 27%) muslce percentage respectively than those of goats with five score. The rib joint of goats with body condition score of 4 had higher (13% vs 11%) percentage of bone than those of goats with five score It is concluded that sex of the animal affects both the proportion and distribution of carcass tissue to a greater extent than age and body condition score. This means that where carcass quality is a major goal given the right market guidelines, farmer can make use of the sex differences in the proportion and distribution of carcass tissue to serve the consumer markets with meat goat of their preference.