Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

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Meat Science

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Carcass and meat quality of Gokceada Goat kids reared under extensiveand semi-intensive production systems

Mustafa Ozcan a, Hulya Yalcintan a, Cemil Tölü b, Bulent Ekiz a,⁎, Alper Yilmaz a, Türker Savaş b

a Istanbul University, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkeyb Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Canakkale, Turkey

⁎ Corresponding author at: Department of Animal BreUniversity, Veterinary Faculty, Avcilar 34320, Istanbul, Tfax: +90 212 4737241.

E-mail address: bekiz@istanbul.edu.tr (B. Ekiz).

0309-1740/$ – see front matter © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.08.008

a b s t r a c t

a r t i c l e i n f o

Article history:Received 8 October 2012Received in revised form 6 August 2013Accepted 9 August 2013

Keywords:GoatKidProduction systemCarcass qualityMeat quality

The aimwas to compare the carcass andmeat quality characteristics ofmale and female Gokceada Goat kids pro-duced in extensive (n = 20) and semi-intensive (n = 20) systems. In extensive and semi-intensive producedkids pre-slaughter weights were 17.44 and 12.51 kg; cold carcass weights were 8.66 and 5.35 kg and cold dress-ing percentages were 54.9 and 49.28%, respectively. The effect of kid sex was not significant on hot and colddressing percentages, back fat thickness, M. longissimus dorsi section area, carcass fatness and conformationscores, and carcass measurements, while female kids had higher omental and mesenteric fat and kidney knoband channel fat percentages than male kids. Extensive produced kids had lowermeat lightness. Panellists evalu-ated extensive system kidswith higher scores of kid odour intensity, flavour intensity and overall acceptability. Itwas concluded that it would be more appropriate to use an extensive system in Gokceada Goat breeding for kidmeat production.

© 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

Goat breeding in developing countries of the Near East and Turkeyhas great importance in the nutrition, income and culture of ruralpopulations (Kaymakçı & Engindeniz, 2010). In 2010, 272,811 tons ofgoat milk, 36,600 tons of goat meat and 4800 tons of goat skinwere pro-duced in Turkey (FAO, 2012). Goat breeding in Turkey is usually carriedout with traditional methods in mountainous areas, forests and pastureswhich are not favourable for other agricultural products. In recent yearsthe number of intensive goat farms producing milk for ice-cream andlocal cheese production has increased (Kaymakçı & Engindeniz, 2010).

Due to the negative results of intensive production systems, such aschemical residues in animal products and welfare problems, there is agrowing interest in natural animal production systems (Tarrant, 1998).As the result of this, the demand for products from animals bred in theirnatural habitats is getting higher (Lund, Antony, & Rocklinsberg, 2004).

Gokceada (Imbros) is an island located in the north-west of theAegean Sea, having an area of 289.5 km2. 77% of Gokceada is moun-tainous, 12% is hilly and 11% is plain. The natural vegetation on theisland is formed of rosebay, olive trees, bushwood, Sarcopoteriumspinosum, Astragalus spp. and pine trees. The island is rich with freshwater resources. The goats and sheep inGokceada are kept free,without

eding and Husbandry, Istanbulurkey. Tel.: +90 212 4737070;

ghts reserved.

any housing all year long. In this extensive system no roughage or con-centrates are given to the animals. The animals stay in the places theychoose and health programmes (vaccinations, anti-parasitic treat-ments, etc.) are not applied. Once a year, the flocks are gathered forshearing, identification and selecting the kids and lambs for slaughter.There are no predators to these animals on the island (Tölü, Özcan, &Savaş, 2008).

Gokceada Goat breeding in extensive conditions is mostly being car-ried out by poor breeders so as to produce kid meat. In this productionsystem the milk of Gokceada Goats is not marketed. On the other hand,particularly in the last decade, to produce milk for goat cheese and ice-cream, there has been a great increase in intensive and semi-intensivedairy goat farms. While some of these intensive and semi-intensivefarms prefer to breed the indigenous breeds of the region, Gokceadaand Hair Goats, in some of the farms, use is made of dairy breeds likeSaanen and Maltese. In intensive and semi-intensive goat farms in theregion, the kids are generally kept with their mothers until 2 weeksof age. After 2 weeks of age the kids are usually separated from theirmothers in the day-time and after milking the goats they are re-united with their mothers. When the kids reach 2 months of age theyare completely weaned and the goats are milked twice a day. After theage of 2–3 weeks, the kids are fed ad-libitum with good quality rough-age (mostly alfalfa hay) and concentrated feed. The semi-intensive sys-tem kids in the region are usually slaughtered at light live-weights(Tölü, 2009). The present study aimed to compare the carcass and meatquality characteristics of male and female Gokceada Goat kids, producedin natural extensive conditions on Gokceada Island, with Gokceada Goatkids produced under semi-intensive conditions.

497M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Animals and production systems

The animals used were 40 Gokceada Goat kids. 20 of kids (10male + 10 female) were extensively produced in Gokceada Islandand 20 (10 male + 10 female) were produced semi-intensively. Theresearch protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of IstanbulUniversity (approval number: 76/25.05.2008).

The extensive system kidswere born inMarch and stayedwith theirmothers on Gokceada Island until June. In the suckling period the goatswere not milked and the kids grazed freely in the pasture and on theirmothers' milk. Extensive system kids were slaughtered at approximately4 months of age.

The Gokceada Goat kids in the semi-intensive production systemwere the kids of Gokceada Goats brought from Gokceada Island in2006 to the Breeding Goat Unit of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart UniversityTechnological andAgricultural Research-Application Centre (Canakkale,Turkey). When the care and feeding conditions of the Gokceada kidswere planned, the conditions in the region were taken into consider-ation. The kids and their mothers were housed in the same semi-openbarns. In the 7 days after birth the kids and their mothers were kepttogether and then were partially separated from each other. Themothers were separated from their kids in the mornings. After the eve-ningmilking the goats and kids were put together until morning. In thissemi-intensive system the kids were weaned when they reached theaverage age of 47 days. Starting from the second week of age the kidswere fed ad libitum with dry alfalfa hay (89.93% dry matter; 15.79%crude protein), pelletized concentrated feed (88.00% dry matter; 19.30%crude protein; 11.87 MJ/kg dry matter), licking block and water. Kidsfrom semi-intensive system were slaughtered at about 4 months of age.

2.2. Slaughter procedures and carcass quality

The kids were slaughtered in the slaughterhouse of Istanbul Univer-sity Veterinary Faculty (Istanbul, Turkey). The kids were brought toIstanbul from Canakkale by lorry and were lairaged overnight. Pre-slaughter liveweights of kids were recorded and they were slaughteredafter electrical stunning. After bleeding, hot carcasses, head, feet, skin,lungs and trachea, heart, liver, spleen, empty stomach, empty intestinesand omental and mesenteric fat weights were recorded. In order to es-timate empty bodyweight, gastro-intestinal tract content was removedand empty gastro-intestinal tract was weighed. In the calculation ofhot and cold dressing percentages both pre-slaughter live weight andempty body weight were taken into consideration. The percentages ofinternal organs were calculated according to empty body weight.

The cold carcasses were weighed after holding for 24 h at 4 °C. Eachkid carcass was classified for conformation and fatness as reported byHuidobro et al. (2003). In order to evaluate the conformation andfatness classification characteristics statistically, the scores given tokid carcasses were changed into a 1–15 scale (Johansen, Aastveit,Egelandsdal, Kvaal, & Roe, 2006). Internal carcass length, thoraciclength and hind limb lengthweremeasured on the half carcass as de-scribed by Fisher and de Boer (1994), while leg length was deter-mined on the whole carcass as described by Cañeque et al. (2004).As conformation indicators carcass compactness, hind limb compact-ness and chest roundness index were calculated according to Ekiz,Ozcan, Yilmaz, Tölü, and Savaş (2010). Afterwards the carcasses weresplit along the vertebral column into left and right halves and theright halves were separated into five parts; hind leg, shoulder, ribs,flank and neck (Colomer-Rocher, Morand-Fehr, & Kirton, 1987). Thetail, kidney and kidney channel fatwere accepted as the parts of the car-cass. Longissimus dorsi (LD)muscle section areaswere drown on tracingpaper from the LDmuscle between last thoracic and first lumbar verte-brae and then measured by a planimeter (Boggs & Merkel, 1993). Backfat thickness was measured at the same section by a digital calliper. In

the dissection of the carcass parts to determine meat, bone and fat per-centages the method described by Fisher and de Boer (1994) was used.

2.3. Instrumental meat quality analyses

Muscle pH was measured on LD muscle between the 12 and 13ththoracic vertebrae immediately after dressing, at 45 min and at 24 hpost slaughter by a digital Testo-205 (Testo Inc., Sparta, NJ) pH meter.The thoracic part of M. longissimus dorsi (between 8–13th thoracic ver-tebrae) was used for cooking loss and shear force determination and2 cmof the 8th thoracic vertebrawas used for expressed juicemeasure-ment. In terms of meat colour measurements 3-cmmeat samples weretaken from the cranial part of theM. longissimus lumborum. To determinethe percentage of expressed juice the modified Grau and Hamm's meth-od reported by Beriain et al. (2000) was used.

In order to measure cooking loss, the samples collected from M.longissimus dorsi (62 ± 3 g) were aged for 72 h, packed under vacuumand cooked for 45 min in a 80 °Cwater bath (Honikel, 1998). At the endof the cooking period the samples were taken out of the water bath andcooled under running water for 60 min. Afterwards the samples weretaken out of the packets, dried with paper towels and reweighed todetermine theweights after cooking. To determine shear force the sam-ples prepared for cooking loss measurement were used. From thesesamples 4 sub-samples cut parallel to the muscle fibres with a crosssection of 1 × 1 cm and 2.5–3 cm length were collected. Shear forcewas measured with Warner Bratzler shear force apparatus connectedto Instron Universal Testing Machine (Model 3343, Instron Corp., Nor-wood, MA, USA). The crosshead speed was 150 mm/min. An averageof four sub-samples was taken to be the Warner Bratzler (WB) shearforce value of that sample.

A chromometer (Minolta CR 400, Minolta Camera Co., Osaka, Japan)measuring the L*, a*, b* coordinate systemwas used to determinemeatcolour. The standards reported by CIE (1976)were applied andD65waschosen as the light sourcewith 8 mmaperture size and 2° for the obser-vation angle. The chromometer was calibrated according to a standardWhite plate (Y = 93.8, x = 0.316, y = 0.3323). For colour measure-ments 2 cm thick cuts were taken from each sample and placed in plas-tic plates with the cut surface facing upwards. From these samples 4colour measurements, just after cutting, 1 h, 24 h and 5 days after cut-ting were made. The samples were kept at 4 °C and under continuouswhite light (750 lx).

2.4. Sensory assessment

The samples for meat sensory evaluation were taken fromM. longissimus dorsi at the 2–5 lumbar vertebrae and were storedat −18 °C. One day prior to each panel session the samples wereremoved from the freezer and thawed at 4 °C for 24 h. The sampleswere wrapped in aluminium foil and cooked in a 180 °C oven until theinternal temperature reached 80 °C. For the measurement of meat in-ternal temperature a Testo 177-T4 data logger (Testo AG, Lenzkirch,Germany) equipped with thermocouples placed in the geometriccentre of each sample was used. Afterwards, 7 test sub-samples fromeach sample (1 × 1 × 1 cm) were prepared and held at 60 °C until theywere served to panellists.

The sensory evaluations were made by 8 point category scales(Sañudo, Nute et al., 1998). The evaluations were made by 7 trainedpanellists, who had at least two years experience of sensory evalua-tion. The panellists were asked to assess the tenderness, juiciness,odour intensity, flavour intensity, flavour quality and overall accept-ability (Sañudo, Nute, et al., 1998). Sensory panels were carried outin five sessions and eight meat samples (two sub-samples from allsub-groups) in each session were served to the panellists. Unsaltedcrackers and water were served to the panellists to freshen theirmouth between each assessment. The panel room had seven individualcabins for the panellists andwas equippedwith red fluorescent lighting.

498 M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

2.5. Statistical analyses

In the statistical analyses of the slaughter, carcass and instrumen-tal meat quality characteristics the General Linear Model (GLM)procedure was used. In order to determine the effect of productionsystem (extensive, semi-intensive), sex (male, female) and productionsystem × sex interaction on the characteristics, two-way ANOVA andContrast-test methods were used. One-way ANOVA and Duncan testwere applied to compare the sub-groups (semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female, extensive male and extensive female) in which pro-duction system × sex interaction was significant. In the model usedfor the statistical analyses of sensory analyses the main effects of pro-duction system, sex, panellist and panel session and also statisticallysignificant two-way interactions between these main effects were in-cluded. In the analyses of the characteristics the SPSS 10.0 statisticalpackage was used (SPSS, 1999).

3. Results

Mean values for slaughtering characteristics in the differentproduction systems of male and female Gokceada Goat kids arepresented in Table 1. The effect of production system × sex interac-tion was significant on pre-slaughter live weight (P b 0.01), hot car-cass weight (P b 0.05) and empty body weight (P b 0.01). Male andfemale kids in the semi-intensive system had similar pre-slaughterlive, hot carcass and empty body weight; while in the extensive systemmales had higher weights than females. Moreover, kids from the exten-sive system had higher values for these characteristics than kids fromthe semi-intensive system.

In terms of hot dressing percentage calculated by pre-slaughterweight and empty bodyweight, kids in the extensive systemhad highermeans than kids in the semi-intensive system (P b 0.001). On theother hand male and female kids had similar hot dressing percent-ages (P N 0.05).

Non-carcass components, such as the skin and omental andmesenter-ic fat percentages, were higher in kids from the extensive production sys-temwhile the head, liver, lungs and trachea, empty stomachs and emptyintestine percentages were higher in the semi-intensively reared ones.Head and feet percentages were higher in male kids while omental andmesenteric fat and empty intestine percentages were higher in females.

The results for cold carcassweight and dressing percentages, carcassconformation and fatness characteristics and carcassmeasurements arepresented in Table 2. The effect of production system × sex interactionwas significant on cold carcass weight. The highest cold carcass weight

Table 1Mean values and significance results for slaughtering characteristics in Gokceada Goat kids acc

Characteristics Semi-intensive Extensive

Male Female Male

Pre-slaughter live weight, kg 12.33c 12.68c 19.10a

Empty body weight, kg 10.60c 11.10c 17.12a

Hot carcass weight, kg 5.42c 5.82c 9.72a

Hot dressingf, % 43.85b 45.81b 50.73a

Hot dressingg, % 51.09b 52.36b 56.65a

Head, % 8.53a 7.72b 7.52b

Skin, % 7.50 7.54 8.08Feet, % 3.81a 3.38c 3.72ab

Lungs and trachea, % 1.77a 1.65a 1.34b

Liver, % 2.80a 2.73a 2.02b

Heart, % 0.56 0.56 0.56Spleen, % 0.24b 0.29b 0.43a

Omental and mesenteric fat, % 0.55c 1.05bc 1.25ab

Empty stomachs, % 5.77a 5.19a 4.11b

Empty intestines, % 9.00a 9.00a 4.88c

a, b, c Means in the same line with different superscripts are significantly different. *: P b 0.05;f Dressing percentage based on slaughter weight.g Dressing percentage based on empty body weight.h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female, exte

was in male kids from the extensive system (9.40 kg) and femalekids from the extensive system (7.91 kg) followed this group. Male(5.20 kg) and female (5.51 kg) kids from the semi-intensive systemhad similar cold carcass weights, however cold carcass weights ofthese groups were significantly lower than themeans for kids in the ex-tensive system.

The effect of production system on shrinkage loss (%) was not sig-nificant. On the other hand cold dressing percentage, back fat thickness,M. longissimus dorsi section area, subjective fatness and conformationscores were higher in the extensive system kid carcasses. The differ-ences between male and female kid carcasses in terms of cold dressingpercentage, shrinkage loss, back fat thickness, M. longissimus dorsi sec-tion area, fatness and conformation scores were not significant. Interms of the carcass measurements and indexes, kids from the exten-sive system had higher values than kids from the semi-intensive sys-tem, the differences betweenmale and female kidswere not significant.

The results for proportions of carcass joints and dissection char-acteristics of half carcasses are given in Table 3. The effects of pro-duction system and sex on the hind leg, shoulder, ribs, flank, neckand tail percentages were not significant. Kidney percentage fromthe semi-intensive system and kidney knob and channel fat percent-age (KKCF) from the extensive system were higher. KKCF in femalecarcasses was higher than male carcasses.

The difference between production systems for meat percentage inhalf carcasses was not significant, while subcutaneous and intermuscularfat percentageswere higher in animals from the extensive system than insemi-intensive system. The effects of sex on meat and fat percentageswere not significant. The effect of production system × sex interactionon half carcass bone percentagewas significant (P b 0.05). The bone per-centage inmale kids from the semi-intensive system (25.53%)was higherthan in the semi-intensive female (22.57%), extensivemale (20.92%) andextensive female (21.07%) kid groups (P b 0.001).

The effects of production system and sex factors on instrumentalmeat quality characteristics of Gokceada Goat kids are presented inTables 4 and 5. Carcass pH values immediately after dressing, 45 minand 24 h post-slaughter were not influenced by production systemand sex (P N 0.05). Moreover, the effects of production system and sexwere not significant on expressed juice, cooking loss and shear force ofsamples from Gokceada Goat kids (P N 0.05). On the other hand, in themeasurements just after cutting, 1 h, 24 h and 5 days after cuttingmeat lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*), were lower in extensive systemreared kids than those in semi-intensive system. The effects of sex onmeat colour characteristics were only significant (P b 0.05) on L*, justafter cutting and 1 h after cutting and themeat of female kidswas darker.

ording to production system (PS) and sex (S).

SEM Sig.h Significance of main effects

Female PS S PS × S

15.78b 0.286 *** *** * **14.28b 0.278 *** *** * **8.18b 0.183 *** *** NS *

51.63a 0.379 *** *** NS NS57.09a 0.358 *** *** NS NS6.99c 0.083 *** *** *** NS7.92 0.088 NS * NS NS3.55bc 0.034 *** NS *** NS1.43b 0.026 *** *** NS NS2.13b 0.046 *** *** NS NS0.55 0.006 NS NS NS NS0.40a 0.011 *** *** NS NS1.80a 0.097 *** *** * NS3.90b 0.156 *** *** NS NS5.91b 0.124 *** *** * *

**: P b 0.01; ***: P b 0.001; NS: P N 0.05.

nsive male and extensive female groups according to one-way ANOVA statistics.

Table 2Mean values and significance results for certain carcass characteristics and measurements in Gokceada Goat kids according to production system (PS) and sex (S).

Characteristics Semi-intensive Extensive SEM Sig.h Significance of main effects

Male Female Male Female PS S PS × S

Cold carcass weight, kg 5.20c 5.51c 9.40a 7.91b 0.182 *** *** NS *Cold dressingf, % 42.03b 43.40b 49.04a 49.92a 0.406 *** *** NS NSCold dressingg, % 48.96b 49.60b 54.76a 55.20a 0.399 *** *** NS NSShrinkage loss, % 4.17 5.20 3.35 3.33 0.403 NS NS NS NSBack fat thickness, mm 0.21b 0.21b 0.37ab 0.44a 0.032 * ** NS NSLD section area, cm2 5.42b 5.75b 8.71a 8.25a 0.228 *** *** NS NSFatness score 1.60b 2.00b 3.10a 2.50ab 0.166 * ** NS NSConformation score 2.50c 2.80bc 4.60a 3.70ab 0.195 ** *** NS NSInternal carcass length, cm 48.52b 48.75b 52.78a 50.71ab 0.414 ** *** NS NSThoracic depth, cm 20.77c 21.39bc 24.84a 22.64b 0.233 *** *** NS **Leg length, cm 16.91c 17.35bc 18.86a 18.02b 0.142 *** *** NS *Hind limb length, cm 25.18b 25.57b 27.05a 26.11ab 0.191 ** ** NS NSCarcass compactness, g/cm 114.39c 122.62bc 173.95a 140.95b 4.091 *** *** NS *Hind limb compactness, g/cm 35.55c 37.46bc 52.98a 43.80b 1.265 *** *** NS *Chest roundness index 0.67a 0.63ab 0.59b 0.61b 0.009 * ** NS NS

a, b, c Means in the same line with different superscripts are significantly different. *: P b 0.05; **: P b 0.01; ***: P b 0.001; NS: P N 0.05.f Dressing percentage based on slaughter weight.g Dressing percentage based on empty body weight.h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female, extensive male and extensive female groups according to one-way ANOVA statistics.

499M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

The results of the evaluation of panellists for meat samples takenfrom M. longissimus lumborum of Gokceada Goat kids are presented inTable 6. The panellists gave similar scores for tenderness, juiciness andflavour quality of extensive and semi-intensive system kids (P N 0.05);while they gave higher scores for kid odour intensity (P b 0.001), flavourintensity (P b 0.001) and overall acceptability (P b 0.001) of kids fromanextensive system. The differences between meat samples taken frommale and female Gokceada Goat kids were not significant for tenderness,juiciness, flavour quality and overall acceptability; while panellists foundkid odour (P b 0.05) and flavour (P b 0.05) intensities higher in femalekids.

4. Discussion

4.1. The effects of production system on slaughter andcarcass characteristics

In the present study, a higher pre-slaughter live weight in extensivekids than kids in semi-intensive systemmight be the result of differences

Table 3Mean values and significance results for proportions of carcass joints anddissection characterist

Characteristics Semi-intensive

Male Female

Proportions of carcass jointsHind leg, % 33.50 33.77Shoulder, % 22.00 21.59Ribs, % 25.23 25.63

Thoracic region, % 15.28 15.61Lumbar region, % 9.94 10.04

Flank, % 9.99 10.18Neck, % 9.31 8.63Tail, % 0.27 0.30Kidney, % 1.35a 1.34a

KKCFg, % 0.84c 1.49bc

Proportions of dissection characteristics of half carcassesMeat percentage, % 58.30 59.10Bone percentage, % 25.53a 22.57b

Subcutaneous fat percentage, % 2.32b 2.65b

Intermuscular fat percentage, % 6.01b 8.18a

Othersi percentage, % 5.13 4.76Evaporation loss, % 2.71 2.74

a, b, c Means in the same line with different superscripts are significantly different. *: P b 0.05;g Kidney knob and channel fat.h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female, extei Major blood vessels, tendons, larger nerves and lymph nodes.

between production systems in terms of food resources. Young animalsare capable of getting used to protein and energy resources presentedby mother's milk (Sañudo, Sierra et al., 1998). The kids in the extensivesystem in the present study suckled their mothers until slaughter. Thekids in the semi-intensive system were partially parted from theirmothers at one week of age and suckled their mothers only at nightand were completely weaned at 47 days of age. Therefore the dailymilk intake and total suckling time of kids in the semi-intensive systemwere lower than that of kids in the extensive system. Cañeque et al.(2001) explained the higher growth rate of unweaned lambs comparedto weaned lambs by the longer milk consumption of unweaned lambs.Ekiz, Ergul Ekiz, Kocak, Yalcintan, and Yilmaz (2012) found that thegrowth rate and pre-slaughter live weight of unweaned lambs untilslaughter age (120 d) were higher than in lambs weaned at 45 and75 days of age. They explained this result by the lower solid food utiliza-tion ability of groups weaned before proper rumen growth is suspended.On the other hand, in several studies (Cañeque et al., 2001; Ekiz et al.,2012; Velasco, Cañeque, Lauzurica, Perez, &Huidobro, 2004) it is reportedthat the stress weaning in small ruminants results in lower growth rate.

ics of half carcasses inGokceada Goat kids according to production system (PS) and sex (S).

Extensive SEM Sig.h Significance of main effects

Male Female PS S PS × S

32.89 33.42 0.165 NS NS NS NS22.55 22.06 0.132 NS NS NS NS25.37 25.75 0.212 NS NS NS NS16.58 15.76 0.240 NS NS NS NS8.80 9.98 0.234 NS NS NS NS

10.71 10.27 0.172 NS NS NS NS8.39 8.35 0.161 NS NS NS NS0.30 0.33 0.010 NS NS NS NS0.85b 0.83b 0.022 *** *** NS NS1.58b 2.46a 0.120 *** *** ** NS

58.11 58.12 0.393 NS NS NS NS20.92b 21.07b 0.326 *** *** * *4.64a 4.52a 0.216 *** *** NS NS8.93a 9.04a 0.338 * ** NS NS4.52 4.61 0.110 NS NS NS NS2.88 2.64 0.147 NS NS NS NS

**: P b 0.01; ***: P b 0.001; NS: P N 0.05.

nsive male and extensive female groups according to one-way ANOVA statistics.

Table 4Mean values and significance results formeat pH, expressed juice, cooking loss, shear forcevalues of longissimus thoracis muscle in Gokceada Goat kids according to productionsystem (PS) and sex (S).

Characteristics Semi-intensive Extensive SEM Sig.h Significance ofmain effects

Male Female Male Female PS S PS × S

pH0 6.48 6.51 6.53 6.54 0.019 NS NS NS NSpH45min 6.41 6.46 6.48 6.45 0.023 NS NS NS NSpH24h 6.01 5.87 6.01 5.94 0.026 NS NS NS NSExpressed juice, % 7.76 8.16 7.36 8.16 0.285 NS NS NS NSCooking loss, % 23.57 24.64 25.14 22.36 0.666 NS NS NS NSShear force, kg 3.43 3.65 4.28 3.59 0.177 NS NS NS NS

NS: P N 0.05.h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female,

extensive male and extensive female groups according to one-way ANOVA statistics.

500 M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

Furthermore, Tölü (2009) found adaptation problems for Gokceada Goatin semi-intensive systems. The lower pre-slaughter live weight in semi-intensive production system in the present study can be explained bythe lack of nutrients coming from mother's milk and the stress resultingfrom weaning and the lower growth rate as the result of these factors.Cañeque et al. (2001) reported that as rumen development was physio-logically at later ages, the adaptation of early weaned lambs to feed con-sumption was slow and therefore the growth rate was dropping. InMediterranean areas, artificial milk feeding system is commonly usedfor lambs and kids weaned at early ages (Napolitano, Cifuni, Pacelli,Riviezzi, & Girolami, 2002). However, most of semi-intensive/intensivedairy goat farmers in the Turkey prefer to feedweaned kidswith concen-trates and good quality hay instead of artificial milk feeding. Therefore,artificial milk feeding systems might be considered by semi-intensivegoat farmers to improve the growth performance of the kids.

The higher means of extensive system kids for empty body weight,hot and cold carcass weights can be explained by the higher pre-slaughter weight of these kids compare with the semi-intensivelykids. In terms of hot and cold dressing percentages calculated by usingempty body weight and pre-slaughter live weight, extensively rearedkids had higher means than semi-intensive reared kids. This might beexplained by the higher results of non-carcass components like emptystomachs, empty intestines and headpercentages in semi-intensive sys-tem kids. Zurita-Herrera, Bermejo, Henríquez, Vallejo, and Costa (2011)also explained that the dressing percentage differences between kids in

Table 5Mean values and significance results for meat colour characteristics of longissimus thoracismuscle in Gokceada Goat kids according to production system (PS) and sex (S).

Characteristics Semi-intensive Extensive SEM Sig.h Significance ofmain effects

Male Female Male Female PS S PS × S

At 0 h(L)0 h 43.03a 42.31a 37.41b 35.37c 0.287 *** *** * NS(a*)0 h 10.80b 11.58ab 12.04ab 12.70a 0.216 * ** NS NS(b*)0 h 2.12a 1.84a 0.67b 0.29b 0.135 *** *** NS NS

At 1 h(L)1 h 43.79a 43.34a 38.28b 36.17c 0.311 *** *** * NS(a*)1 h 11.88 12.80 12.62 13.43 0.293 NS NS NS NS(b*)1 h 2.90a 3.21a 1.31b 1.25b 0.198 *** *** NS NS

At 24 h(L)24 h 45.47a 45.62a 40.45b 40.27b 0.371 *** *** NS NS(a*)24 h 12.22 12.54 13.09 13.04 0.237 NS NS NS NS(b*)24 h 5.91 6.12 4.28 5.36 0.267 NS * NS NS

At 5 d(L)5 d 43.36a 43.95a 38.88b 38.66b 0.367 *** *** NS NS(a*)5 d 12.81 12.80 13.41 12.31 0.350 NS NS NS NS(b*)5 d 6.45a 6.58a 4.71b 5.24ab 0.256 * ** NS NS

a, b, c Means in the same line with different superscripts are significantly different.*: P b 0.05; **: P b 0.01; ***: P b 0.001; NS: P N 0.05.

h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female,extensive male and extensive female groups according to one-way ANOVA statistics.

extensive, semi-intensive and intensive systems were as a result of thedifferences in terms of gastro-intestinal tract percentages of groups. Inthe present study, the kids in the extensive system had higher meansfor pre-slaughter live weight and several carcass fatness parameters(omental and mesenteric fat percentage, back fat thickness, subjectivefatness score, KKCF, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat percentagesin half carcass) than kids in semi-intensive system. Moreover, wheneffects like pre-slaughter live weight, KKCF, omental and mesentericfat percentages and subjective fatness score were added as covariatesin the statistical analyses of carcass dressing percentage, the effects ofthese factors were found to be significant. Therefore it can be said thatthe carcass dressing differences between groups can be affected bypre-slaughter live weight and carcass fatness.

It was found that kids in semi-intensive system had higher emptystomach and empty intestine percentages than kids in extensive system.This can be the result of kids in semi-intensive system being weaned atearly ages and getting used to roughage and concentrates and thereforehaving a higher growth of stomach and intestines than kids in extensivesystem which were not weaned until slaughter. Also in a study carriedout in Talaverana lambs (Velasco et al., 2004) the gastro-intestinal tractsof unweaned lambs were less improved than weaned lambs and this re-sult was attributed to the higher milk consumption and less dry matterintake of unweaned lambs.

In the study, extensive systemkids had higher results for carcass andnon-carcass fatness characteristics like omental andmesenteric fat per-centage, back fat thickness, subjective fatness score, KKCF, subcutane-ous and intermuscular fat percentages in half carcass. This result canbe explained by the higher pre-slaughter liveweight and carcassweightof extensive system kids than semi-intensive kids. Supporting the re-sults in the present study Peña, Perea, Garcia, and Acero (2007) foundthat omental andmesenteric fat percentage, pelvic-renal fat percentageand back fat thickness increased with pre-slaughter live weight.

All the carcass measurements and indexes of the extensivelyreared kids, except for chest roundness index were higher thansemi-intensively reared kids. Moreover, semi-intensive system kidshad lower means in terms of M. longissimus dorsi section area andsubjective conformation score. Zurita-Herrera et al. (2011) alsofound that the length of leg was higher in extensively reared kids thanin semi-intensive and intensively reared kids and explained this bythe extensively reared kids grazing all day in the pasture and thereforehaving more exercise.

In the present study, the differences between production systems interms of the percentages of carcass parts and meat in half carcass werenot significant. However, the half carcass bone percentage from thesemi-intensive systemwas higher than from the extensive system. Thelower bone percentage in extensively reared kids can be explained bythe higher intermuscular and subcutaneous fat percentages. Supportingthis Peña et al. (2007) reported that parallel to the rise in pre-slaughter

Table 6Mean values and significance results for meat sensory characteristics in Gokceada Goatkids according to production system (PS) and sex (S).

Characteristics Semi-intensive Extensive SEM Sig.h Significance ofmain effects

Male Female Male Female PS S PS × S

Kid odourintensity

4.00c 4.37b 4.53ab 4.76a 0.064 *** *** * NS

Tenderness 4.90 5.00 4.86 5.20 0.062 NS NS NS NSJuiciness 4.57 4.63 4.81 4.86 0.061 NS NS NS NSFlavour intensity 4.20b 4.60a 4.77a 4.91a 0.063 *** *** * NSFlavour quality 4.67 4.83 4.90 5.00 0.060 NS NS NS NSOverallacceptability

4.56 b 4.64 b 4.89 ab 5.14 a 0.060 ** *** NS NS

a, b, c Means in the same line with different superscripts are significantly different.*: P b 0.05; **: P b 0.01; ***: P b 0.001; NS: P N 0.05.

h Significance level of differences between semi-intensive male, semi-intensive female,extensive male and extensive female groups according to least squares statistics.

501M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

live weight and fatness, bone percentage decreased. The carcass partpercentages of GokceadaGoat kids determinedwerewithin limits report-ed for different breeds of kids slaughtered at 12–18 kg pre-slaughter liveweights (Yalcintan, Ekiz, & Özcan, 2012).

4.2. Effects of sex on slaughter and carcass characteristics

The pre-slaughter live weights of male and female kids in the semi-intensive systemwere similarwhilemale kidswere heavier than femalekids in the extensive system. This shows that male Gokceada Goat kidshave higher growth rate in their natural habitat but cannot sustain thissuperiority in semi-intensive conditions. Todaro et al. (2004) found thatthe pre-slaughter liveweight of unweanedmale Nebrodi kidswas higherthan females,while Johnson,McGowan,Nurse, andAnous (1995) report-ed that the pre-slaughter live weights of male and female kids whichgrazed after weaning were similar. The differences between male andfemale kids in terms of pre-slaughter live weights also affected hot car-cass weight, empty body weight and cold carcass weight.

In the present study, the differences for hot and cold dressing per-centages were not significant between male and female kids. In severalstudies on different breeds the effects of sex were not significant ondressing percentages (Peña et al., 2007; Santos et al., 2007; Todaroet al., 2004). Moreover, the percentages of head and feet being higherin male kids were in accord with Santos et al. (2007) and Peña et al.(2007). Gallo, Le Breton, Wainnright, and Berkhoff (1996) found thatthe head percentage was higher in male kids than in females as the re-sult of higher conformation characteristics and bigger horns.

Omental and mesenteric fat and KKCF percentages in female kidswere higher than in males. However, the effects of sex were notsignificant on back fat thickness, fatness score, subcutaneous andintermuscular fat percentages. These results might be related with thefat deposition in goats being visceral fat deposition (Webb, Casey, &Simela, 2005).Mahgoub, Kadim, Al-Saqri, andAl-Busaidi (2004) reportedthat carcass fat and non-carcass fat were deposited faster in females thanin males. Supporting the present study Santos et al. (2007) found thatKKCF, omental and mesenteric fat percentages were higher in femalekids while the differences betweenmale and female kids in terms of sub-cutaneous and intermuscular fat percentages were not significant.

4.3. The effects of production system on meat quality characteristics

In the carcass pH measurements immediately after dressing andafter 45 min and 24 h resting at 4 °C the differences between semi-intensive and extensive system kids were not significant. As ultimatepH affects several meat quality characteristics such as tenderness, col-our and WHC, it is used as an indicator of meat quality (Miller, 2002).Ultimate pH values between 5.5 and 5.8 are acceptable quality levels(Hedrick, Aberle, Forrest, Judge, & Merkel, 1994) and higher pH is gen-erally a sign of lower quality (Werdi Pratiwi, Murray, & Taylor, 2007).Therefore, the ultimate meat pH levels in the present study for maleand female Gokceada Goat kidswere not at the desired levels for qualitymeat production. Dhanda, Taylor, and Murray (2003) reported thathigher ultimate pH might be a sign of stress in animals and explainedthe high ultimate pH result (5.93) in Boer × Feral genotype kids asbreed characteristics or the higher stress response of this genotype topre-slaughter management.

In the present study, the non-significant differences betweenexpressed juice and cooking loss of kids in extensive and semi-intensive production systems could be the result of similar ultimatepH levels of these groups. The expressed juice and cooking loss resultsin this study were similar to those of Yılmaz et al. (2009) for differentbreeds of kid carcasses.

Tenderness of cookedmeat is a significant factor affecting consumerapproval and therefore a choice. In the present study shear forcemeansof M. longissimus dorsi samples from extensive and semi-intensive pro-duction systems were similar. Shackelford, Morgan, Cross, and Savell

(1991) reported that meat samples having shear force scores above5.5 kg are tough, according to trained panellist and consumer sensorypanels. Therefore the shear forces of both production systems in thisstudy can be evaluated as tender. The shear force results determinedin the present study for Gokceada Goat kids were in accord with thosein different Turkish indigenous breed kids (Ekiz et al., 2010; Yılmazet al., 2009).

In Mediterranean countries light red or pink coloured kid meat isgenerally preferred (Santos-Silva, Mendes, & Bessa, 2002). In the pres-ent study it was found that extensive system kids had lower L* and b*means than semi-intensive system kids at all times. In small ruminantsmeat L* and b* results can be affected by several factors such as ultimatepH (Priolo, Micol, & Agabriel, 2001), stress experienced before slaughter(Apple et al., 1995), breed/genotype (Dhanda, Taylor, Murray, &McCosker, 1999; Santos et al., 2007), weaning status (Cañeque et al.,2001; Velasco et al., 2004), pre-slaughter live weight (Dhanda et al.,1999; Werdi Pratiwi et al., 2007), level of physical activity (Beriainet al., 2000) and feeding type (Priolo et al., 2001). In the present studythe ultimate pH levels in extensive and semi-intensive production sys-tems were similar. The ultimate pH levels being similar shows therewere no significant differences between groups in terms of responseto different stressors. Beriain et al. (2000) explained that as themusclesused when walking produce more energy and therefore need more ox-ygen, they are darker. Dhanda et al. (1999) and Werdi Pratiwi et al.(2007) found that L* and b* levels decreased when pre-slaughter liveweight increased in different breeds of kids. Moreover, Díaz et al.(2002) showed that meats of lambs fed in pastures had darker meat(lower L* result) than lambs fed on concentrates. Therefore the signifi-cant colour differences between extensive and semi-intensive systemkidsmight be the combined result of pre-slaughter liveweight, exerciselevel and/or differences in feed effects.

Similar scores given to extensive and semi-intensive system kidsby panellists in terms of tenderness and juiciness were in accordwith the results of instrumental analyses, shear force and expressedjuice in the present study. It is also reported in a study on Boer goats(Hopkins-Shoemaker, 2006) that panellists gave similar scores tothe meat obtained in pasture and concentrate fed groups for meattenderness and juiciness. On the other hand, in the current studycooked meat samples of extensively reared kids received higher scoresfor odour and flavour intensities and overall acceptability. Rodriguesand Teixeira (2010) said that themost important factor affecting overallacceptability is flavour. Sañudo, Alfonzo, Sanchez, Delfa, and Teixeira(2000) found that together with the increase in carcass fatness scores,the flavour intensity scores of meat increased. Similarly, in the presentstudy the extensively reared kids, which received higher odour and fla-vour intensity scores, had higher results than semi-intensive systemkids in terms of back fat thickness, subjective fatness score, KKCF, sub-cutaneous and intermuscular fat percentages in the half carcass.

4.4. The effects of sex on meat quality characteristics

The instrumental meat quality characteristics (pH, expressed juice,cooking loss shear force, a* and b*) other than L* of male and femalekidswere similar. In terms of L* result, female kidmeats had lower valuesthan male kids immediately after cutting and after 1 h of blooming;however the differences were not significant 1 and 5 days after cut-ting. Supporting the current results, Santos et al. (2007) found thatthe effects of kid sex were not significant on pH24, L*, a*, b*, cookingloss and shear force. Todaro et al. (2004) also reported that male andfemale Nebrodi kids had similar Warner Bratzler shear force, L*, a*and b* levels.

The panellists gave similar tenderness, juiciness, flavour qualityand overall acceptability scores to male and female kid meats. Simi-larly, Bonvillani, Peña, Domenech, and Polvillo (2010) found that theeffect of sex was not significant on tenderness and juiciness of kidmeats.

502 M. Ozcan et al. / Meat Science 96 (2014) 496–502

5. Conclusions

The results show that pre-slaughter live weights, carcass weightsand dressing percentages and several carcass measurements ofGokceada Goat kids in semi-intensive system were significantly lowerthan Gokceada Goat kids produced extensively in their natural habitat.Although the meat of extensive system kids was darker, the differencesbetween production systems in terms of WHC and meat tendernesswere not significant. The panellists gave higher scores to meat of exten-sive system kids for odour and flavour intensities, and overall accept-ability. These results clearly define that when compared with theextensive production system in which Gokceada Goats have adoptedin their natural habitat for hundreds of years, a semi-intensive produc-tion system did not result in improvement in meat quality and resultedin significant reductions in pre-slaughter live weight and carcass quali-ty. Therefore the extensive system should be preferred for GokceadaGoat breeding or changes in the semi-intensive system should be con-sidered to improve performance.

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