Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Nanjiang Yellow Goats Raised by Fenced-in Feeding vs. Free-range Grazing

The growth performances and carcass characteristics of Nanjiang yellow goats raised by fenced-in feeding and free-range grazing were compared. Forty-eight 4-month-old goats were randomly divided into 3 groups. In a fenced-in setting, Group 1 was fed with silage and roughages, and Group 2 comprehensive nutrient pellets; whereas, Group 3 was allowed to graze freely on an open farm and supplemented with silage. The feeding lasted 180 days before the goats were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. The live body weight and chest girth of the goats aged 6-to10-month-old, as well as the total and average monthly weight gains of the goats aged 4-to 10-month-old, in Group 2 were found to be higher than those in either Group 1 or Group 3 (P < 0.01), with no significant difference between the latter two groups (P>0.05). No significant differences on the carcass weight, GR value, meat weights, and slaughter yield were observed among the 3 groups (P>0.05). However, the meat percentage of the goats in Group 2 was significantly higher than that of Group 1 at P>0.01; and, the meat/bone ratio, significantly higher at P < 0.05. The pH of the meat samples from Group 2 was significantly lower than that of Group 3 (P>0.01); and, the color value, a, significantly greater than that of Group 3 (P < 0.05). The contents of moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, and color values, L and b, of the meats among the 3 groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). The meat of the goats in Group 2 contained significantly more total amino acids (P>0.01), as well as, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, methionine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and lysine than Group 3 (P < 0.05). Insofar as average monthly gross profit was concerned, Group 2 was 6.3 yuan more than Group 1, and 9.6 yuan higher than Group 3.