Growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and profitability of local Malawi goats under pen fattening conditions

Chilanga, F. 2020. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and profitability of local Malawi goats under pen fattening conditions. MSc thesis in Animal Science. Lilongwe: Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different fattening diets based on locally available non-conventional feed resources on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and profitability of local Malawi goats fattened under pen feeding. Fifty uncastrated local Malawi goat weaners (5 – 6 months old) with initial body weight of 11.55 ± 2.04kg were divided into five groups of 10 animals each and randomly allocated to five treatment categories as follows: S = 60% Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay + 40% soya bean (Glycine max)-based concentrate; SA = 60% Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay + 40% soya bean (Glycine max) and white thorn tree (Acacia polyacantha) leaf meal-based concentrate; B= 60% Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana) + 40% baobab (Adansonia digitata) seedcake-based concentrate; BA= 60% Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana) + 40% baobab (Adansonia digitata) seedcake and white thorn tree (Acacia polyacantha) leaf meal-based concentrate; and C = grazing only. Animals in S, SA, B and BA were under pen feeding with total confinement for the entire 84 days trial period while those in C were under extensive management. At the end of the feeding trial, goats were slaughtered for evaluation of carcass and meat quality. Pen fed goats on baobab only-based diet had significantly higher daily gains, final weights and total weight gain, and better feed conversion ratio than the rest of the treatments (P < 0.05). Grazing goats had the least daily gains, carcass weight, final weight and total weight gain. Lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of the meat was higher in goats under baobab-based pen feeding diets as compared to all other diets. Goat meat from the control diet was darker than that from the rest of diets (lowest L*). Estimated gross margins were high in grazing animals followed by baobab only-based pen feeding diet. However, baobab only-based pen feeding diet had the highest estimated net profit. Current findings indicate that pen feeding of local Malawi goats based on locally available non-conventional feed resources like baobab seedcake improves growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and profit.