Meat production from female goat kids compared with males

Twelve female desert goat kids and an equal number of males were used to study meat production potential of desert goats at Kuku Research Station, Khartoum North, Sudan. The kids were kept in two separate groups according to sex. Kids were fed ad libitum a complete diet (a concentrate mix and green lucerne) for 147 days from 12 July to 10 Oct 1997. Male kids consumed more dry matter, had significantly greater liveweight gain and had heavier slaughter weight and superior feed conversion efficiency than females. Carcass weight was significantly greater in males than females but females dressed out heavier than males. Male carcasses had more muscles and bone while female carcasses had more fat and trimmings. Male goat kid carcasses yielded significantly (P < 0.001) heavier wholesale cuts as single short forequarter and neck while female kid carcasses yielded heavier wholesale cuts as leg and chump, best end of neck as well as significantly (P < 0.01) heavier loin and breast.