Meat quality traits of indigenous lambs and goat kids from extensive production system

The aim of this study was to compare the quality traits of meat of Dalmatian Pramenka Iambs and Croatian Spotted goat kids, both Croatian indigenous breeds. For that purpose, fifteen single-born male lambs and fifteen single-born male goat kids were raised under identical dietary regime in extensive lamb/goat kid production system typical for the Mediterranean basin. Lambs and goat kids were fasted for 24 h and slaughtered at average 22.70 +/- 0.35 kg and 23.47 +/- 0.52 kg live weight, respectively, corresponding to degree of maturity of approximately 51%. Meat colour was determined on the surface of the cut section of the Longissimus dorsi muscle (LD). Samples of LD and kidney knob fat were excised from the left side of the carcasses to determine proximate cum position, mineral composition, and fatty acids profile. The L* and a* colour parameters of LD were of similar values in both species, but the b* value was significantly higher in lambs (8.88) than in goat kids (3.49). Lambs accumulated more fat (2.93% vs. 1.85%) and ash (1.19% vs. 1.12%), but less protein (20.37% vs. 21.57%) than goat kids. The potassium, sodium and magnesium contents in lamb LD were higher than in kid LD. Goat kids had higher content of all analysed trace elements than lambs, except copper. Due to the higher intramuscular fat content and thus higher monounsaturated fatty acids content, lamb meat had more favourable fatty acid profile than goat kid meat, but goat kids displayed a lower n-6/n-3 ratio (1.52) compared to lambs (2.26).