Meat quality of culled adult goats finished with increased feeding plans

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of increasing the nutritional plane in finishing diets on meat quality traits of culled adult goats. Forty-one crossbred does were divided into four groups: baseline diet formulated to meet 100% of the nutritional requirements (BD); BD + 30% (BD30); + 60% (BD60); + 90% (BD90) of the nutritional level of BD. The goats received the experimental diets for 28 days. The protein profile of the longissimus lumborum muscle was evaluated using 1D SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. Cholesterol and albumin concentrations were highest in the BD group. There were no alterations in loin proximate composition or tissue composition. However, there was a significant reduction in the PUFA content in groups BD60 and BD90 compared with the group fed the baseline diet. Of 37 protein bands identified, 35 showed lower intensities in group BD90 than in BD and 22 bands showed lesser expression in groups BD60 and BD90 than in BD. The multivariate model identified 14 band proteins involved in group-diet segregation. Therefore, increasing the nutrient supply for finishing goats did not have marked positive effects on carcass. A lower expression of these proteins can have a profound impact on the qualitative aspects of the meat product.