Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on physicochemical characteristics of goat kid meat

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of rbST and breed group on the meat quality of goat kid. Twenty-three male goat kids of three breed groups, in which 8 were from the Alpine (A) breed, 4 ½ Boer + ½ Alpine (½ BA) and 11 ¾ Boer + ¼ Alpine (¾ BA) were used. 12 of them received rbST (4 A, 2 ½ BA e 6 ¾ BA) and 11 were control (4 A, 2 ½ BA e 5 ¾ BA), with an average age of 129.13±6.71 days and average live weight of 27.91 ± 3.78 kg. The growth hormone used was bovine recombinant somatotropin (rbST) for animals of treatment 1 that had received the hormone in the amount of 0.3 mg kg^-1 of live weight, from 45 days of age, adjusted in intervals of 14 days. Animals from treatment 2 (control) received saline solution in the same dosage and interval. The slaughter was carried out 14 days after the last hormone application. The physico-chemical characteristics were analyzed in the Longissimus dorsi muscle. Overall means were: ultimate pH (5.65), cooking loss (29.7%), drip loss (2.6%), shear force (2.9 kgf cm-2), L* (38.0), a* (13.5), b* (2.8), humidity (74.39%), protein (21.26%), ether extract (2.48%) and ash (1.02%). The rbST did not influenced meat quality characteristics. Breed groups influence the physico-chemical properties of the Longissimus dorsi muscle, with better results in the meat from Boer crossed animals.