Carcass and meat quality characteristics of Black goats slaughtered at different body weights

Abdullah Abdullah; Murtadah Khasawneh; Batool Khataybeh; Abdullah Abdullah; Murtadah Khasawneh; Batool Khataybeh

doi:10.3934/aas.2026002

AIMS Animal Science

2026, Volume 2, Issue 1: 5-24. doi: 10.3934/aas.2026002

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Research article

Carcass and meat quality characteristics of Black goats slaughtered at different body weights

1.
Department of Animal Production, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
2.
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan

Received: 20 October 2025 Revised: 01 March 2026 Accepted: 05 March 2026 Published: 26 March 2026

In this study, we evaluated the carcass characteristics and meat quality of Black goat kids slaughtered at four weight classes: 15, 20, 30, and 40 kg (n = 40). Dressing percentage, linear measurements, and tissue components increased significantly (P < 0.0001) with slaughter weight. While the muscle-to-bone ratio improved, the muscle-to-fat ratio decreased (P < 0.0001) at higher weights, reflecting advanced maturity and fat deposition. Meat quality parameters, including pH, cooking loss, and expressed juice, were significantly influenced by slaughter weight and muscle type. Analysis of seven distinct muscles revealed that while lightness (L*) decreased, redness (a*) increased as animals matured (P < 0.01). Chemically, crude protein and ether extract percentages rose significantly (P < 0.0001) with weight, enhancing the nutritional profile. We identified the 30–40 kg range as the optimal slaughter window, maximizing meat yield while maintaining superior tenderness and palatability. These findings confirm that Black goats can be slaughtered at higher weights to optimize production efficiency without compromising essential meat quality attributes.
- Black goats,
- slaughter weight,
- carcass composition,
- meat quality,
- muscle-specific attributes,
- Intramuscular fat,
- tenderness
Citation: Abdullah Abdullah, Murtadah Khasawneh, Batool Khataybeh. Carcass and meat quality characteristics of Black goats slaughtered at different body weights[J]. AIMS Animal Science, 2026, 2(1): 5-24. doi: 10.3934/aas.2026002

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Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the carcass characteristics and meat quality of Black goat kids slaughtered at four weight classes: 15, 20, 30, and 40 kg (n = 40). Dressing percentage, linear measurements, and tissue components increased significantly (P < 0.0001) with slaughter weight. While the muscle-to-bone ratio improved, the muscle-to-fat ratio decreased (P < 0.0001) at higher weights, reflecting advanced maturity and fat deposition. Meat quality parameters, including pH, cooking loss, and expressed juice, were significantly influenced by slaughter weight and muscle type. Analysis of seven distinct muscles revealed that while lightness (L*) decreased, redness (a*) increased as animals matured (P < 0.01). Chemically, crude protein and ether extract percentages rose significantly (P < 0.0001) with weight, enhancing the nutritional profile. We identified the 30–40 kg range as the optimal slaughter window, maximizing meat yield while maintaining superior tenderness and palatability. These findings confirm that Black goats can be slaughtered at higher weights to optimize production efficiency without compromising essential meat quality attributes.

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