Meat quality of Moxotó and Canindé goats as affected by two levels of feeding

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reduced feed intake on Moxotó and Canindé goat, which are native breeds of semi arid area of Brazil, by analyzing the resultant meat quality. Intact male goats of both genotypes (10 animals each), weighing about 15 kg, were allocated to two feeding levels (AL: feed ad libitum and FR: feed restricted to 63% of the total feed consumed by AL). Water-holding capacity and a∗ color parameter were significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by genotype. Proximate composition, cholesterol, shear force, pH, cooking loss, and sensory scores did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between genotypes. The redness of the meat of the Canindé breed was much improved in FR goats. Although, feed restriction by 37% did affect the final live weight and mean daily gain weight, it had no effect on chemical, physical, and sensory quality of Moxotó and Canindé meat.