Meat goat kids finished on alfalfa, red clover or orchardgrass pastures: Carcass merit and meat quality

•Pasture-finished meat-goat kids fit niche markets in the USA.•Goat kids grazing alfalfa or red clover produced heavier carcasses vs orchardgrass.•Forage specie grazed impacted fatty acid 18:1 concentrations in loin meat.•Chevon supplies desirable fatty acids for human diets.

This experiment was conducted in 2005–2007 to evaluate carcass and chevon (goat meat) quality parameters when meat-goat kids (n = 72) were finished on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L; ALF); red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RCG); or orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.; OGR) pastures. Carcass conformation score was greater (P = 0.08) when meat-goat kids were finished on ALF compared to OGR with RCG intermediate. Chevon meat samples from goats finished on the three pasture treatments did not differ in ash, intramuscular fat, or crude protein content or in concentrations of omega6 and omega3 fatty acids, or the omega6 to omega3 ratio. Goats finished on OGR had higher (P < 0.001) 18:1 trans-11 fatty acids (FA) compared to ALF or RCG. Overall, meat-goat kids finished on ALF, RCG, or ORG produced desirable carcass weights for most niche markets in the USA. Chevon is a low-fat meat option with high desirable fatty acids for human diets.