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Economides, S., And Olympios, S. 1991. The Effect Of Slaughter

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T ECHNICAL BULLET IN 125 j R E C E IV E D; \ \: I b 16 SEP 1',i91 AGRICULTUR AL RE . ,SEARCH INSl lT UT E --,; ". - ---_._-,, and S. Olymbios AGRICULTURAL RESEAR CH INSTITUTE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES NICOSIA CYPRU S FEBRUAR Y 1991 ! --,..--~ THE EFFECT OF SLAUGHTER WE IGHT ON CARCASS MERIT AND CONVERSION OF MILK OR SOLID FEED TO MEAT IN DAMASCUS GOATS s. Eco no mi des _!. \1 ISSN 0070-2315 All responsibility for the information in this publication remains with the author(s). The use of trade names does not imply endorsement of or discrimination against any product by the Agricultural Research Institute. THE EFFECT OF SLAUGHTER WEIGHT ON CARCASS MERIT AND CONVERSION OF MILK OR SOLID FEED TO MEAT IN DAMAS CUS GOATS S. Economides and S. Olymbios SUMMARY Thirty mal e Dam ascus kids wer e slaughtered at 2 days of age , at weaning (52 days) and at succes sive live weights after weanin g, i.e. 25, 30, 35 and 40 kg (5 kids at eac h slaughte r weight) with the obj ecti ve to measure carc ass weight an d other bod y com ponents and to esti­ mate the conversion of milk or solid feed to meat . The relationships bet ween carcass weight and live weight at two days and at weaning were highly significant and were used as initial slaughter groups to calculate car cass gain during the pr e-weaning (3 to 52 days) or the post­ wean ing period (52 day: to 25 , 30, 35 or 40 kg live weight). Kidney an d intestinal (omen­ tum) fats were increasing with incr easing slaughte r weight, particularly bet ween the 35 and 40 kg slaughter gro ups. Eac h kg of carcass gain was produced from 11 to 13 kg of milk until weaning or 8 to 9 kg of soli d fee d after weaning . Feed cost per kg carcass gain was C£2 .05 until weaning and C£0.6 to C£0.9 after weaning. nEPIAH'PH Tpurvtc aQO€VLXa Qi,cpLa Tfl<; cpUA:ll<; flaflaoxou ocpaXl:Tlxav OE T]ALxi,a Mo T]flEQWV, OLOV anoya),axn0flo (52 fleQE<;) xm flt'ta LOV an oyaAaXTLGflO 0LO !;;wvTavo 0aQ0<; TWV 25 , 30, 35 xm 40 XLA LOY Q a~l~lwv (5 QLcpLa 0€ xa8E 0aQ0<;). AVTLX€LflEVLXOr; oxortor; TT]r; flEAeTT]r; rrcov va ~£T Q1l8d TO 0aQo<; ocpayLou xm TO 0aQor; aAAwv ~£Qc0v TOU ocpaYLou xm va UJtOAOyWTEL 11 rtooctr rro TOU yaAaxTor; rl 11 rrooornro T11<; oT£Q€ar; TQOcprlr; rrou XQELa!;;ovw v yw v ii naQax8Ei, eva X LALoYQa~~LO ocpayLou. H OUOXETLOll ~eTal;u ocpayLou .>(.m swvwvou 0aQou<; OTT]V T]ALx i,a TuW Mo T] ~EQ c0v rl OLOV orrovcxcxnouo, nr c v JtOAU 'ljJT]Ar'] xrn. XQllo L~OnOLrl8T]x€ yw LOV unoAoyw~O LOU ocpayi,ou rcou XEQClrl811X£ f.l£Tal;u 3 xm 52 ll~£Qc0v xaL ~eTal;u 52 T]~£Qc0 v xm O€ xa8 E Eva ana rc !;;wvw va 0aQll OTa orrotc 0cpaXTT]XaV r« QLcpLa. To n €QLVEcpQLXO xm TO EVTEQLXO ALnOe; ausrl811xav ~E ausaVO ~tEvO 0aQoe; ocpaYrle;, LClLaLTEQa ~eTasu TWV 35 xm 40 XLALOY Q a ~ !-lWv swvw vou 0aQoue;. Eva XLAL oY Qaf.l~o ocpaYLou yLa vc. naQax8d XQEwsoTav 11 flEXQL 13 X LALoYQa~fla yaAaxTOe; rl 8 ~lEXQ L 9 XLA LoYQa~~a OT€Q£ae; TQOcprlr; !-leTa TOV anoyaAaxTLOflo. To XOOTOe; naQaywYrle; EVOe; X LALOYQafl ~ou ocpayi,ou nr cv £2 .05 flEXQL TOV ano yaAaY..TLO~tO xm £0 .6 ~t£XQ L £0 .9 f.lETa TOV crrovuxcxt touo flE Tll XOQrlYll Oll oT£QEae; TQOcprlr;. 3 INTROD UCTION dual purpose goat of the Dam ascus breed (Hadjipa­ na yiot ou, 1986; Economides and Louca, 1987) an d Damascus kids are wean ed early and fattened at high slaughter weights. In Southern Euro pean and Eastern Mediterrane­ an countries , kids and lambs are slaughtered at low live weight bec ause of consumer preferences for milk fed lam b an d kid me at (Ec onornides, 1984; Manfredini et el., 1988). Usually in these countries dem and for goat me at is high and slaughter of kids at higher live weights could increase production of goat meat. Intensive fattening of Jambs on all con ­ centrate diets (Speedy, 1977) or in association with a minimu m quantity of roughage (Economides, 1986b ) is practised mainl y wher e scarcity of land and low rainfall have resulted in the development of feeding systems largely based on concentrates. Simi­ lar feedi ng systems have been deve lo ped for the The objective of this work was to me asure car­ cass weight and othe r body components of kids slaughtered at weaning an d at successive live weights from weaning to 40 kg liveweight an d to estim at e the conversion of milk or so lid feed to carcass weight . MATERIALS AND METHODS Five kids were slaughtered at 2 days of age . and five at wean ing (52 days). Feeding and manageme nt Table 1. Carcass weight and weight of other body components of Damascus kids slaughtered at 2 and 52 days of age 2 days 52 days Me an SD Mean SD 4.30 0.69 15.44 2.32 Hot (I .5.) 2.02 0.38 8. 19 1.56 Cold (I.S.) 1.95 0.36 8.04 1.55 Hot (CY .S.) 2.58 0.47 9.83 1.89 Cold (CYS.) 2.47 0.46 9.64 1.88 0.08 0.04 0.19 0.04 Head 0.32 0.05 0.77 0. 10 Feet 0.23 0.03 0.47 0.07 Skin 0.72 0.12 '..89 0.24 Digestive tract (full) 0.33 0.08 2.42 0.17 Digestive tr act (em pty ) N.D.'" 1.11 0.10 Slaught er weight (kg) Carcass weight (kg) Storage losses (kg) Body com ponents (kg) Liver 0.25 0.06 0.87 0.24 Kidneys 0.03 0.002 0.07 0.02 Kidney fat N.D. 0. 11 0. 11 Intestinal fat N.D . 0.15 0 :2 '" N.D. = Not Determ ined 4 Table 2. Bod y components of kids slaughtere d from 2 to 150 days of age as a percentage of fina l live weight Age Liveweight class (kg) (days) 2 52 25 30 35 40 4.30 15.44 24 .95 30.20 35.70 39.90 Hot (1.5.) 46 .93 52.78 47.21 49.07 49 .93 51.46 Cold (l .S.) 45 .30 51.80 45.97 47 .50 48.56 49 .95 H ot (CY.S) 59.91 63.34 56.98 58.88 59 .33 61.14 Cold (CY S.) 57.30 62.09 55.45 56.97 57.67 59 .38 Head 7.33 4.99 3.97 3.94 3.81 3.68 Fee t 5.35 3.04 2.85 2.65 2.46 2.33 Ski.n 16.74 12.24 9.86 9.01 9.94 9.85 Digestive tract full 7.67 15.67 20 .36 19.50 17.73 16.84 Digestive tract empty N.D.* 7.19 8.42 7.88 7.03 6.67 Liver 5.70 5.63 5.77 5.86 5 .60 5.96 Kidneys 0.76 0.42 0.40 0.33 0.36 0.35 Kidn ey fat N.D."' 0.68 0.48 0.56 0.62 0.75 Intestinal fat N.D.* 0.97 0.74 0.96 1.20 1.80 Weigh t at slaughter (kg) Carcass "' N.D . = Not Determined pro cedures durin g the preweaning period were de­ scribed by Econom ides et al. (1990a). Following weaning another 20 kids were divided in 5 groups of fo ur kids each, on the basis of live weight an d age , an d were randomly allocated onto one of four slaughter weight-groups, i.e. kids were slaught ered when the average weight of each group was 25 , 30, 35 or 40 kg of live weight. The four slaughter gr oups of kids were placed in four adjacent pens . They had free access to a pelleted (5 mID cubes ) concentrate mixture (174g crude protein /kg dry matt er) and in additio n they were given 0.1 of alfal­ fa hay per head daily (180g crude protei n/kg dry matter). The composition (kg/ton) of the co ncen­ trate mix ture was the following: 460 barley grain, 308 sorghum gra in, 164 soy bean meal , 50 wheat bran, 8 limeston e, 3 so dium chloride and 2 vitamin an d trace element s. The vitamin - tra ce eleme nt mixture supplied per kg finished feed 6,000 LU. vi­ tamin A, 1000 LU. vitamin 0 3, 8.5 LU. vitamin E , 25 mg Mn . 1.75 mg I, 45 mg Zn, 30 mg Fe, 2 mg Co and 60 mg Mg. Group feed intake was record­ ed twice and individual live weight of kids was re­ corded once weekly. When the average livewei ght for each group was re ached , the final liveweight of ea ch kid was recorded. The fasted live weight (after 16 h fasting) was also recorded. The weight of hot carcass , skin, feet, head, digestive tract with or without gut contents, kidneys, kidney fat, omentum (intestinal fat ) and "liver" were recorded. "Liver" in­ cluded spleen, heart, lungs, mesenteri c fat and liver. Carcasses were hung in a cold room at 2°C for 24 h and cold carcass weight was recorded. Dressing percentage was calculated as the ratio of carcass weight (H ot or Cold) to live weight m ultiplied by 100. Hot car cass weight was expressed in Intern a­ 5 T a ble 3. Prediction of carcass weight (Y) from live weight (X) of Damascus kids at 2 and 52 days of age or at successive live weights after weaning 52 days 2 days Y =-2.17+0 .67X (R2=0.99 ) Hot (l .S.) Y=-0.20+0.52X (R2=0.89) Hot (CYS ) Y =-0.21 +0.6SX (R2=0.90 ) Y=-2.70+0.81X (R2=0.99) Cold (1.5 .) Y =-0.23+0.51X (R2=0.93 ) Y =-2.26+0.67X (R2=:0.99) Cold (CY .S.) Y=-0.37+0.66X (R2=0.89 ) Y=-2.83+0.81X (R2=:O.99) Liveweight class (kg) 25 Hot (1.5.) Y =-4.23+0.64X(R2=0.96 ) Hot (CY.S.) Y=-3.73+0.72X(R2=0.9S) Cold (l.S.) Y =-4 .27+0.63X(R2=:0.96) Cold (CY .S.) Y =-3.84+0.71X(R2=0.9S) 30 Hot (1.5.) Y =-1.20+0.53X (R2=O.98) Hot (CYS.) Y=-1.02+0.62X(R2=0.99) Cold (IS ) Y =-1.43+0.52X(R2=0.97) Cold (CY.S.) Y =-1.35+0.62X(R2=O.99) 35 Hot (1.5.) Y =-0.66+0.52X(R2=0.98) Hot (CY .S.) Y =-0.91 +0.62X (R2=0.99) Cold (l.S.) Y =-0.74+0.51X(R2=0.98) Cold (CY S.) Y =-1 .08+0.61X(R2=0.99) 40 Hot (l .S.) Y =-0.48+0.53X(R2=O.97) Hot (CYS .) Y =-O.55+0.60X(R2=0.97) Cold (l.5. ) Y =-0 .64+0.52X(R2=0.96) Cold (CY .S.) Y =-0.29+0.59X (R2=0.97 ) All classes Hot (1.5.) Y =-2.22 +0.57X(R2=0.99) Hot (CY S.) Y=-2.02+0.66X(R2=0.99) Cold (1.S.) Y =-2.19+0.5SX(R2=0.99 ) Cold (CY .S.) Y=-2 .0S+0.56X(R2=O.99 ) tional Standards (HOnS) Le. live weight at slaugh­ ter minus the head, feet , skin, alimentary tract and internal organs, except kidneys and kidney fat and in Cyprus Standards (HOTCYS) i.e. HOnS plus the weight of head and the weight of "liver". Similarly, cold carcass was expressed in International Stan­ dards (COLDIS) and in Cyprus Standards (COLD ­ CYS). Standard statistical pro cedures were used to cal­ 6 at 2 or 52 days was highly significant (Table 3). This relationship was used to predict the initial car­ cass weight of the 5 kids slaughtered at weaning and to calculate carcass gain from 3 to 52 days of age from the difference of carcass weight at 2 and 52 days (Table 4). The amount of milk required to produce one kg of carcass weight either in HOnS OR HOTCYS standards was 13 and 11kg, respec­ tively. The cost of milk per kid was C£12.90 and the cost per kg carcass gain (HOTCYS ) was C£2.05. culate relationships between live weight and carcass weight. RE SULTS Carcass weight and the weight of digestive tract including gut contents of kids slaughtered at wean­ ing were respectively 4 and 7 times higher than those of kids slaughtered at 2 days (Table 1). Weights of head, feet and skin , as a percentage of slaughter weight , decreased with increasing slaughter weight (Table 2). The relationship between carcass weight (Y) and live weight (X) of kids slaughtered Average age of kids slaughtered at 25 , 30, 35 and 40 kg live weight was 93, 115, 130 and 151 days, respectively (Table 5). Daily gain of kids from weaning to each successive slaughter group was about similar but feed intake and feed to gain ratio increased with increasing live weight at slaughter. Carcass weight and other body components of kids, including those of kidney fat and omentum fat in­ creased with increasing slaughter weight (Table 6). Dressing percentage of kids increased with increas­ ing age and/or slaughter weight (Table 2). Weight of head, feet, skin , empty digestive tract and kidneys, as a percentage of live weight, decreased and those of kidney fat and intestinal fat increased with in­ creasing slaughter weight (Table 2). The rela­ tionships between carcass weight (Y) and live weight (X ) of kids slaughtered at successive live weights were highly significant (Table 3). These rela­ tionships and those calculated for kids slaughtered at weaning, were used to predict initial carcass weight at weaning of kids slaughtered at each successive slaughter weight and to calculate carcass gain from the difference of carcass weight at each successive slaughter weight and the initial carcass weight at weaning. Carcass gain was increasing with increas­ ing slaughter weight . The amount of solid feed re­ quired to produce one kg of carcass weight was about similar for slaughter weights up to 35 kg and higher for those slaughtered at 40 kg of live weight (Table 7). Table 4. Milk consumption and carcass gain of Da­ mascus kids slaughtered at 52 days, con­ version of milk to meat and feed cost un­ til weaning Mean S.D. 4.82 0.40 15.44 2.32 74.82 16.24 Live weight at (kg) 2 days Slaughter Milk sucked (kglkid) Carcass gain (g/day) Hot (CYS. ) 138 35 Cold (CY .S.) 136 34 Hot (1.5.) 118 29 Cold (1.S.) 116 29 Milk (kg)/Carcass gain (kg) Hot (CY S.) 11.01 1.72 Cold (CY.S .) 11.15 1.75 Hot (1.5.) 12.84 1.97 Cold (l.S.) 13.02 2.01 Feed cost until weaning (C£) Per kid 12.90 DISCU SSION Per kg carcass gain Hot (CY S) 2.05 Cold (CY.S.) 2.08 Hot (1.S.) 2.36 Cold cr.s.: Pre-weaning (212 g/day ) and post-weaning growth rate (232 to 274g/day) of kids were charac­ teristic of the Damascus kids (Econornides et et., 1989, 1990b). Post-weaning performance was opti­ mized by using intact male kids, fed a high protein diet in the pelleted form (Louca et sl., 1977; Mav­ 2.39 7 Table S. Feed intake, daily gain and feed to gain ratio of Damascus kids slaughtered at four successive Jive weights Liveweight class (kg) 25 30 35 40 21-29 25-36 28-40 32-44 Weaning 52.8±1.3 53.2±2.2 54.2±4.1 53.8±6.1 Slaughter 92.8±1.3 115.2±2.2 130.2±4.1 150.8±6.1 40 62 76 97 Weaning 15.14±3.08 15.15±2.28 15.52±1.88 15.08±2.60 Slaughter 24.95±3.42 30.20±4.84 35.70±4.75 39.90±4.70 Daily gain (kg) 0.245±0.03 0.243±O.04 0.265±O.05 0.256±O.05 0.69 0.83 0.95 1.10 Concentrate s 2.82 3.41 3.58 4.30 Concentrates-hay 3.22 3.83 3.96 4.68 Weight range (kg) Age at (days) Days on test Live weight at (kg) Feed intake (kg/kid/day) Concentrates Feed to gain ratio (as fed) was satisfactory for rearing kids up to 18 kg of Jive weight and that fattening of kids at higher live weights was more profitable. In line with Morand­ Fehr et aI. (1985) carcass weight was increasing with increasing live weight at slaughter and this fac­ tor was the most important for improving efficiency of meat production from kids . Dressing percentage of kids was increasing during the post-weaning peri .... od from 25 to 40 kg of live weight. These results are in agreement with GaiJi et aI. (1974) who re ­ ported an increase of the dressing per centage of goats under intensive conditio ns on high concen­ trate diets. The weight of kidney and intestinal fat increased with incre asing live weight at slaughte r , part icularly between the 35 to 40 kg live weight in­ terval, when kidney fat increased by 36 and intest i­ nal fat by 67%. These findings are in agreem ent with reports by McDowell and Bove (1977) that go ats had higher deposits of visce ral fats and by Treacher et aI. (1987) that subcutaneous fat in kids increased only slightly, while total fat increased rogenis et aI.. 1979; Economides et aI., 1990b). The equations derived from the relationships between live weight and carcass weight of Damascus kids slaughtered at 2 and 52 days (weaning) and at suc­ cessive live weights during the post-weaning period are very useful and can predict with high accuracy carcass weight from live weight in studies related to feeding and feed efficiency of growing-fattening kids on concentrate diets . Solid feed intake of kids dur­ ing the pre -weaning per iod was not measu red, but it is not more than 1.5 to 2.0 kg per kid (Econo­ mides, lc:86a; Economides et el., 1990a). This am ount incre ases to tal feed cost per kid until wean­ ing by 15 cents Le. from C£12 .90 (only milk) to C£ 13.05. The milk feeding period is of great importance for the viability and growth of kids, but fattening on concentrate diets from weaning to slaughter is very important for efficient meat productio n. Fehr et aI. (1976) suggeste d that the use of milk replacer 8 I ' vas, C. Heracleou s an d Mrs. M. Theod oridou for technical assista nce. from 13 to 25 % from 9 to 25 kg of live weight , in­ dicating higher depo sits of visceral fat. It can be co ncluded that meat product ion from kids can be doubled by incr easi ng live weight at slaughter to 35 kg, instead of slaughtering kids at weani ng (15 to 16 kg live weight). Carcass gain is produced at mu ch higher cos t with milk than solid feed. He nce , fee d cost per unit carcass gain is re­ duced by spre ading high initial cost to heavier car ­ cass weight. Ho wever, furt her work is needed to in­ ves tigate the effect s of similar diets on carcass conformati on and meat quality. REFER ENCES Economides, S. 1984. The effects of Iamb-weaning age on the milk yield of Chios ewes and .he gro wth and car cass gain of Iambs Technical B ul­ letin 59 . Agricult ural Research Institute , Nicosia, 7p. Economides, S. 1986a . Com parative stud ies of sheep and go ats : milk yield an d com pos ition and growth rate of lam bs and kids. Joum al of Agri­ cultural Science Cambridge 106: 477-484. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Economides, S. 1986b. Intensive Lamb Fattening. 1. The effect of ure a diets on the perform ance of The authors wish to than k Mr. L. Hadjiparaske- Table 6. Carcass weight and weight of other body com pon ents of kids slaughte red at fou r successive live we ights after weani ng Live weight class (kg) 25 30 35 40 We ight at slaughter(kg) 24.95±3.42 30.20±4.84 35.70±4.75 39.90±4 .70 Fasted weight (kg) 23 .45±3.52 29.45 ±4.83 34.70±4. 62 38.60±4.76 Car cass weight (kg) H ot (l .S.) 11.84±2.25 14.84±2.60 17.84±2 .48 20.5 4±2.52 Cold (1.5.) 11.53±2. 2 1 14.37±2.57 17.35±2.43 19.94±2.47 H ot (CY .S.) 14.27±2 .53 17.80±3.04 2 1.200.96 24.39±2 .85 Cold (CY. S.) 13.89±2.50 17.23± 3.00 20.6 1±2.90 23 .69±2.80 0.37±0.07 0.57±0 .05 0.59±0.11 0.70±0 .O7 "­ Loss durin g storage (kg) Bo dy components (kg) He ad 0.99±0.10 1.19±0 .16 l.36±O.16 1.47±O.10 Feet O.71±0.1O O.8 0±0.14 O.88±O. O9 O.93±O.16 3.55±0.60 3.93±0.71 Skin 2.46±0.47 2.72±O.49 Diges tiv e tract full (kg) 5.08±0.39 5.89±1.07 Digestive tract empty (kg) 2.10±O.22 2.38±O.30 2.5 1±O.26 2.66±O.37 Liver 1.44±O.22 1.77±O.33 2.00±O.34 2.38±0.24 Ki dneys O.1±O.O O.l±O.O O.13±O.03 O.24±O.O2 Ki dney fat 0.12±0.08 O. 17±O.06 O.22±O.O8 O.30±O.O9 Intestinal fat 0. 19±O.06 O.2 9±O. 14 O.43±O.17 O. 72±O.21 9 6.33±O.58 6.72±O.60 Table 7. Carcass gain, solid fee d required per kg carcass gain and feed cost of Dam ascus kids from weaning to succes sive live weights Liveweight class (kg) 25 30 35 40 Live weight at (kg) We aning 15.14±3.08 15.14±2.28 15.52±1.8 8 15.08±2.60 Slaughter 24.95±3.42 30.20±4.84 35.70±4.75 39.90±4.70 Carc ass gain (g/day) Hot (1.5.) 96±19 111±18 128±24 13002 Cold (1.5.) 92±19 105±17 122±23 125±21 Hot (CY. S.) 118±22 133±20 149±27 153±21 Cold (CY S.) 112±22 127±19 144±27 147±25 Hot (1.5.) 8.20 8.36 8.24 9.21 Cold (l .S.) 8.50 8.77 8.64 9.56 Hot (CY S.) 6.67 6.95 7.06 7.81 Cold (CY S.) 6.98 7.31 7.33 8.08 Subsidized­ 2.46 4.43 6.09 8.83 Intemational" 3.12 5.6 7 7.82 11.38 H ot (1.5.) 0.64a-0 .8Ib 0.64 a-0 .82 b 0.62 a -0.80 b 0.70 a-0.90 b Cold (1.5.) 0.66-0.84 0.68-0.87 0.65-0.84 0.73-0 .94 H ot (CY S.) 0.51 -0.65 0.53 -0.68 0.53-0.68 0.59-0.76 Cold (<;: Y S) 0.54 -0.69 0.55 -0.71 0.56-0.71 0.62-0.80 Feed/Carcass gain Feed Cost (C£/kid) C£/kg Car cass gain a.b . Using the subsidized (a) or the intern ational price (b) of barley grain , respectivel y. lambs . Technical Bulletin 82. Agricultural Re­ search Inst itute, Nicosia , 8p. pro cessing on the lact ation perform ance of Chios sheep and Dam ascus goats and the pre-wean ing growth of their offspring . Animal Feed Science and Technology 26: 93-104. Econo mides, S. and A. Louca. 1987. Flock man ­ agem ent in intensive goat systems. In Proceed­ ings of the N International Conference on Goats pp 867-879 (E ds. O. P . Santa na, A. G. Da Silva, W.C Foote). Brasilia, Brazil , 1987. Economides, S., C Heracleous, and G. Kyprianou 1990a. The effect of quantity of milk and syst em of milk fee ding on growth rate an d solid feed in­ take of Damascus kids. Technical BulIetin 123. Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia 8p. Economides, S., E. Georghiades , A. Ko umas and M. Hadjipanayiot ou. 1989. The effect of cer eal 10 Economides, S., A Koumas, E. Georghiades and M. H adjipanayiotou. 1990b. The effect of barley­ sorghum grain processing and form of concen­ trate mixture on the performance of lambs, kids and calves . Animal Feed Science and Technology 31: 105-116. laschini. 1988. Carcass Characteristics of Male Alpine kids Slaughtered at Different Weights. SmaJI Ruminant Research I: 49-58. Mavrogenis. A.P., S. Economides, A. Louca, and 1. Hancock. 1979. The effect of dietary protein lev­ els on the performance of Damascus kids. Tech­ nical BuJIetin 27. Agricultural Research Institute. Nicosia Cyprus IIp. Fehr, P .M., D. Sauvant, J. Delage, B. L. Dumont, and G. Roy. 1976. Effect of feeding methods and age at slaughter on growth performance and car­ cass characteristics of entire young male goats. Livestock Production Science 3: 183-194. McDowell, R.E. and L. Bove 1977. The goat as a producer of meat. CorneJI International Agricul­ ture. Mimeo No. 56. Department of Animal Science, Cornell University. Ithaca. N.Y. Gaili, ES E. , Y.S. Ghanem, and A.M.S. Mukhtar. 1972. A comparative study of some carcass char­ acteristics of Sudan desert sheep and goats. Ani­ mal Production 14: 335-357. Morand-Fehr, P., P. Bas, 1. Hervieu. 1985. Effects of nutritional factors. castration and weight at slaughter on fattening of male kids. Annales de Zootechnie 34:488-489 (Abstract). Hadjipanayiotou, M. 1986. The effect of type of suckling on the pre- and post-weaning lactation performance of Damascus goats and the growth rate of the kids. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107:377-384. Speedy, A.W. 1977. Feeding sheep under extensive and intensive conditions. In Sheep Nutrition and Management, pp 59-68 U.S. Feed Grains Council, London. Louca, A, S. Economides, and 1. Hancock. 1977. Effects of castration on growth rate, feed conver­ sion efficiency and carcass quality in Damascus goats. Animal Production 24: 387-391. Treacher, T.T., A Mowlem, R.M. Wilde, and B. Butler-Hogg. 1987. Growth, efficiency and car­ cass composition of castrate male Saanen and Saanen-Angora kids on a concentrate diet. An­ nales de Zootechnie 36:341-342 (Abstract). Manfredini. M., M. Massari, C. Cavani and AF. Fa­ 11 . P.LO. 3/91-600 Issued by the Press and Infonnation Office, Nicosia .~ I Printed by Konos Ltd, Tel. 4659 10. Nicosia Phot otypese tting-paging by Dorographics Ltd. Tel. 445 116, Nicosia