Tissue distribution in the goat carcass

This chapter discusses the distribution of the major tissues (muscle, bone and fat) in the goat carcass. Tissue distribution is extremely important in determining carcass quality, value and marketability. Carcass tissue distribution is influenced by stage of maturity, sex, breed and nutrition. It changes with age but is principally a function of body weight or, more precisely, empty body weight (EBW). Mature body weight is affected by breed or type, sex and nutrition, so it follows that these factors indirectly affect carcass tissue distribution. The most variable animal body tissue is fat. Bone and muscle proportions are less variable. Tissues are deposited at different rates in various sites of the body resulting in carcass cuts that contain different proportions of lean, bone and fat. Male goats have more lean, especially in the front quarter, whereas female carcasses contain more lean in the hind quarters. Goats are leaner than sheep with more fat distributed in the body cavity and less subcutaneous fat. About 50% of the carcass bone is found in the axial skeleton, with the remaining proportion being divided almost equally between the foreand hindlimbs.