Twenty-two non-castrated male kids (10 Moxotó and 12 Canindé) averaging 15 kg of initial body weight and housed in individual pens were used in this trial. Animals were assigned to a completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments [two breeds and two feeding levels: ad libitum (AL) or 30% of feed restriction (FR). Animals fed AL had greater yields of hot carcass, cold carcass, and carcass edible parts compared to those fed FR. It was not observed a significant feeding level effect on true carcass yield. After slaughter and cooling of the carcasses the following cuts were done: neck, shoulder clod, ribs (1st-5th and 6th-13th), loin, leg and breast. Although animals fed AL had greater body weights than FR kids, no significant differences were found between treatments for the different carcass cuts when expressed as percentage of cold carcass weight. Hind leg yield was affected by feeding level being lower in animals fed AL. Yields of liver, head, and gut, as percentage of empty body weight, were also affected by feeding level. Feed restriction had a negative effect on development and tissue deposition leading to lower cold carcass yield and weight. It can be concluded that when size and mature weight were similar, breed was not responsible for the differences on carcass characteristics, non-carcass components, and commercial cuts.
commercial cuts; goats; meat; viscera; yield
