Effect of Kleingrass Feed on Goat Meat Carcass Weight and Quality

To address the rising temperatures in the Korean Peninsula due to global warming, use of warm-season grasses in pastures, an underexplored practice, is gaining attention. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of feeding kleingrass, a warm-season grass, on the growth and meat quality of Boer crossbred goats. Forty goats were raised on a farm in Jeonnam, Korea and classified into the kleingrass and timothy hay groups based on their diet. Various growth parameters, including dry matter intake, body weight gain, and average daily gain, were recorded. Notably, no significant differences were observed between the two forage groups. To further evaluate the meat quality, carcass yield and moisture, protein, fat, and collagen contents in the hind leg muscles of castrated goats were determined; however, no significant differences were observed between the kleingrass and timothy hay groups. Shear force analysis revealed significantly higher shear force in the kleingrass group (39.36 N) than in the timothy hay group (32.23 N), indicating a firmer meat texture in the kleingrass group. Overall, our findings highlight kleingrass as a viable forage alternative, thus expanding the available forage resources for goats.