Meat from Sudan desert sheep and goats: Part 1-Carcass yield, offals and distribution of carcass tissues.

Twenty yearling, male Sudan desert sheep and a similar number of desert goats were used in the study. Within each species the animals were equally divided into two groups. Each group was randomly assigned to control or fattened treatment. The control group was slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment and the fattened group slaughtered after 60 days in feedlot. Feedlot performance, slaughter and carcass data were collected. Sheep made faster gains and utilized food more efficiently than goats. The difference between sheep and goats (d) in overall body gain per head was 4·9 ± 0·67 kg. Sheep had heavier carcasses (d = 0·70 ± 0·19 kg) and side fat (d = 0·19 ± 0·06 kg) than goats at an equally adjusted empty body or side weight, respectively. Goats tended to have 0·02 ± 0·04 kg more muscle and 0·06 ± 0·05 kg more bone than sheep in carcass side. The subcutaneous fat was poorly developed in both species. The intermuscular fat was more developed, and cavity fat (kidney + thoracic and pelvic cavity fat) less developed, in sheep than in goats. It is possible that the unfavourable fat distribution in goats may affect cookability and eating quality of their meat.

Meat from Sudan desert sheep and goats: Part 2-Composition of the muscular and fatty tissues.

Muscle fibre diameter and proximate chemical compositions were investigated in forty Sudan desert sheep and goats on two treatments-control and fattened. The fatty acid composition of fat depots from the fattened animals was also determined. Sheep had thinner fibres, more intramuscular fat and less muscle protein than goats. Sheep responded to the nutritional treatment by depositing more fat and goats responded by laying down more muscle protein. The fatty acids composition of subcutaneous, kidney and intermuscular fat depots was reasonably similar in both species but goats tended to have more oleic acid in their fat depots than sheep. The results suggest that goat meat is not inferior to mutton from a nutritional viewpoint. Consumption of goat meat should be encouraged in the Sudan, especially within the low-income groups, to meet their needs for protein.

Morphology of the testis of the one-humped camel in relation to reproductive activity.

Histological and morphometric studies on the camel testis have been carried out systematically at regular monthly intervals during a period of one year. The testicular weight was minimal during summer, while the maximum weight was attained during the coldest months from November until March. Diameters of the seminiferous tubules were multiphasic with a tendency to be wider during summer. The ratio of the area occupied by seminiferous tubules to that occupied by interstitial tissue revealed that the latter occupied a larger area than that of the seminiferous tubules during winter, while a reversed relationship occurred from March onwards and was especially marked after April, i.e. in summer. In addition, spermatogenesis was noted in all testes examined throughout the year; however, there was a difference in the quality and quantity of spermatogenic cells between the monthly groups evaluated. November, December and January were the months in which spermatogenic activity was most striking. A correlation was established between testicular weight, amount and quality of testicular interstitial tissue, spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm content and, hence, testicular function on the one hand and season of the year on the other hand. The cyclic structural changes in the testis appeared to be in parallel with the rutting activity of the camel. It was suggested also that the camel is not a typical seasonal breeder as it does not go through sexual quiescence. The reproductive activity of the camel builds up during September and October, and the animal is in actual rut during November, December, January and February, with a drop in March and thereafter.

Effect of breed-type on carcass weight and composition in sheep.

The relative rate of increase in the carcass and its tissues with increasing empty body weight (EBW) or carcass weight respectively, was studied in male sheep from the Dorset Horn (29), Hampshire (21) and Sudan Desert sheep (31). The rate at which the carcass, muscle and bone increased in weight was the same in all breeds but the Desert sheep deposited fat at a slower rate than the other 2 breeds. At an equally adjusted EBW the Desert sheep had lighter carcasses than the Dorset Horn or Hampshire sheep. Desert sheep had more bone than the other 2 breeds at an equally adjusted cold carcass weight or muscle plus bone weight. At an equally adjusted total carcass fat weight the Desert sheep had significant (P < 0.01) more intermuscular and internal fat but less subcutaneous fat than the other 2 breeds. Future improvement plans of the Desert sheep may be directed towards reducing bone and increasing muscle content of the carcass.

A comparison of the development of body components in Sudan desert sheep and goats.

Sixty-six male Sudan desert sheep and a similar number of Sudan desert goats representing different weight classes of sheep and goats commonly slaughtered in the local market were killed and carcass data collected. The patterns of the relative increase in weight of the components of the body were similar in both species with the exception of the skin, tail, liver and loin cut. At 30 kg empty bodyweight the goat yields a heavier carcass, omentum and head but a lighter skin, tail and feet than sheep. At 15 kg carcass weight goats possess less meat in the leg and plate cuts, but more meat in the loin and shoulder cuts.