Growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of male goat kids supplemented by bitter vetch grains as an alternative protein resource

Abstract Bitter vetch is an underused alternative local feed resources in the Mediterranean area. The current study was carried out to evaluate the effect of their incorporation into the diet of local goat kids on their growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Sixteen goat kids were divided into two groups. The control group received a conventional diet based on oat hay, barley, and fava bean. In the test group, fava bean was replaced by bitter vetch grains. At the end of the trial, the animals were slaughtered, and carcass characteristics and meat quality of Longissimus Dorsi and Semimembranosus muscles were determined. The diet did not affect slaughter body weight, hot carcass weight, and dressing percentage (15.6 kg, 7.2 kg, and 45.8%, respectively), but impacted average daily gain. The diets influenced several parameters but not in the same way on each muscle. Regarding meat quality, the diets influenced muscle protein content with less protein in the chevon from animals receiving bitter vetch. Bitter vetch decreased also medium chain fatty acids (C11:0, C14:0, C14:1, C16:1) with no major effect on SFA and PUFA. Bitter vetch grains can be safely incorporated into the fattening diet of goat kids.