Growth, Feed Efficiency, Behaviour, Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Goats Fed Fermented Bagasse Feed

The effects of long-term feeding of diets based on bermudagrass hay supplemented with lucerne hay cube (LH) or fermented bagasse feed (FBF) on the growth rate, feed efficiency, behaviour, gut development, carcass characteristics and meat quality of goats were investigated. Six spring-born 8-month-old male crossbred (Japanese Saanen${\times}$Tokara native goats) bucks weighing mean 21.6 kg were allotted to 2 treatment groups (3 animals each) and each animal had ad libitum access to feeds, i.e. bermudagrass hay (basal diet)+LH or FBF throughout the experiment. The FBF was produced by the solid-state fermentation of substrates containing dried sugarcane bagasse mixed with wheat bran in a ratio of 1:3 (w/w DM) with Aspergillus sojae. The live body weight, final weight and average daily gain were not different between treatments. Average basal diet intake of goats fed FBF diet was significantly higher than that fed LH diet (p<0.05), but average dry matter intake (DMI; g/day and g/$W^{0.75}$), feed conversion ratio, digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) intake of experimental diets were not significantly different between treatments. Goats fed on LH and FBF diets had similar eating, rumination, resting and drinking behaviours, and blood constituents except for phosphorus content. Slaughter and carcass weights, net meat percentage [(total meat/carcass weight)${\times}$100], loin ratio [(loin/total meat)${\times}$100] and rib-eye area were not different between treatments. However, goats fed FBF diet had lower dressing percentage and higher bone/muscle ratio compared with goats fed LH diet (p<0.01). Empty gut and guts fill of goats fed FBF diet were significantly greater (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) than those fed LH diet. The weights of rumen and abomasum were also significantly heavier in goats fed FBF diet (p<0.05), but the length and density of papillae of rumen in goats were not different between treatments. Although meat composition of loin was not different in both groups, the meat of goats fed FBF diet was superior to that of LH diet in flavor, aroma and overall quality of loin (p<0.01). In conclusion, the nature of the diet consumed voluntarily did not affect subsequent growth, nutrient intake and behaviour of goats but had an influence on carcass traits and sensory evaluation of meat partly, when either of LH or FBF was fed with bermudagrass hay.