**3. State of the art: goat meat production and some general concepts about product quality**

The billon of goat census by FAO on 2014 [2], produced 5,524,075 annual tonnes of meat. According to the world distribution of goat, the main meat production occurs in Asia (71.9%), followed by Africa (23.5%), America (2.2%), and Europe (1.9%), being the production in Oceania only 0.5% of the total meat goat production. Classifying those data by countries, the top five producers currently are: China (2,098,100 t), India (505,064 t), Pakistan (309,000 t), Nigeria (244,575 t), and Bangladesh (208,613 t). In Europe, the situation has not changed too much in the last years [3], with a low goat meat production compared to the previously described top five, being Greece the country with the largest meat production (23,893 t), followed by Eastern European countries such as Russian Federation (17,515 t), Albania (14,850 t), and Romania (9126 t); France and Spain also presented a significant production with 12,077 t and 8010 t, respectively.

The differences between the commented countries or world regions, can reside in the own use and habits of consumption of goat meat. Especially for consumers in developing countries [20], goat food products represent an important nutrient source, being this species an important part of the habitual diet of the population, as well as an important resource for income (until more than 70% of the total on small holder farms [1]). However, for Western consumers, goat food products (particularly dairy products) are considered luxurious, and goat meat consumption has a low frequency rate, being mainly associated to punctual-festive events, specific regions, or associated to label quality brands as a high-quality difference product.

The concept of quality is complex and dependent on the aspect that it is considered. Usually, quality is defined as "All those attributes for what consumers are willing to pay more," or an extra in the base prize in order to have some specific attributes guaranteed. Quality can be associated to different aspects as nutritional attributes (low fat content or healthy fat profile), production system (sustainable, organic or welfare friendly, for instance) or particular sensorial attributes (optimal odor, texture or flavor and, at the end, some extra hedonic satisfaction). Many of these aspects could be related with certain quality labels that support or guarantee the extra paid quality.

To determine quality in relation to meat, we should focus on a specific market [21]. Meat quality needs studies in depth, being a complex topic which presents a lot of questions and aspects to be dealt both, in general (animalism, sustainability, and human health) and with the goat meat in particular (habits, prices, problems of availability and a lack of culture about its specificities and own characteristics). Some of these points (all related with the culture, information, and adaptation to some tendencies of the new markets) could be satisfied with information and adequate labels. The label is the industry and producers' way of communicating directly with the consumer. It should be attractive with a good design, and if possible interactive, providing information on the product's origin and background, its nutritive and sensory qualities and veracity between the written and the reality [21].

we will analyze **breed** or breed type (dairy vs. meat aptitude, rustics vs. specialized breeds), **age or weight** at slaughter, and **gender** and, as extrinsic factors, we will analyze the effects of **production system**, type of suckling (dam's milk vs. milk replacer), and post-slaughter **aging**.

Carcass and Meat Quality in Goat

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Carcass quality parameters are mainly divided on those that affect morphology, as conformation and morphological measurements, and those related to composition as commercial cuts, fatness score or tissular or chemical composition. Tissular composition is usually obtained as percentage of tissue components from the complete carcass or from specific commercial cuts

Carcass traits, such as the conformation as well as fat distribution within the carcass, have a great importance in meat production, because of their economical implications. The proportion of high value cuts is an indication of its overall value, having, some carcasses attributes concerned with the quantity of saleable meat, significant implications on the technological

Average carcass weight differs depending on the continent or country considered, being 12 kg a world average, and 10 kg for Europe or Spain [1]. Carcass performance on suckling kids of 6–10 kg of life weight can present values between 60 and 65%, because in young animals, only skin and white offals are excluded. In old animals, head and red offals (liver, hearth, spleen,

Conformation is used to describe carcass morphology and the visual impression that the different categories produce on the observer [25]. It can be assessed in a comparative way with photographic models, or using measurements based on different anatomical points. For goat species, it does not exist an official classification system of carcass quality, as happens in other ruminants (European System SEUROP for conformation), although some authors have done some proposals [23, 25, 26]. In Spain goat, carcass is classified by animal age as: suckling kid (younger than 1.5 months), young goat (between 1.5 and 6 months of age), and adults (older than 6 months). Some studies have showed that carcass quality can differ significantly among **breeds**, but differences mainly depend on the criteria used in the comparisons (same weight, same age, or same proportion of mature weight). The results will be different depending on the compara-

For example, at commercial **slaughter weights**, unweaned kids from dairy or meat breeds reared on their dam's milk, following the local husbandry practices that differed significantly in conformation notes and morphology variables [24]. Average carcass weights ranged from 4.38 kg (dairy breed) to 6.56 kg in some meat breeds. Also, products from dairy breeds presented lower conformation (1.70 in a 15 points scale: from 1 poor: poorly muscled carcasses of inferior shape, to 15: excellent, carcasses of outstanding shape) than those from meat breeds.

properties of the meat, i.e., the morphology of some specific muscles and cuts [24].

lungs, etc.) are also excluded, presenting a carcass performance of around 50%.

**5.1. Weight, conformation and morphological measurements**

**5. Carcass quality**

tive criteria employed.

after a standard cutting and dissection [10, 23].

At the end, increasing demand and improving marketing for meat should entail increased production, which must be worthwhile for producers, sustainable for the planet, economically profitable for the production chain, of healthy quality, as well as affordable for consumers [21].
