Developmental changes of fat depots-in male Saanen goats

Thirty-four male British Saanen goats were reared on milk substitutes from birth to weaning at 35 days and then given barley-based concentrate diet ad libitum. They were slaughtered serially at birth (3.5 kg), weaning (9.5 kg), 24.5,36.5, 48.5 and 72.5 kg live weights. Weights of fat depots were recorded. With the exception of channel fat, all fat depots increased significantly (P< 0.001) with increasing slaughter weight. Fat growth coeffients were greater than 1 (P<0.001) and was highest for subcutaneous fat (1.887), followed by gut fat (1.802), dissected fat I. 687), inter-muscular fat I.6I9) and lowest for channel fat I.I27). Relative to total fat, the greatest change in proportion of fat occurred between birth and 24.5 kg of live, weight. There were little consistent changes in proportion of subcutaneous fat relative to change in lotal body fat. Keywords: Growth, jat depots, Saanen goats Tanzania J.Agric.Sc. (2005) Vol.6 No.2, 99-103