Goat kid meat on Norwegian and Tanzanian dinner tables

Janne Karin Brodin

Changing the feeding regime in the finishing period of goat kids can improve slaughter meat quality. This is true for Norwegian as well as for Tanzanian goat kids, as is shown by PhD student Daniel Mushi’s thesis. In Tanzania, readying goat kids for slaughter takes a long time, and mortality is high. The need for a better end product was the starting point of this doctoral work

PhD Daniel Mushi Photo: Janne Brodin

Close to 80% of the population of Tanzania has agriculture as the main source of income, and there are 14 million goats altogether. The research programme PANTIL1 is a cooperation between Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Bioforsk and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania, and is comprised of several research projects.

In one of these, Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences (IHA) and the animal science department at SUA have been working for several years on introducing Norwegian milk goats cross bred with local Tanzanian goats. The introduction of milk to the families’ diet has already lead to an improved living standard and better nutrition, but the meat is also important.

In his doctoral work, Mushi has used local goat kids as well as crosses between Tanzanian goat and Norwegian milk goat. The type of goat and the availability of food are decisive for weight gain and meat quality. Norwegian goat has been bred for milk production, whereas local Tanzanian goat has been bred for survival. They are hardy, but do not put on much weight.

In his doctoral work, Mushi has used local goat kids as well as crosses between Tanzanian goat and Norwegian milk goat. The type of goat and the availability of food are decisive for weight gain and meat quality. Norwegian goat has been bred for milk production, whereas local Tanzanian goat has been bred for survival. They are hardy, but do not put on much weight.

Nortura (Norway's leading supplier of meat) is working to increase availability of fresh lamb meat off season. In his thesis, Mushi has documented that this is not without its problems. Off-flavour was observed in meat from ram lambs slaughtered before the mating season in October as well as after it, in April. It is therefore important to slaughter the ram lambs straight off pasture and to continue feeding ewe lambs. Mushi has also compared meat from spælsau (Old Norwegian short tailed sheep), Norwegian milk goat and Norwegian cashmere goat with a view both to fatty acid content and to taste.

Measuring pH Photo: Ukjent

This doctoral work has already had the effects that greater care is taken when slaughtering ram lambs under Norwegian conditions, and that slaughtering seasons for goat kids are created outside the lambing season. Kid meat is leaner than lamb meat and must therefore be handled extra carefully at the slaughterhouse. A special January/February season may make this possible.

As opposed to in Norway, kid meat is more sought after in Tanzania than lamb meat and beef. Mushi’s thesis shows that continued feeding of kids for a period prior to slaughtering leads to better meat quality. He has also shown that cross breeds of Norwegian and local goats respond better to such continued feeding than pure-blooded local goats do.

Daniel Mushi is 35 years old, and comes from Mushi area near Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He took his Master degree in animal nutrition at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania in 2004.

The trial lecture and the public defence took place Wednesday May 27 2009 at IHA. Title of the thesis: Strategies for improving quality of meat produced from lambs and goats in Norway and in Tanzania – influences of species, breed, sex, age and diet. Prescribed subject of the trial lecture: Ruminant production systems in east Africa with special emphasis on meat quality

Mushi's main supervisor has been Associate Professor Lars Olav Eik, IHA.

Professor L.A. Mtenga and Professor G.C. Kifaro, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania, Professor Martha Ulvund, NVH Sandnes, Professor Magny Thomassen and Associate Professor Tormod Ådnøy, IHA and Dr. Oddvin Sørheim, Matforsk have been assistant supervisors. After the public defence Mushi will enter a position as meat technologist at Department of Animal Science and Production at Sokoine University.

Through collaborative projects, we at IHA are looking forward to continuing the valuable co-operation with Mushi and his colleagues in Tanzania.

Updated: 15.06.09
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