Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2025, 70(10):438-449 | DOI: 10.17221/53/2025-CJAS

Carcass traits and meat quality in Balkan goats: A multivariate evaluation of crossbreeding and slaughter weight effectsOriginal Paper

Nikola Stanišić ORCID...1, Bogdan Cekić ORCID...2, Nevena Maksimović ORCID...2, Maja Petričević ORCID...1, Nikola Delić ORCID...1, Slaviša Stajić ORCID...3, Tanja Keškić ORCID...1
1 Department of Biomedicine, Technology and Food Safety Research and Development, Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia
2 Department of Sheep and Goat Breeding Research and Development, Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia
3 Department of Animal Source Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

This study investigated the effects of slaughter weight and breed on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and technological properties in purebred Balkan and F1 crossbred (Balkan × Saanen) male goats. A total of 48 animals, divided into four slaughter weight groups (10, 15, 18, and 22 kg), were analysed for carcass composition, muscle traits, and fat distribution. ANOVA and multivariate analyses (PCA and HCA) revealed significant effects of weight and breed on key carcass and meat quality parameters. Heavier animals exhibited higher intramuscular fat and primal cut yields with superior water-holding capacity (WHC), while lighter goats had leaner carcasses with less muscle pigment. Crossbred F1 goats demonstrated a more balanced muscle-to-fat ratio, whereas pure Balkan goats tended to accumulate fat more rapidly at higher weights. These findings indicate that optimal slaughter weight selection should align with market demands, such as producing leaner meat in lighter Balkan goats, or achieving increased marbling and better economic returns in heavier crossbred animals. Future research should explore genetic effects on muscle and fat deposition and assess consumer preferences to refine breeding and production strategies.

Keywords: autochthonous goat; carcass metrics; hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA); muscle composition; principal component analysis (PCA)

Received: April 15, 2025; Accepted: September 16, 2025; Published: October 29, 2025  Show citation

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Stanišić N, Cekić B, Maksimović N, Petričević M, Delić N, Stajić S, Keškić T. Carcass traits and meat quality in Balkan goats: A multivariate evaluation of crossbreeding and slaughter weight effects. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2025;70(10):438-449. doi: 10.17221/53/2025-CJAS.
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