Forage type and transportation stress effects on gut microbial counts and meat quality in goats

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding highly condensed tannin legume (sericea lespedeza, SL; Lespedeza cuneata) forage on gastrointestinal tract microbial counts and meat quality in goats. Intact male Spanish kids were kept 0.40 ha paddocks SL, bermudagrass (BG; Cynodon dactylon; control), or a combination SL + BG (n = 10 goats per treatment group) for 8 wk. All supplemented with commercial feed pellet at 0.45 kg·head ?1 ·d first 4 wk 0.23 final trial. At end experiment, half from each paddock subjected 3 h transportation stress, then all animals humanely slaughtered. Diet stress did not have significant effect skin Escherichia coli, coliform, aerobic plate counts, carcass, rumen, fecal bacterial counts. Muscle pH 24 postmortem tended (P 0.06) be higher transported compared non-transported The results indicate that consumption by significantly affect tract, skin, carcass quality, although preslaughter could influence due changes course decline.