Abstract :
Three groups of five indigenous male goats 5–6 months of age, were offered control concentrate mixture (Group I) and those
of Groups II and III were fed experimental concentrates containing 15 and 25% of water washed neem (Azadirachta indica)
seed kernel cake (NKC). After 180 days of feeding the goats were slaughtered. Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle from lumbar
regionwas analysed for certain physico-chemical characteristics, organoleptic quality, detailed lipid profile and fatty acid composition;
phosopholipids were fractionated into phosphatidyl inositide (PI), phosphatidyl serine (PS), lysophosphatidyl choline
(LPC), lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine (LPE), sphingomyelin (SPH), phosphatidyl choline (PC) phosphatidyl ethanolamine
(PE) and phosphatidic acid (PA). Fatty acids; capric, lauric, myristic, myristoleic, palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, stearic,
oleic, linoleic acid were also identified. Feeding of NKC did not affect slaughter weight and dressing out yield. The dressing
percentage ranged between 42.2 and 43.8%. The pH, colour, moisture, total crude protein, different protein fractions; water
extractable, salt extractable and content of NPN did not differ among the groups. There was a significant decrease in the total
lipid content of LD of experimental groups. PC and PE were the major fractions accounting for 60% of total phospholipids.
There was a significant increase in PC and LPC fractions while LPE + SPH, PE and PA fractions decreased in goats fed
NKC. A significant increase was noticed in unsaturated fatty acid content and decrease in total saturates. It is concluded that
NKC feeding has the ability of reducing lipid content and increasing the unsaturated fatty acids, which are considered to be
beneficial in reducing the cholesterol level. It may be used beneficially as an alternative for costly conventional oil cakes for
economic lean chevon production without affecting the quality of goat meat.
© 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Keywords :
goat , Azadirachta indica , Longissimus dorsi muscle , lipids , fatty acid composition , Neem seed kernel cake