Abstract
Twelve female desert goat kids and an equal number of males were used to study meat production
potential of desert goats at Kuku Research Station, Khartoum North, Sudan. The kids were kept in
two separate groups according to sex. Kids were fed ad libitum a complete diet (a concentrate mix and
green lucerne) for 147 days from 12 July to 10 Oct 1997. Male kids consumed more dry matter, had significantly greater liveweight gain and had heavier
slaughter weight and superior feed conversion efficiency than females. Carcass weight was significantly
greater in males than females but females dressed out heavier than males. Male carcasses had more
muscles and bone while female carcasses had more fat and trimmings. Male goat kid carcasses yielded significantly (P<0·001) heavier wholesale cuts as single short
forequarter and neck while female kid carcasses yielded heavier wholesale cuts as leg and chump, best
end of neck as well as significantly (P<0·01) heavier loin and breast.