Goat meat is expected to show similar improvements to eating quality from electrical stimulation as sheep.

This is providing processors customise electrical stimulation to suit their circumstances, according to meat science research officer, Edwina Toohey. 

A recently developed first generation mid-voltage electrical stimulation unit has proven to be extremely effective in reducing the variability and improving the eating quality of sheep.

NSW Department of Primary Industries has recently conducted one of the first experiments on electrically stimulated goat meat.

"Preliminary results show the mid-voltage electrical stimulation system has the potential to offer comparable commercial advantages to the goat meat industry," said Ms Toohey, part of a specialist meat team based at Cowra.

"Goat carcases tend to be light and lean and as a result of this they have a fast chilling rate thus they are prone to cold shortening.

"Stimulation prevents the muscles from cold shortening and becoming tough, hence it can increase meat tenderness," she said.

However, Ms Toohey says the preliminary results suggest goat producers need more information about factors that affect goat meat quality before slaughter.

"These include nutrition, on farm curfew, handling and transport time, which can all have a significant impact on the amount of glycogen available in the muscle at the time of slaughter," she said.

"If animals go to slaughter with low levels of glycogen the effectiveness of stimulation will be restricted."

Fact sheets derived from the research are now available on the Meat and Livestock Australia website.

They are The effect of finishing on goat meat eating quality, The requirements of handling to maximise goat meat eating quality and The effect of pH on goat meat eating quality.

Further research is required to determine whether early stimulation in the process, for example in a pre-dressing unit, would give the greatest response.

Contact Edwina Toohey, Cowra, (02) 6881 1214, edwina.toohey@dpi.nsw.gov.au