Meat Goat Carcass
Fabrication
Dr. Dwight Loveday
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Food Science & Technology
Wide Variation in Goat
Market Types
• Dairy vs Meat
• Large, Medium &
Small
• Results in large
variation in market
weights
– 30 to 100+ pounds
Carcass Fabrication
• Cutting of the carcass to
primals, sub-primals
and/or retail cuts
– Carcass: portion after the
hide, head, internal organs
and feet are removed
– Primals: wholesale cuts;
major divisions of the
carcass
– Sub-primals: major
divisions of primals
– Retail cuts: consumer
ready products
Live goat weight is not all edible
meat
• Dressing percentages
45 to 55% (avg 48%)
• Dressing % is the carcass
weight divided by the live
weight times 100
• Example: 70 lb live goat
will yield about a 33.5 lbs
hot carcass
Live goat weight is not all edible
meat
• Cooler shrinkage 3 to
10% (avg 5%)
• 33.5 lbs X 5% = 1.7 lbs
• Results in a 31.8 lbs to
the cutting table
Live goat weight is not all edible
meat
• Bone-in cut yield 70
to 85% of carcass
weight
– Results in about 24 lbs
of product
• Boneless yield 40 to
60% of carcass
weight
– Results in about 16 lbs
of product
Meat Goat Carcass Fabrication
• USDA Institutional Meat
Purchasing Specifications
(IMPS) describe 5 cutting
styles
– Related to carcass weights
– Cuts for institutional and retail
establishments
Meat Goat Carcass Fabrication
• Terminology
– Hindsaddle: portions
behind the last rib
– Foresaddle: portions
in front of the last rib
Hindsaddle
Foresaddle
Meat Goat Carcass Fabrication
• Terminology
Hindshank
– Hindshank: lower hind
leg
– Foreshank: lower front
leg
Foreshank
Meat Goat Carcass Fabrication
• Terminology
– Sirloin: rump or hip
bone area
– Loin: area of back
where ribs are not
attached
– Rack: area of back
where ribs are
attached
Sirloin
Loin
Rack
Meat Goat Carcass Fabrication
Double
• Terminology
– Double: both sides of
animal
– Single: Split down
backbone: halved
Single
IMPS Cutting Styles
•
•
•
•
•
Platter Style
Roasting Style
Barbeque Style
Food Service Style
Hotel Style
Platter Style
• Carcass Wt: 15 lbs. or
less
• Small goats
• Remove hind shank &
internal fat
• Carcass un-split
• Rear legs can be tucked
into rib cage & front
legs tucked in rear legs
• Retail cut fabrication
not practical
Roasting Style
• Carcass Wt: 15-30 lbs.
• Small-medium goats
• Remove lower hind and
fore shank
• Fabrication includes:
A:
B:
C:
D:
E:
Leg, Roasting Style
Loin, Rump On, Double
Foresaddle, Streamlined
Neck
Foreshank
A
B
C
D
E
Barbeque Style
• Carcass Wt: 20-40 lbs.
• Medium sized goats
• Remove breast bone,
lower hind and fore shank
• Fabrication includes:
A:
B:
C:
D:
E:
F:
Leg: single or double
Loin
Ribs, Fullset
Neck
Outside Shoulder
Breast
A
B
C
F
E
D
Food Service Style
•
•
•
•
Carcass Wt: 30-40 lbs.
Large sized goats
Suitable for retail cuts
Fabrication includes:
A: Hindshank
B: Leg, Shank Off, Sirloin Off,
Partially Boneless
C: Sirloin
D: Back – loin and rack
E: Neck
A
B
C
D
E
Food Service Style (continued)
A
• Fabrication includes:
A: Hindshank
B: Leg, Shank Off, Sirloin Off,
Partially Boneless
C: Sirloin
D: Back – loin and rack
E: Neck
F: Outside Shoulder
G: Inside Shoulder, Squared
H: Ribs, Food Service Style,
Breast On, Fullset
I: Breast
B
C
D
H
I
G
F
E
Hotel Style
• Carcass Wt: >40 lbs.
• Large sized goats
• Suitable for hotel/retail
cuts (similar to Lamb)
• Fabrication includes:
A: Hindshank
B: Leg, Shank Off
C: Loin
D: Rack
E: Neck
A
B
C
D
E
Hotel Style (continued)
• Fabrication includes:
A: Hindshank
B: Leg, Shank Off
C: Loin
D: Rack
E: Neck
F: Shoulder, Square-Cut
G: Foreshank
H: Ribs, Breast Bones Off
I: Breast
A
B
C
H
I
D
F
G
E
Cutting Yields for Various Cutting
Styles
In Conclusion
• Goat meat is termed “chevon “
or “cabrito”
• IMPS will provide cutting
direction that will allow goat
meat sales to food service and
retail markets
• 5 cutting styles that are related
to carcass weight
• Currently most goat carcasses
are sold whole, as 6-piece, or
1½ to 2 inch cubes
Enjoy!
Hindshank
Leg
Goat Hotel
Style
Loin
Ribs
Rack
Foreshank
Shoulder,
Sq. Cut
Goat Shoulder, Square Cut
•
•
•
•
•
Roasts
Chops
Stew
Kabobs
Ground Goat
Goat Shoulder: Roasts
Square Cut Shoulder
Goat Shoulder: Roasts
Arm
Roast
Goat Shoulder: Roasts
Blade Roast
Goat Shoulder: Chops &
Slices
Blade Chops
Goat Shoulder: Chops &
Slices
Arm
Chops
Goat Shoulder: Chops &
Slices
Neck
Slices
Goat Shoulder: Other
Stew
Kabobs
Ground Goat
Goat Rack
• Roasts
• Chops
• Riblets
Goat Rack: Roasts
Rack Roast
Goat Rib: Roasts
Crown
Roast
Goat Rack: Riblets
b
Goat Loin
• Roasts
• Chops
Goat Loin: Roasts
Loin Roast
Goat Loin: Roasts
Double
Loin
Roast,
Boneless
Goat Loin: Chops
Loin Chops
Goat Loin: Chops
Double Loin Chops
Goat Loin: Chops
Double Loin Chops, Boneless
Goat Leg
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Roasts
Chops
Slices
Chops
Kabobs
Stew
Ground Goat
Goat Leg
Hindshank
Center Section
(c+d+e)
Sirloin Section
(a+b)
Goat Leg: Roasts
Whole Leg
Goat Leg: Roasts
Leg Sirloin Off
Goat Leg: Roasts
Leg, Boneless
Goat Leg: Roasts
Sirloin Half
Goat Leg: Roasts
Shank Half
Goat Leg: Roasts
Frenched-Style Roast
Goat Leg: Roasts
American-Style Roast
Goat Leg: Chops
Sirloin Chops
Goat Leg: Slices
Leg Center
Slices
Goat Leg: Other Cuts
Stew
Kabobs
Ground Goat
Cubed Steak
Goat Foreshank and
Hindshank
Stew
Shank
Ground Goat
Goat Ribs
Whole
Ribs
Trimmed
Ribs
Goat Ribs
Trimmed
Ribs
Rolled
Ribs
Goat Ribs
Whole Ribs
Spareribs
Riblets
Goat Ribs
Whole Ribs
Ground Goat
Stew