Effect of Increasing Levels of Statin (Atorvastatin) on Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Sokoto Red Goats

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of statin on carcass characteristics and meat quality of Sokoto Red goats. Sixteen castrated goats aged 8-9 months old with initial live weight of 29.8±3.0 kg were assigned to four treatments replicated three times. The experiment lasted for a period of 3 month. Treatment 1 was the control (0 mg statin /kg bodyweight) while T2, T3 and T4 were supplemented with statin at 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 mg statin /kg bodyweight, respectively. The result revealed no significant difference (P>0.05) on carcass characteristics. However, meat quality parameters (pH, cook loss, drip loss and cholesterol contents) except colour differed significantly (P<0.05). Supplementation of statin resulted in meat with high water holding capacity while pH values increases with increase in the level of statin. It can be concluded that dietary supplementation of statin at 4.5 mg/kg bodyweight could be a viable feeding approach to produce meat with high water holding capacity and lower cholesterol content. However, the pH values being at higher side could produce dark firm and firm (DFD) meat. Additional study is recommended to investigate myotoxicity effect of statin in order to safeguard consumers against myopathy associated with statin intake in humans.