156 Scientific Journal of Review (2015) 4(10) 156-164 ISSN 2322-2433 doi: 10.14196/sjr.v4i10.1940 Some factors influencing dressing percentage in goat meat production N. Assan * Associate Professor, Open University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Livestock, Zimbabwe. *Corresponding author; Associate Professor, Open University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Livestock, Zimbabwe. A R T I C L E I N F O Article history, Received 23 Sep 2015 Accepted 22 Oct 2015 Available online 28 Oct 2015 Keywords, Dressing percentage Slaughter weight Nutrition Genotype Sex Goats A B S T R A C T This review article looks at the factors affecting dressing percentage in goats. Many factors can affect the dressing percentage (DP), therefore it is important for goat producers to understand the concept and factors influencing dressing percentage because it can equate to profitability. In general, goat genotypes that are heavier muscled have a higher dressing percent than goat genotypes that are lighter muscled. Additionally, as the goat fat thickness on the outside of a carcass increases, the dressing percent also increases. Dressing percentage is based on the relationship between the dressed goat carcass weight and the live weight after things like the hide and internal organs have been removed. Goat dressing percentage can be calculated by taking (weight of the carcass / weight of live animal) * 100. This can be determined on a hot carcass weight or a cold carcass weight. There are indication of the potentiality to manipulating some of the factors that influence dressing percentage in goat to the producer’s advantage. Better goat rearing practices can be achieved through nutritional management resulting in improvement of dressing percentage. © 2015 Sjournals. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction It is obvious that dressing percentage as important as it is in evaluation of meat yield of goat and other farm animals is influenced by such factors as breed, sex of animal, nutrition and other management factors (Kalc et al., Contents lists available at Sjournals Journal homepage: www.Sjournals.com Review article