Carcass and retail meat cuts quality properties of broiler chickenmeat based on the slaughter age

摘要

This study aimed to determine the carcass and meat quality of broiler chickensbased on the slaughter age (28, 30, 32, and 34 days). The carcasscharacteristics included live and carcass weights, carcass rate, dressing rate,and retail cut weight. The meat quality properties were determined throughproximate composition, pH, color, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield,and shear-force. The broiler chicken live, carcass, breast, thigh, and wingweights significantly increased with the slaughter age (p< 0.05); the tenderloin weight also exhibited a similarly increasingtrend. However, the carcass rate of the day 28 sample was significantly lowerthan the other samples (p < 0.05). The protein and ashcontents of the breast exhibited an increasing trend with increasing slaughterage. The protein content of the thigh of the day 28 sample was significantlylower than that of the other samples (p < 0.05), whilethe ash contents of the day 28 and 30 samples were significantly lower. Theredness of the breast showed an increasing trend, and the pH and lightness ofthe thigh exhibited a decreasing trend with slaughter age. The WHC and cookingyields of the day 30 and 32 breast and thigh samples were significantly higherthan those of the day 28 and 34 samples (p < 0.05). Thebreast and thigh shear-force of the day 30–34 samples were significantlyhigher than those of the day 28 sample (p < 0.05). Thepresent study showed that even with a two-day difference in slaughter age, thebroiler chicken meat quality showed a significant difference in severalcharacteristics.