Meat quality of Redbro chickens reared extensive indoors affected by duration of fattening period

Abstract

In the development of alternative production systems in the production of poultry meat, the set goals are related to market demands, product quality and production efficiency. In addition to pure and autochthonous breeds of poultry, production in these systems can also be based on more productive hybrids of moderate growth in order to realize higher yields of meat. For the quality of meat from alternative production, the key is the slaughter age of chickens that approaches full maturity. However, slaughtering of older chickens leads to some unfavorable changes in meat quality. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of the duration of fattening period for the quality of chickens of moderate growth of Redbro provenance, grown indoors, based on the chemical composition and individual physical characteristics of the meat. A total of 300 one day old chickens were grown indoors, 12 birds/m2. The chickens of the first group were reared to the age of 42 days and the chickens of the second group, up to 84 days. Meat quality parameters were studied on samples of white (pectoral muscles) and dark meat (thigh and drumstick muscles) of 12 broilers per treatment, with equal sex representation. The basic chemical composition and parameters of the technological quality of meat were determined (cooking loss, grilling loss, water holding capacity, objective tenderness). Meat of 84 days old Redbro chickens had poorer water holding capacity compared to 42 days old chickens, which is also associated with determined greater cooking loos or grilling loos on the 84th day. The effect of the duration of fattening period on the water holding capacity did not adversely affect the tenderness of the meat, since the meat cutting force was at the same level on the 42nd and 84th day. Chickens aged 84 days, as expected, had higher fat content in meat. A positive aspect of the established higher fat content, especially in white meat, is the possible improvement in the sensory quality of the meat.