Korean Journal of Agricultural Science (농업과학연구)

Institute of Agricultural Science, CNU (충남대학교 농업과학연구소)
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Evaluation of preslaughter losses, meat quality, and physiological characteristics of broilers in response to crating density for the standard of animal welfare and to seasonal differences

  • Myunghwan Yu (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Elijah Ogola Oketch (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jun Seon Hong (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Shan Randima Nawarathne (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Yuldashboy Vohobjonov (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jung Min Heo (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University)
  • Received : 2022.10.26
  • Accepted : 2022.11.17
  • Published : 2022.12.01
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Abstract

The effects of seasonal differences and crating densities on the preslaughter losses, breast meat quality, and physiological indices of broilers were determined. A total of 600 broilers aged 35 days were divided into 10 treatment groups based on five crating densities (10.3, 11.5, 12.8, 14.1, 15.4 birds·m-2) with two seasons (i.e., summer and winter) to give six replicates and were placed at various locations in the truck. The birds were transported in crates having dimensions of 1.0 m × 0.78 m × 0.26 m. The transportation distance was 20 km for 40 minutes (average 30 - 50 km·h-1) during the early morning. The results revealed that broilers transported at densities of 14.1 and 15.4 birds·m-2 recorded lower (p < 0.05) pH, water-holding capacity (WHC), and muscle redness compared to those at densities of 11.5 birds·m-2. Furthermore, higher (p < 0.05) cooking loss was found in birds stocked at more than 14.1 birds·m-2 compared to the other treatments. However, no effect (p > 0.05) with different crating densities on body weight loss, carcass traits, glucose, lactate, or muscle yellowness was observed. Crating density of 14.1 birds·m-2 showed lower (p < 0.05) cortisol contents compared with birds at 10.3 and 15.4 birds·m-2. Winter transportation had higher (p < 0.05) relative breast meat weight, cooking loss, muscle redness, and cortisol contents whereas summer transportation had higher (p < 0.05) glucose and lactate contents in the blood plasma of broilers. In conclusion, the stocking of 12.8 birds·m-2 is recommended to minimize stress responses and undesirable changes that could negatively affect muscle quality.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was carried out with the support of "The Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ016214)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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