CARCASS COMPOSITION AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF MEAT FROM BROILER CHICKENS OF DIFFERENT ORIGIN

Three commercial lines of broiler chickens, Ross 308, Hubbard Flex and Hubbard F15 were investigated. Preslaughter weight, weight of eviscerated carcass with neck and dressing percentage were the highest in Hubbard Flex and the lowest in Ross 308 chickens. Analysis of carcass composition showed statistically significant differences in the content of neck, wings, breast muscles, skin with subcutaneous fat, abdominal fat and remainders of the carcass. The highest muscle content (total proportion of breast and leg muscles in carcass) was found in Hubbard Flex chickens, and the lowest body fat content (total proportion of skin with subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat) in Ross 308 birds. Chicken origin had a significant effect on pH15, water holding capacity, colour lightness (L*), yellowness (b*) and aroma and juiciness of breast muscles

Body conformation and morphometry of some internal organs of Pharaoh quail of different ages

The effect of age of Pharaoh quail on body weight, body conformation and development of internal organs, including the digestive tract, was determined. At the age of 35 days, Pharaoh quail were characterized by significantly lower body weight, length of trunk with neck, and length of trunk compared to 45-day-old birds. Younger quail had slightly shorter breast bone and lower thighs, smaller chest girth, and the same length of shanks. Body conformation indices were significantly (P?0.05) higher in 35-day-old birds. Pharaoh quail, evaluated at 35 and 45 days of age, did not differ significantly in the length of the oesophagus and crop, the length of intestine and its segments, and the weight and proportion of gizzard, proventriculus and heart. As birds aged, liver weight increased significantly, as did the weight and proportion of testicles in males

CARCASS COMPOSITION AND MEAT QUALITY OF GREY PARTRIDGE (PERDIX PERDIX L.)

The aim of the study was to determine the body weight, dressing percentage, carcass composition and physico-chemical and sensory properties of meat from grey partridge (Perdix perdix L.). At the age of 32 weeks, male and female grey partridge had similar body weight (301.4 g vs 299.5 g), carcass weight (218.2 g vs 216.0 g) and dressing percentage (72.4% vs 72.1%). Dissection analysis showed non- significant differences in carcass composition between males and females. The carcasses of males contained more leg muscles (17.4%), skin with subcutaneous fat (5.5%) and neck (3.4%), but less breast muscles (30.7%) and wings (8.8%) compared to the carcasses of females (17.0%, 5.3%, 3.3%, 31.1% and 10.7%, respectively). Compared to males, the breast muscles of females were characterized by significantly higher water holding capacity. In addition, females showed significantly (P? 0.05) lower values of lightness (L*), yellowness (b*) and tenderness of breast muscles compared to males

Efficacy of licorice extract on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood indices and antioxidants capacity in broilers

Some studies have suggested that dietary medicinal plants or herbs may have a variety of biological functions such as anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antifungal, antioxidative stress, and anticarcinogenic activities. The present study was undertaken to assess the incorporation of the extract of licorice supplementation on the growth performance, carcass yield, blood indices, and antioxidative capacity in broilers. Three hundred twenty unsexed one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated randomly into four groups. Chicks in each group were randomly subdivided into eight replicates of ten chicks. The first group received a basal diet and was considered a control. The respective groups received a basal diet supplemented with 1, 2, and 3 g licorice extract/kg diet. The obtained results indicated that supplementation of licorice extract to broiler chicks resulted in heavier BW and weight gain and a better feed conversion ratio during the experimental periods compared with the control group. However, feed consumption increased during the entire growing period. Supplementing the broiler’s diet with licorice extract led to a higher value of erythrocytes, leukocytes, haemoglobin, plasma total protein, albumin, and antioxidant concentration and a low value in plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, urea, and total cholesterol. It could be concluded that the dietary addition of licorice extracts 2 and 3 g licorice extract/kg diet improved broiler chicks' growth performance and physiological status