Collagen Content and Electrophoretic Analysis of Type I Collagen in Breast Skin of Heterozygous Naked Neck and Normally Feathered Commercial Broilers

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the breast skin collagen content and electrophoretic analyses of type I collagen in heterozygous naked neck and normally feathered commercial chicks. A total of 72 birds from each genotype were randomly selected at 7 weeks and slaughtered. Breast skin was separated from each carcass and was analysed for collagen content and gel electrophopresis of type I collagen was performed. Males had significantly higher level of skin collagen content than females in both genotypes. In the naked neck chickens ??1 , and ??2 bands were highly intensive than the commercial ones indicating that the collagen has become cross-linked by non-reducible covalent bands. On the other hand, normally feathered chickens had higher intensity of ??and ??bands than the naked neck chickens.