Meat quality characteristics of chickens as influenced by housing system, sex, and genetic line interactions

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of housing system (cage versus pen), sex and line cross (EMY1 and EMY2) on meat quality in meat-type chickens. Chickens (n = 640) from each line cross (males: females = 1:1) were housed in batteries from d 1 to 28. Then, half of them were transferred to indoor floor pens, and the others were raised in single cages. Meat quality traits of breast fillets were measured at 91 d of age. Percent lipid and histidine were higher, whereas % total protein and myofibre density (MDS) were lower in caged than penned chickens. Cross EMY1 had higher MDS, but lower lipid % and myofibre diameters (MDM) than EMY2 (p < .05). Males had redder and brighter muscles and higher MDM and contents of glycine and proline than the females (p < .05). Penned females had smaller MDM and higher MDS than their caged counterparts (p < .05). Generally, housing systems alone, or interacting with sex and genetic line, affected yellowness, myofibre characteristics, % protein, % lipid, myofibre density, and % His of breast muscle.