Development of dual-purpose cross for meat and egg production II. Meat quality of the crossbred chickens and the parent lines

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the meat quality of chickens from a dual-purpose cross and its parent lines. The trial was conducted in the experimental poultry farm of the Institute of Animal Science-Kostinbrod, Bulgaria. The dual-purpose chickens were obtained by crossing female layers (Line L) and dual-purpose cocks (BB, based on Bresse Gauloise). At the age of 9 weeks the male chickens from the parent lines and the dual-purpose cross were slaughtered. Six chickens of each genotype were subjected to breast and thigh meat quality analysis. The crossbred chickens tended to have lower pH in breast but the values of this parameter were higher in their thighs. The BB line showed the poorest water-holding capacity (WHC) in both breast and thigh meat cuts. This line and the crossbreed showed lighter meat compared to the L line. Except the ash content of the breast and thigh meat that was higher in the BB line, the proximate composition did not differ between the examined lines and their cross. The L and dual-purpose chickens tended to have higher intramuscular fat (IMF) but lower protein in thigh meat than the BB line. The correlation analysis revealed clear relationships between the meat quality traits and the proximate composition, however they differed for the breast and thigh meat.

A comparative analysis of cooked smoked cockerel products derived from male layer-type chickens (Lohmann Brown Classic hybrid) and dual-purpose cocks (based on Bresse Gauloise)

“…In contrast the protein content in the fillets (FMLC and FDPC) differs significantly (p ≤ 0.05). The results for the fillets of the dual-purpose cocks confirm the previously reported [1]. On the other had Popova et al [1] evaluated significantly lower protein content in the muscles of the tight, but also higher moisture, which could explain those deviations.…”

“…For the purpose of the experiment male layer-type chickens (Lohmann Brown Classic hybrid) -MLC and dual-purpose cockerels (based on Bresse Gauloise) -DPC were used. Both breeds were reared in the experimental poultry farm of the Institute of Animal Science -Kostinbrod, Bulgaria until the age of 9 weeks, described in details by Petkov et al [3] and Popova et al [1,[7][8]. Cockerels were slaughtered in a certified poultry abattoir and stored frozen at -18℃ for 1 month in polyamide bags.…”

“…The poultry sector is experiencing rapid growth worldwide, with poultry meat being one of the most consumed foods. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, global poultry production has dramatically increased from 9 million tons in 1961 to 134 million tons in 2020 [1].…”

“…This import aimed to establish a new line, BB, which is currently part of the country's gene pool. The researchers are * Corresponding author: nkolevphd@gmail.com focused on developing a dual-purpose crossbreed based on the Bresse Gauloise breed, where females are bred for egg production and males for meat [1,[4][5][6].…”

“…Finally, it is important to note that all the aforementioned statements have a strong correlation with the breed, age, and diet of the cockerels [1,[4][5][6][7][8]16].…”