Downgrading of Heavy Broiler Chicken Carcasses Due to Myodegeneration of the Anterior Latissimus Dorsi: Pathologic and Epidemiologic Studies

Zimermann, Francielli Cordeiro; Fallavena, Luiz Cesar Bello; Salle, Carlos Tadeu Pippi; Moraes, H. L. S.; Soncini, R. A.; Barreta, M. H.; Nascimento, Vinícius Paganini

doi:10.1637/10088-986012-digest.1

Cited by 4 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Heavy weight and/or rapid growth rate of broilers have been associated as causal factors with 2 recently described myopathies: myodegeneration of the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle and macroscopic white striping of pectoralis and thigh muscles. 5,10 The main histologic changes in these are very similar to our findings of myodegeneration and necrosis with fibrosis and regeneration within the wooden breast myopathy. 7,10 Overlapping of histologic changes with the white striping myopathy is not surprising, since white striping is clearly a feature also in the wooden breast myopathy.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…5,10 The main histologic changes in these are very similar to our findings of myodegeneration and necrosis with fibrosis and regeneration within the wooden breast myopathy. 7,10 Overlapping of histologic changes with the white striping myopathy is not surprising, since white striping is clearly a feature also in the wooden breast myopathy. Macroscopic similarities between our findings and the ALD myopathy are striking as well: paleness, increased hardness and thickness of the muscle, and exudate on the muscle surface.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…Macroscopic similarities between our findings and the ALD myopathy are striking as well: paleness, increased hardness and thickness of the muscle, and exudate on the muscle surface. 10 The ALD myopathy affected most severely the heaviest male birds; occurrence of severe white striping was particularly high in the heavy and rapidly growing birds. 5,10 In Finland, the weight of the broilers as well as breast fillets has increased in the past 3 years, together with the occurrence of the hard myopathy of the pectoralis major (Finnish poultry industry, personal communication, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…10 The ALD myopathy affected most severely the heaviest male birds; occurrence of severe white striping was particularly high in the heavy and rapidly growing birds. 5,10 In Finland, the weight of the broilers as well as breast fillets has increased in the past 3 years, together with the occurrence of the hard myopathy of the pectoralis major (Finnish poultry industry, personal communication, 2013). Therefore, it is possible that the fast growth rate, together with the increased breast meat yield, indeed plays a significant role also in the development of the wooden breast myopathy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Myodegeneration With Fibrosis and Regeneration in the Pectoralis Major Muscle of Broilers

2013

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A myopathy affecting the pectoralis major muscle of the commercial broiler has emerged creating remarkable economic losses as well as a potential welfare problem of the birds. We here describe the macroscopic and histologic lesions of this myopathy within 10 pectoralis major muscles of 5- to 6-week-old broilers in Finland. Following macroscopic evaluation and palpation of the muscles, a tissue sample of each was fixed in formalin, processed for histology, and histologically evaluated. The muscles that were macroscopically hard, outbulging, pale, and often accompanied with white striping histologically exhibited moderate to severe polyphasic myodegeneration with regeneration as well as a variable amount of interstitial connective tissue accumulation or fibrosis. All affected cases also exhibited perivenular lymphocyte accumulation. The etiology of this myodegenerative lesion remains yet open. Polyphasic myodegeneration is associated with several previously known etiologies, but palpatory hardness focusing on the pectoralis major, together with perivenular lymphocytes, has not been described in relation to them. The results of this study provide the pathological basis for further studies concerning the etiology of the currently described myopathy.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Myodegeneration With Fibrosis and Regeneration in the Pectoralis Major Muscle of Broilers

2013

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“…(), scored WS using a three‐point scale of severity: 1 (mild–focal appearance of stripes covering part of the breast), 2 (moderate—stripes extensively covering the breast surface), 3 (severe—very thick stripes with extensive coverage over the breast surface). This condition, although frequently reported in the breast meat (pectoralis major muscle), can also be seen in the thigh (iliotibialis muscle), tenders (pectoralis minor muscle), and drumsticks (gastrocnemius muscle) (Kuttappan et al., ; Zimermann et al., ).…”

Section: Physicochemical and Histological Properties Of Wb Ws And Smmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wooden‐Breast, White Striping, and Spaghetti Meat: Causes, Consequences and Consumer Perception of Emerging Broiler Meat Abnormalities

Petracci

Soglia

Madruga

et al. 2019

Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safe

260

325

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Ten years ago, the occurrence of macroscopic defects in breasts muscles from fast‐growing broilers challenged producers and animal scientists to label and characterize myopathies wholly unknown. The distinctive white striations in breasts affected by white striping disorder, the presence of out‐bulging and pale areas of hardened consistency in the so‐called wooden breast, and the separation of the fiber bundles in breasts labelled as spaghetti meat, made these myopathies easily identified in chicken carcasses. Yet, the high incidence of these myopathies and the increasing concern by producers and retailers led to an unprecedented flood of questions on the causes and consequences of these abnormal chicken breasts. This review comprehensively collects the most relevant information from studies aimed to understand the pathological mechanisms of these myopathies, their physicochemical and histological characterization and their impact on meat quality and consumer's preferences. Today, it is known that the occurrence is linked to fast‐growth rates of the birds and their large breast muscles. The muscle hypertrophy along with an unbalanced growth of supportive connective tissue leads to a compromised blood supply and hypoxia. The occurrence of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction leads to lipidosis, fibrosis, and overall myodegeneration. Along with the altered appearance, breast muscles affected by the myopathies display poor technological properties, impaired texture properties, and reduced nutritional value. As consumer's awareness on the occurrence of these abnormalities and the concerns on animal welfare arise, efforts are made to inhibit the onset of the myopathies or alleviate the severity of the symptoms. The lack of fully effective dietary strategies leads scientists to propose whether “slow” production systems may alternatively provide with poultry meat free of these myopathies.

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Wooden Breast Myodegeneration of Pectoralis Major Muscle Over the Growth Period in Broilers

et al. 2016

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Wooden breast (WB) myopathy of broiler chickens is a myodegenerative disease of an unknown etiology and is macroscopically characterized by a hardened consistency of the pectoralis major muscle. Our aim was to describe the development and morphology of WB over the growth period in broilers. Additionally, the effect of restricted dietary selenium on the occurrence of WB was examined by allocating the birds in 2 dietary groups: restricted and conventional level of selenium. The experiment included 240 male broilers that were euthanized at ages of 10, 18, 24, 35, 38, or 42 days and evaluated for WB based on abnormal hardness of the pectoralis major muscle. The severity and the distribution of the lesion and presence of white striping were recorded. The first WB cases were seen at 18 days; 13/47 birds (28%) were affected and the majority exhibited a mild focal lesion. In subsequent age groups the WB prevalence varied between 48% and 73% and the lesion was usually diffuse and markedly firm. White striping often coexisted with WB. Histological evaluation performed on 111 cases revealed a significant association of myodegeneration and lymphocytic vasculitis with WB. Vasculitis and perivascular cell infiltration were restricted to the veins. Restricted dietary selenium did not affect the occurrence of WB ( P = .44). Our results indicate that WB starts focally and spreads to form a diffuse and more severe lesion.

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Downgrading of Heavy Broiler Chicken Carcasses Due to Myodegeneration of the Anterior Latissimus Dorsi: Pathologic and Epidemiologic Studies

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Myodegeneration With Fibrosis and Regeneration in the Pectoralis Major Muscle of Broilers

Myodegeneration With Fibrosis and Regeneration in the Pectoralis Major Muscle of Broilers

Wooden‐Breast, White Striping, and Spaghetti Meat: Causes, Consequences and Consumer Perception of Emerging Broiler Meat Abnormalities

Wooden Breast Myodegeneration of Pectoralis Major Muscle Over the Growth Period in Broilers

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