COMPARISON OF SLAUGHTER VALUE IN PHARAOH QUAIL OF DIFFERENT AGES

Abstract

The effect of age of Pharaoh quails on dressing percentage, carcass composition, and sensory and physicochemical properties of their meat was determined. Compared to 42-day-old birds, Pharaoh quail aged 33 days had lower body weight (169.1 vs 139.4 g), carcass weight (111.7 vs 88.8 g) and dressing percentage (66.1 vs 63.7%). The carcasses of 42-day-old birds contained more breast muscles (30.9%), leg muscles (18.3%), skin with subcutaneous fat (6.5%) and remainders of the carcass (31.0%) compared to birds at 33 days of age (30.8; 16.7; 6.2 and 30.0%, respectively). Older birds showed higher values of pH15, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) and lower values of sensory meat properties except aroma intensity.

Keywords

• quail
• carcass composition
• meat color
• ph15 sensory properties