Italian Journal of Animal Science (Jan 2010)
Effect of sex on slaughter performance and meat quality of Ermellinata di Rovigo chickens
Abstract
In this trial male and female chickens belonging to a dual-purpose Italian breed, Ermellinata di Rovigo (ER), were reared under a free-range production system (June-October) from 47 days of life until slaughter age, at 138 (I age) and 168 (II age) days of age. At both ages, the final body weight, the dressing-out percentage and the ready-tocook carcass weight were higher (P<0.01) in males. At II age the female carcass showed higher (P<0.01) proportion of breast and lower (P<0.01) proportion of leg. At both ages, the redness index (a*) of breast and thigh were lower (P<0.01) in females, whereas the yellowness index (b*) showed the opposite trend; the females showed higher lipids in breast meat (P<0.05), thigh meat (P<0.01) and skin (P<0.01). The breast tenderness did not change. The results indicate that the ER birds have a different live body weight, slaughter performance and meat quality according to sex, both at I and II age. At 168 days, under the studied environmental conditions, the chickens were in prepubertal period and the sex affected the dressing-out percentage, meat colour and skin lipids in particular.
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