Influence of Nutrition, Sex and Slaughter Age on the Carcass Characteristics at Broiler Chicken Ross-308

Abstract

In this paper was studied the effect of feed with different energy and protein level on the carcass characteristics at broiler chickens, which were sacrificed at 35 and 42 days old. The genetic material was represented by broiler chickens that belonged to the „Ross-308” hybrid, with two groups (LC-control group and LE-experimental group). During the growth periods (starter, growing and finishing) they have received compound feed ad libitum, with different energy and protein levels (LC-conforming to recommendations of Aviagen Company; LE-higher with 10%). After slaughter, from each group were sampled 30 carcasses (15 carcasses per sex) and was determined slaughter yield and participation percentage of the cut parts from the whole carcasses structure. The meat/bones ratio from carcass and from major parts of the carcass was determined on 10 carcasses from each group (five per sex). The results of this experiment showed that the nutrition and age had significant influence on the slaughter yield, the participation percentage of the cut parts from the whole carcass and meat/bones ratio in breast and legs, while the sex influenced participation share and meat quantity in breast and legs.

Keywords

• broiler chicken
• carcass
• meat/bones ratio
• nutrition
• slaughter yield