Modulation of glycogen and breast meat processing ability by nutrition in chickens: effect of crude protein level in 2 chicken genotypes

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of 2 isoenergetic growing diets with different CP (17 vs. 23%) on the performance and breast meat quality of 2 lines of chicken divergently selected for abdominal fatness [i.e., fat and lean (LL) lines]. Growth performance, breast and abdominal fat yields, breast meat quality parameters (pH, color, drip loss), and muscle glycogen storage at death were measured. Increased dietary CP resulted in increased BW, increased breast meat yield, and reduced abdominal fatness at slaughter regardless of genotype (P < 0.001). By contrast, dietary CP affected glycogen storage and the related meat quality parameters only in the LL chickens. Giving LL chickens the low-CP diet led to reduced concentration of muscle glycogen (P < 0.01), and as a result, breast meat with a higher (P < 0.001) ultimate pH, decreased (P < 0.001) lightness, and reduced (P < 0.001) drip loss during storage. The decreased muscle glycogen content observed in LL receiving the low-CP diet compared with the high-CP diet occurred concomitantly with greater phosphorylation amount for the α-catalytic subunit of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and glycogen synthase. This was consistent with the reduced muscle glycogen content observed in LL fed the low-CP diet because adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibits glycogen synthesis through its action on glycogen synthase. Our results demonstrated that nutrition is an effective means of modulating breast meat properties in the chicken. The results also highlighted the need to take into account interaction with the genetic background of the animal to select nutritional strategies to improve meat quality traits in poultry.     

Variations in chicken breast meat quality: implications of struggle and muscle glycogen content at death

1. Pectoralis major (P. major) muscle pH and meat quality traits were studied in relation to bird response to ante-mortem stress in three chicken lines: a fast-growing standard line (FGL), a slow-growing French 'Label Rouge' line (SGL) and a heavy line (HL). Ninety-nine birds of the three genetic types were slaughtered at their usual marketing age (6, 12 and 6 weeks for FGL, SGL and HL birds, respectively) on the same day. The birds of each line were divided into three different ante-mortem treatment groups: minimum stress (shackling for 10 s) (C), shackling for 2 min (SH) and acute heat plus shackling stress (exposure to 35 degrees C for 3.5 h and shackling for 2 min before stunning) (H + SH). 2. Regardless of chicken line, wing flapping duration (WFD) between hanging and stunning was strongly negatively related to P. major muscle pH at 15 min post-mortem. It was also moderately negatively related to P. major muscle glycolytic potential (GP), which represents glycogen level at death. Increasing WFD induced an increased ultimate pH (pHu) only in HL. The consequences of increased WFD for breast meat traits were dependent on the chicken line: it induced lower L* and b* and higher a* and drip loss in SGL while it only increased breast a* in HL birds. By contrast, WFD variations did not alter breast meat quality traits of FGL birds. Regardless of the chicken line, increased GP was associated with lower pHu and higher L* and drip loss. In SGL, it also increased b* and decreased curing-cooking yield of breast meat. 3. Struggling activity on the shackle line and muscle glycogen content at death could partly explain line and pre-slaughter variations in breast meat pH and quality traits. The water holding capacity of the raw and cooked meat was impaired by long shackling in the case of SGL birds while it was barely affected by ante-mortem conditions in the two standard lines. In conditions which minimised bird struggling (C), SGL and FGL birds had meat with a better water holding ability than that of broilers from the heavy line. However, when broilers were subjected to SH or H + SH conditions, the breast meat water holding capacity of SGL birds was lowered to the same level as that of the heavy line birds.     

Consequence of muscle hypertrophy on characteristics of Pectoralis major muscle and breast meat quality of broiler chickens

The structural and metabolic characteristics of the pectoralis major (P. major) muscle (i.e., breast muscle) and the quality of the resulting meat were studied in relation to breast muscle fiber development in broiler chickens. Six hundred birds originating from a commercial, grand parental, male heavy line (Hubbard-Europe, Chateaubourg, France) were kept under conventional breeding methods until their usual marketing age of 6 wk. For all birds, the plasma creatine kinase activity and the P. major muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), glycolytic potential, lactate content, pH at 15 min postmortem, as well as the ultimate pH, CIELAB color parameters [lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*)], and drip loss of breast meat, were measured. Increased breast weight and yield were associated with increased fiber CSA, reduced muscle glycolytic potential, and reduced lactate content at 15 min postmortem. Therefore, P. major muscle exhibiting larger fiber CSA exhibited greater pH at 15 min postmortem and ultimate pH, produced breast meat with lower L* and reduced drip loss, and was potentially better adapted to further processing than muscle exhibiting small fiber CSA.     

Energy exchanges of broilers, selected for fatness and leanness, on diets with and without a repartitioning agent.

1. Two experiments were undertaken for 3 or 5 d in respiration chambers, on two experimental lines of broiler chickens (aged 25-38 d) selected for leanness and fatness. Diets were without or with 0.4 mg cimaterol per kg. 2. The lean line with sexes combined (experiment 1), or with females only, had a significantly greater heat production than the fat line. Net availability of metabolisable energy for gain (kg) was 0.54 for the lean birds and and 0.84 for the fat birds. 3. Cimaterol did not have an effect on any of the variables examined.     

Comparative evaluation of carcass traits and meat quality in native Aseel chickens and commercial broilers

1. A comprehensive study was conducted to analyse the meat quality attributes, composition and carcass traits in Aseel chickens and commercial broilers at market age on the basis of physiological age. A total of 20 Aseel (26 and 56 weeks) and 20 broiler (6 weeks) chickens were divided into two groups on a live weight basis, i.e. large (≥2.5 kg) and small (<2.5 kg) with 10 birds in each subgroup.

2. The pH of meat did not show any significant variation between Aseel and broiler chickens. The meat from heavier birds had significantly higher pH. Shear force value and hydroxyproline contents were significantly higher in Aseel chickens. Aseel birds had significantly higher red (a*) colouration and lower lightness (L*) than broiler chickens.

3. The texture and acceptability of Aseel meat were significantly higher.

4. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that muscle fibres in Aseels were arranged in a more coiled pattern making the muscle tough. A larger amount of connective tissue was also observed between the muscle fibres compared with the broiler chickens.

5. The dressing percentage was significantly higher in larger chickens. Commercial broilers recorded significantly higher meat proportion and lower proportion of bone. The meat:bone ratio was 1.07:1.0 in Aseel and 1.31–1.0 in broiler chicken. Breast muscle content was significantly lower in smaller Aseel chickens. Aseel chicken had stronger and heavier backs and shanks. Abdominal fat percentage was significantly lower in Aseel (0.73–0.78%).

6. The study concluded that the firm texture of Aseel meat was due to the high collagen content and interlocking connective tissue between the muscle fibres. The texture and acceptability of Aseel meat was higher. Aseel cocks had strong legs, lean meat and less abdominal fat, making them a high-value meat bird in addition to their aggressive fighting ability.

     

Comparison of the histological and histochemical properties of skeletal muscles between carbon dioxide and electrically stunned chickens

1. Histological and histochemical profiles of Musculus pectoralis (PT, type IIB fibres), M. iliotibialis lateralis (ITL, types IIA + IIB fibres) and M. puboischiofemoralis pars medialis (PIF, type I fibres) were compared in carbon dioxide (37%, 70 s) and electrically (14 V, 5 s) stunned male chickens. 2. Muscle materials were taken at 0, 4 and 24 h from carcases dressed and cooled with ice-water mixture for 30 min. Glycogen and fat contents, and adenosine triphosphatase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase activities of fibres were measured. 3. In PT muscle at 0 h, gas stunned chickens showed many fibres with high glycogen content but those electrically stunned contained few such fibres. Fibres from gas stunned birds had lost almost all their glycogen after 24 h of cold storage. 4. In the ITL muscle of gas stunned chickens at 0 h residual glycogen was observed in type IIB fibres. In contrast, in the electrically stunned birds it was in type IIA, showing the different effects of the stunning methods. During cold storage, glycogen disappeared earlier in type IIB than IIA fibres. 5. In PIF muscle with fibres of low glycogen content, the gas stunned chickens maintained a good fibre structure for 4 h or more, but the electrically stunned had already lost intact fibre structure at 4 h. 6. These results indicated that the carbon dioxide stunning was a better method for chicken welfare and meat quality than electrical stunning.     

Protein utilisation and turnover in lines of chickens selected for different aspects of body composition

1. Protein utilisation and turnover were measured in male chickens sampled from a line selected for high breast yield and a randombred control line (lines QL and CL, experiment 1) and in male chickens sampled from lines selected for either high or low abdominal fatness (lines FL and LL, experiment 2). In each experiment, 18 birds per line were given iso-energetic (12.9 MJME/kg) diets containing either 120 or 220 g CP/kg from 21 to 29 d (experiment 1) and 33 to 43 d (experiment 2). 2. Measurements were made of growth rate, food intake, body composition, excreta production and Ntau-methylhistidine excretion as a measure of myofibrillar protein breakdown, and fractional rates (%/d) of protein deposition, breakdown and synthesis were calculated. 3. In experiment 1, there were no significant differences between the line means for the fractional measures of protein turnover, but there was marked differential response in the two lines in the fractional rates of protein deposition, breakdown and synthesis, to increase in protein intake. The positive slope of the regressions of fractional (%/d) protein deposition and synthesis rates on protein intake (g/d/kg BW) were approximately 1.4- and 2.0-fold higher respectively in the QL than the CL line birds, and the negative slope of the regression of fractional breakdown rate on protein intake was approximately threefold greater in the CL than the QL line birds. 4. In experiment 2, fractional deposition rate was 6.2% lower, but fractional breakdown rate 9.4% higher in the LL than the FL birds, whilst there was essentially no difference in response of the FL and LL birds in the components of protein turnover to increase in protein intake. Line differences in deposition and breakdown rates were thus a reflection of the considerably higher (20%) food and hence protein intake in the FL than the LL birds. 5. The differential line responses in protein turnover in the two experiments suggest that selection for increased breast muscle yield and for reduced body fatness manipulate different physiological pathways in relation to protein turnover, but neither selection strategy results in an improvement in net protein utilisation at typical levels of protein intake by birds on commercial broiler diets, through a reduction in protein breakdown rate.     

五味子提取物对低脂系肉仔鸡肉质的影响

本试验采用单因子试验设计,将144羽1日龄健康、体重均一的低脂系肉仔鸡随机分为两组,每组6个重复,每个重复12羽。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组饲喂添加0.125%五味子提取物组的基础日粮,试验期为8周,研究五味子提取物对低脂系肉仔鸡肉质的影响。结果表明:(1)与对照组相比,五味子提取物组肉仔鸡胸肌纤维密度显著提高,腿肌直径显著降低(P0.05),腿肌纤维密度有升高趋势,胸肌直径有降低趋势;(2)与对照组相比,五味子提取物组胸肌和腿肌的水分、蛋白质与脂肪含量无显著差异(P0.05);(3)五味子提取物显著降低了肉仔鸡胸肌和腿肌剪切力(P0.05),胸肌和腿肌pH、红度(a*)、黄度(b*)有升高趋势(P0.05),滴水损失和蒸煮损失有降低趋势(P0.05)。     

不同饲养方式对淮南麻黄鸡肉品质的影响

为研究饲养方式对淮南麻黄鸡肉质性状的影响,对20只62周龄的淮南麻黄鸡母鸡(笼养和放养各10只)肉品质和胸肌蛋白质、总脂肪酸、游离脂肪酸、水分和16种氨基酸含量进行了测定。结果表明,饲养方式对鸡肉pH、剪切力和腿肌肉色无显著影响(P>0.05),对鸡肉系水力和胸肌肉色影响显著(P<0.05或P<0.01)。放养母鸡鸡肉蛋白质、脂肪酸、游离脂肪酸和精氨酸含量显著或极显著低于笼养母鸡(P<0.05或P<0.01);水分、鲜味氨基酸谷氨酸、甘氨酸、丙氨酸和天冬氨基显著或极显著高于笼养母鸡(P<0.05或P<0.01);人体必需氨基酸赖氨酸显著高于笼养母鸡(P<0.05),缬氨酸、异亮氨酸、亮氨酸、苯丙氨酸、组氨酸极显著高于笼养母鸡(P<0.01)。表明放养母鸡鸡肉肉质好,含有较多鲜味氨基酸和人体必需氨基酸,是较好的人体营养补品。     

Meat quality traits and muscle characteristicsin high or low fear lines of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) subjected to acute stress

1. The influence of acute stress before slaughter on muscle and meat quality was studied in adult male quail from lines divergently selected for long (LTI) or short (STI) duration of tonic immobility (TI) and from the unselected (C) control line. 2. When subjected to acute stress, birds from the long TI line responded differently to those of the control or the low fear lines. LTI birds exhibited: a higher plasma creatine kinase and a smaller increase in plasma corticosterone levels, a higher pHu and drip loss values for breast meat associated with no differences in L*a*b* colour values; a higher percentage of fast glycolytic myofibres (IIb) and correspondingly (correlate) higher glycolytic (activity) in the pectoralis major (PM) muscle, and consequently lower oxidative enzyme activity in the PM muscle. 3. It is concluded that acute stress affected muscle metabolism differently in the STI, C and LTI lines. Hence, selection for TI, which is correlated with underlying fearfulness, can indirectly lead to differences in meat quality.     

The effects of dietary protein independent of essential amino acids on growth and body composition in genetically lean and fat chickens

1. Growth performance between 28 and 49 d of age and carcase composition at 49 d in genetically lean (LL) and fat (FL) broilers fed on diets varying in non-essential amino acid (NEAA) concentrations were compared in 2 experiments. In experiment 1, 3 crude protein (CP) contents (133, 155, and 178 g/kg) were compared. In experiment 2, 4 CP levels (131, 150, 170 and 189 g/kg) were compared. All diets were supplemented with synthetic amino acids to cover the EAA requirement of the LL birds. 2. Weight gains of FL chickens were not affected by dietary treatments, while those of LL increased when CP level increased. 3. Reducing CP content always increased body lipids, abdominal fat and food conversion ratio in both lines in both experiments; however, the effect on abdominal fat was more pronounced in the FL birds. 4. Reducing CP concentration always decreased breast muscle proportion in both lines in both experiments, even when growth rate was not affected by CP. 5. It is concluded that LL chickens require diets more concentrated in NEAA than fat chickens and that there seems to be an effect of NEAA on breast muscle development.     

Effects of different rearing and feeding methods on meat quality and antioxidative properties in Chinese Yellow male broilers

1. This study examined responses of male broilers during a 42-d production cycle to two different rearing and feeding methods. 2. A total of 400 Chinese Yellow male broilers were allotted randomly at 21 d into two groups; the control was a typical indoor commercial rearing method and the treatment had outdoor access with scattered feeding (OS). Each group had 5 replicates with 40 birds per replicate. 3. Growth performance was similar for both groups from 21 to 63 d of age. OS birds had significantly lower abdominal fat percentage, meat shear force, drip loss, breast meat colour b* value and significantly higher pH value compared with the controls. OS birds had significantly lower muscle fibre diameter and greater muscle fibre density. Serum glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were significantly higher and the contents of cholesterol, lactic acid, glycogen and malondialdehyde of breast muscle were significantly lower in OS birds than controls. 4. The results suggest that the OS feeding method had no negative effects on performance (weight, gain, feed conversion rate, carcase traits) compared with controls, and appeared to be beneficial for meat quality indices and oxidative stability.     

Selection against abdominal fat percentage may increase intramuscular fat content in broilers

Excessive abdominal fat content (AFC) has negative impacts on feed efficiency and carcass quality. Unlike AFC, intramuscular fat content (IMFC) could be a favourable trait, which has a positive impact on meat quality. To meet consumers' needs, a long‐term goal of broiler breeders is to decrease AFC and improve the IMFC simultaneously. The current study was designed to investigate the relationship between AFC and IMFC and to compare IMFC, including the pectoral major muscle fat content (PIMFC) and intramuscular fat content of leg muscle (LIMFC), between two broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat percentage over 17 generations. The results showed that there was a significant difference in PIMFC and LIMFC between the two lines in all five generation populations used. The birds in the lean line had significantly lower AFC but higher PIMFC and LIMFC than the birds in the fat line. We also detected differences in the liver fat content (LFC) between the two lines and the results showed that birds in the fat line had significant higher LFC than birds in the lean line. Our results indicated that a desirable broiler line with higher IMFC but lower AFC could be obtained by genetic selection.     

Post mortem muscle metabolism and meat quality in three genetic types of turkey

1. A standard (FG, fast-growing), a black local or 'label', type (SG, slow-growing) turkey line, and the crossbreed between these two lines were compared for muscle post-mortem metabolism and related meat quality traits. 2. Ninety male turkeys (30 of each genetic type) were raised under the same experimental conditions until slaughter at 16 weeks of age. 3. Live weights at 16 weeks of age differed significantly (7.8, 6.0 and 4.2 kg, for the FG, crossbred and SG lines, respectively). Collagen content of Pectoralis superficialis (PS) muscle was higher in SG birds than in the other two types. 4. The rate of post-mortem glycogen depletion and lactate accumulation in PS and Ilio tibialis (IT) muscles were similar in the 3 lines, as were the rate and extent of post-mortem pH fall in PS muscle. In IT muscle, however, SG birds showed a slight but significantly faster pH decline. 5. Colour measurements indicated a paler breast muscle and a higher degree of myoglobin oxidation in SG birds at 24 h post mortem, than in both other lines. But these differences had disappeared after 4 and 7 d post mortem 6. SG birds showed higher drip loss and instrumentally-assessed toughness in breast muscle, compared with crossbred and FG birds. FG birds, however, had the lowest yield of breast meat after curing-cooking. 7. No marked differences in post-mortem metabolism were found between the three lines. However, differences in water-holding capacity of fresh and cured-cooked meat suggest that factors other than the rate and extent of post-mortem pH fall may contribute to the respective characteristics of these lines.     

Performance and meat quality of broiler chickens that are fed diets supplemented with Agaricus brasiliensis mushrooms

This trial was performed to study the use of the mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis as an alternative additive to antimicrobial growth promoters in broiler chicken diets and to assess the quality of the broiler chicken breast meat of birds that are fed diets containing this fungus. Thus, 595 1-day-old chicks were reared in reused poultry litter without anticoccidial and antimicrobial additives. The results showed that a concentration of 1.6 g mushrooms/kg diet was ideal for these birds because it provided better bird performance. When the birds’ immune system organs were analyzed, it was found that the addition of both mushrooms influenced the immune system organs of these broiler chickens. Adding A. brasiliensis to broiler chicken diets did not compromise breast meat quality.     

Effects of a meal feeding regimen and the availability of fresh alfalfa on growth performance and meat and bone quality of broiler genotypes

1. The aim of this study was to identify a feeding regimen that encourages good pasture use in slow (SG) and fast (FG) growing broiler genotypes under free-range management.

2. SG and FG birds fed on either an ad libitum (ADB) or a meal feeding (MEF) programme were given free outdoor access with or without fresh alfalfa from day 22 to 72 and from day 22 to 45, respectively. In two consecutive trials, 800 birds of each genotype were included in a factorial design using groups of 40 birds replicated 5 times.

3. Fresh alfalfa consumption did not improve growth performance and meat quality attributes, whereas the feeding regimen had significant implications. When compared with their ad libitum-fed counterparts, meal-fed birds showed a significantly lower body weight at a considerably lower feed consumption rate, leading to a more favourable feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the course of the experiment.

4. The MEF regimen with a strong feed limitation significantly increased crop and gizzard weight in both genotypes. In FG birds, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss and pH 45 in the breast and thigh meat were adversely affected by MEF; however, feed restriction demonstrated benefits with significant decreases in muscle fat accumulation. In SG birds, decreases in protein and dry matter content of the breast and thigh muscle with meal feeding were conclusive.

5. In both genotypes, there was no treatment-related effect on meat yield, mineral composition of the meat or bone mechanical properties.

6. In conclusion, MEF, irrespective of alfalfa intake, may provide a viable method to decrease FCR; it may be able to contribute to the production of chickens with lean carcasses but it was not capable of improving overall meat quality.     

优质鸡肌内脂肪含量与屠体及肉质性状间的关系

选用优质鸡父本和母本各 3个组成 5个杂交组合 ,饲养杂交后代 182 1只 ,在 10周龄时对其中 2 10只进行屠宰测定 ,并分析了胸肌肌内脂肪含量与屠宰率、胸肌率、腿肌率、肌间脂宽、皮下脂厚、腹脂率、胸肌pH值、胸肌剪切力等性状之间的关系。结果表明 ,个体胸肌肌内脂肪含量为 1.93%～ 9.6 3% ,总体平均值为 4 .76 %。其中峪口黄鸡♂×矮小隐性白♀组合增重最快、肌内脂肪含量高 ,符合优质鸡的育种目标。优质鸡父本相同的杂交后代 ,其平均肌内脂肪含量差异不显著 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,表现出同一父本的一致性。母本相同而父本不同的杂交后代 ,其平均肌内脂肪含量差异显著 (P <0 .0 5 )。同一组合内不同性别间肌内脂肪含量差异不显著 (P >0 .0 5 )。肌内脂肪含量与皮下脂厚和腹脂率的相关性因杂交配套组合而异 ,而与活重、屠体重、屠宰率、胸角宽、肌间脂宽、胸肌率、腿肌率这些性状均无显著相关     

德化黑鸡的肌肉品质分析

对150日龄、180日龄的德化黑鸡肌肉的肉品质指标(肉色、失水率、嫩度、pH值、水分、粗蛋白质、粗脂肪、肌苷酸、脂肪酸、肌纤维直径、肌纤维密度、黑色素)进行了测定。通过对德化黑鸡肉品质客观指标的综合分析,德化黑鸡具有市场需求的优良肉质和风味。     

复合益生菌对北京油鸡屠宰性能和肉品质的影响

为研究复合益生菌对北京油鸡屠宰性能和肉品质的影响,采用2×3两因子析因试验设计,选择648只1日龄北京油鸡雏鸡随机分为3个处理,分别为对照组(基础饲粮)、抗生素组(基础饲粮中添加50 g/t杆菌肽锌)和益生菌组(基础饲粮中添加由产朊假丝酵母菌、枯草芽孢杆菌、嗜酸乳杆菌复合而成的复合益生菌,育雏期添加0.5 kg/t,育成期添加0.7 kg/t)。每个处理公母各半,每个性别9个重复,每个重复12只鸡,试验期为16周。正试期的第16周,从每个处理组的每个性别各随机选取9只北京油鸡进行屠宰,测定屠宰性能和肉品质。结果表明:各处理组北京油鸡屠宰率、半净膛率、全净膛率、胸肌率、腿肌率和腹脂率均无显著差异(P>0.05),胸肌和腿肌pH、肉色、滴水损失率、蒸煮损失率和剪切力也均无显著差异(P>0.05),且处理和性别也没有表现出显著的交互作用(P>0.05)。但复合益生菌和杆菌肽锌组北京油鸡胸肌粗脂肪含量较对照组分别降低了36.67%和28.81%,粗蛋白质含量分别提高了1.78%和2.00%。     

Cloning,tissue expression and polymorphisms of chicken Krüppel‐like factor 7 gene

Krüppel‐like factor 7 (KLF7) has been extensively studied in mammalian species, but its role in birds is still unclear. In the current study, cloning and sequencing showed that the full‐length coding region of chicken KLF7 (Gallus gallus KLF7, gKLF7) was 891 bp long, encoding 296 amino acids. In addition, real‐time RT‐PCR analysis showed that gKLF7 was broadly expressed in all 15 chicken tissues selected, and its expression was significantly different in spleen, proventriculus, abdominal fat, brain, leg muscle, gizzard and heart between fat and lean broilers at 7 weeks of age. Additionally, one novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), XM_426569.3: c. A141G, was identified in the second exon of gKLF7. Association analysis showed that this locus was significantly associated with fatness traits in Arbor Acres broiler random population and the eighth generation of Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content (NEAUHLF) population (P < 0.05). These results suggest that gKLF7 might be a candidate gene for chicken fatness traits.