Age-related changes in the growth performance, meat quality, and oxidative processes in breast muscles of three chicken genotypes

Authors: MONIKA MICHALCZUK, ARTUR JÓZWIK, KRZYSZTOF DAMAZIAK, ZANETA ZDANOWSKA-SASIADEK, AGATA MARZEC, DARIUSZ GOZDOWSKI, NINA STRZALKOWSKA

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine growth performance, meat quality, and oxidative changes in breast muscles depending on the genotype and age of broiler chickens. The experiment was conducted on 1080 chickens: fast-growing Cobb 500, medium-growing Hubbard JA957, and a slow-growing experimental line. Chickens from all genetic groups were reared on litter for 8 weeks, but from the 5th week of age, 15 chickens from each group were slaughtered every week. After slaughter at weeks 5, 6, 7, and 8 of chickens? lives, their muscles were sampled for chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and cholesterol. Contents of reduced glutathione and ascorbic acid were determined as well. The fast-growing chickens achieved the highest daily gain and daily meat weight gain compared with the medium-growing chickens and the slow-growing experimental line. Meat of the fast-growing and medium-growing chickens was characterized by antioxidative potential decreasing with age, which was manifested by a decreased content of reduced glutathione. In turn, the slow-growing experimental line showed the lowest content of reduced glutathione (85.2 U/mL) in the sixth week and a systematic growth with age.

Keywords: Chickens, age, growth performance, meat quality, oxidative processes

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