The Influence of Nutrition, Sex and Slaughter Age on Characteristics of Pectoralis Major Muscle at Broiler Chickens Ross-308 (original) (raw)

In this paper was studied the effect of dietary energy and protein levels on characteristics of pectoralis major (P. major) muscle 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 breast muscles (five per sex) and for P. major were determined: the weight, pH value, the thickness of myocytes (fiber diameter, cross-sectional area of fibers). At the LE group, high levels of dietary proteins and energy has significantly influenced pH value and the thickness of myocytes in the P. major muscle, as compared with LC. The sex and slaughter age has significan...