Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect
s of preslaughter shackling durations
on some blood parameters, breast and thigh meat qua
lity traits, and muscle metabolites in
broilers. The effects of shackling were determined
in a group of Ross 308 broilers (240
birds) aged 42 days. Four shackling treatments were
used in experimental tests: shackling
of broilers for 10 (Group G
10
; as control), 30 (G
30
), 60 (G
60
), and 120 seconds (G
120
).
Results showed that corticosterone (CORT) level (23
14.79 pg ml
-1
) at 120 seconds
shackling group increased (P< 0.01). Results indica
ted that kinase (CK) activity was the
highest (2265.69 U I
-1
) in the 120 seconds shackling group while it was t
he lowest (1970.64
U I
-1
) in 10 s group according to the shackling duration
(P< 0.05). The breast meat
redness value increased due to increase in shacklin
g duration (P< 0.05). It was revealed
that shackling duration had decreased breast muscle
glycogen level in all treatment
groups (P< 0.001). Conversely, breast lactate level
increased according to increase in
shackling duration (P< 0.05). It was revealed that
there was a negative relationship (r= -
0.466) between breast meat ultimate pH and cooking
loss (CL) value in male broilers (P<
0.01). These results indicated that the preslaughte
r shackling procedure might be a
considerably stressful procedure for broilers, part
icularly exceeding 60 s. This study
suggested that broilers could be at disadvantage du
e to more struggle during long
duration shackling and accelerated postmortem glyco
lysis, which is detrimental to the
quality of breast meat.
Keywords:
Creatine kinase activity, Corticosterone, Glycogen
level, Lactate level, Wing
flapping
.
