Comparison of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Goliath Chickens to Local and Cobb 500 Chickens
Comparison of Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Goliath Chickens to Local and Cobb 500 Chickens
Ahokpossi AGAC1,2*, Salifou CFA2, Youssao Abdou Karim I2, Ameyapoh Y3
ABSTRACT
Carcass composition and meat quality vary between species and within species vary by breed. The objective of the study was to compare the carcass and meat quality characteristics of Goliath chickens recently developed by farmers with those of local chickens and exotic chickens commonly found in Benin. Thus, data on carcass characteristics, and sensory meat quality were collected on 120 chickens divided into four groups: (1 and 2), each composed of 20 males and 20 females Goliath chickens, group 3 was composed of local chickens (10 males and 10 females) and group 4 was composed of 20 Cobb 500 broilers. These birds were reared in intensive system (IS) and free-range system (FS). Groups 1 and 4 were reared in confinement and slaughtered at 12 weeks of age and 8 weeks of age, respectively; groups 2 and 3 were reared in free-range and slaughtered at 20 weeks of age. The slaughter ages were chosen according to farmers’ practices. For the confinement-raised birds, Cobb 500 had the highest averages of live weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, breast weight, wing weight, and thigh-to-drumstick weight, and the highest carcass yield and proportion of breast (P<0.001). The Cobb 500 have whiter meat. Based on the sensory characteristics, the meat of Goliath was more tender than Cobb 500 The muscle of local chickens was more reddish and yellowish than that of the Goliath (P<0.001). The meat of Goliath chicken was rated higher than that of the locals by panelists. Regardless of farming methods, the meat of Goliath chickens was accepted and appreciated by the panelists.
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