Carcass and meat quality of red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) selected for muscle growth

Muscle growth affects the metabolome of the pectoralis major muscle in red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens)

“…Red-winged tinamous were classified using a phenotypic selection index established in 2017 ( Martins et al, 2023 ). Briefly, the selection index was composed of growth traits such as live weight and chest and thigh circumference at 180 d of life and male reproductive traits such as semen volume and sperm concentration.…”

“…After hatching, as previously reported by Martins et al (2023) , the chick weight of the second generation of the 2 experimental groups was measured with a digital scale (TinamouS = 38.9 ± 3.6 g; TinamouC = 39.7 ± 3.3 g; P = 0.64). The birds were identified with a ring on the right wing, submitted to a sanitary protocol, and allocated to same pen- with coast cross hay bedding, which was changed every 30 d. The animals were provided with a prestarter phase commercial feed containing 230 g/kg of crude protein.…”

“…Twenty male animals ( n = 10 per group) were weighed at 180 d (TinamouS = 579.67 ± 63.48 g; TinamouC = 494.05 ± 63.81 g; P = 0.02) and at 350 d of life (TinamouS = 697.39 ± 47.22 g; TinamouC = 612.10 ± 45.76 g; P = 0.004) ( Martins et al, 2023 ). The animals were sent to the slaughterhouse where they were stunned, bled, scalded at 57°C for up to 2 min, eviscerated, and identified.…”

“…The animals were sent to the slaughterhouse where they were stunned, bled, scalded at 57°C for up to 2 min, eviscerated, and identified. The hot carcass weight, weights of skinless breast, back, wing, thigh, drumstick, heart, liver and intestine, carcass yield, and breast yield data had been collected and published in a previous study from our research group ( Martins et al, 2023 ). During slaughter, samples of the pectoralis major muscle were collected from each bird, immediately immersed in liquid nitrogen, and stored at −80°C for the metabolomic assays.…”

“…In this scenario, a selection index should be used, which permits to improve the aggregate breeding value of a given population by thoughtfully combining multiple traits of economic interest ( Hazel and Lush, 1942 ; Cunningham and Tauebert, 2009 ). A previous study from our group using the same red-winged tinamou population found that the use of a selection index promotes greater body growth while preserving meat quality of the birds ( Martins et al, 2023 ).…”