Comparison of some meat and liver quality traits in Muscovy and Pekin ducks

Abstract

The objective of the study was to compare Muscovy and Pekin ducks for proximate analysis, colour attributes, tenderness, meat microstructure, and content of some minerals in meat and liver. The material of the study was sexed 51 Muscovy ducks and 47 Pekin ducks. At the end of the rearing period, 40 birds were selected for dissection. Duck genotype influenced the content of water, protein, fat, collagen, zinc, iron, haematin, and redness, chroma, hue angle, WB shear force, muscle fibre diameter and density of the breast muscle, and also protein, fat, magnesium, iron, haematin content, WB shear force and lightness of the leg muscle. The sex of ducks had an impact on the content of water, protein, fat, potassium, copper, on redness, chroma and muscle fibre diameter of breast muscle, and on water, protein, fat, sodium, potassium, magnesium and copper in liver content of the leg muscle. The genotype-sex interaction was significant for water, protein and sodium content, redness, chroma of breast muscles; for water, protein, sodium, magnesium and haematin content, redness and chroma of leg muscles; and for phosphorus content in the liver. Muscovy ducks had more favourable chemical composition and poorer tenderness and microstructural characteristics compared to the meat of Pekin ducks.

Calcium supplementation in low nutrient density diet for meat ducks improves breast meat tenderness associated with myocyte apoptosis and proteolytic changes

“…Of note, in the present experiment slaughter age had large effects on color and tenderness of the breast muscle. A greater force had to be applied to cut breast muscles in older birds than in younger ones, which is consistent with previous findings in broilers ( Chen et al., 2007 ), geese ( Uhlirova et al., 2018 ), and ducks ( Kokoszyński et al., 2021 ; Muhlisin et al., 2013 ). This is probably associated with the lower muscle fiber diameter of lighter ducks.…”

“…Taking meat color into account, the change in color indicated by a lower L∗, and a higher a∗ of breast muscle as the birds matured could be related to the development of the muscle tissue, i.e., increases in cross-sectional area of muscle fiber or increases in collagen content and cross-linking with age ( Dransfield and Sosnicki, 1999 ). In addition, the darker color of meat in older ducks probably resulted from a significantly higher content of haem pigments accompanied by better blood supply to the muscles ( Kokoszyński et al., 2021 ).…”

Comparative analysis between multi-strain probiotics and antibiotic as starter feed supplement of poultry on growth performance, serum metabolites and meat quality

“…Research has demonstrated that supplementing feed with probiotics considerably raised the protein content of meat while reduced the fat content of broiler meat, which concur with the findings of the current inquiry ( Chen et al, 2014 ). Current research has also confirmed that the probiotics' effects were evident in the treated ducks' higher levels of protein and decreased levels of fat in their meat ( Kokoszyński et al, 2021 ).…”

Fatty Acid Profile, Health Lipid Indices, and Sensory Properties of Meat from Pekin Ducks of Different Origins

“…It can be assessed instrumentally or organoleptically. Meat tenderness is determined by the type and diameter of the muscle fibres, the proportion of perimysium and epimysium, the rate of proteolytic changes post mortem, the water holding capacity, and the ultimate pH [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. The meat of young broiler-type commercial birds is more tender than that of older birds due to the smaller diameter of the muscle fibres and the better solubility of the collagen.…”