The effect of a housing system in slaughter turkeys on mechanical damage to carcass and meat quality

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The aim of the experiment was to find out whether the housing of Polish white broad-breasted heavy type turkeys J-22 on sla�ed floor (group I) and li�er floor (group II) has an effect on the final body weight, body weight loss during transportation, mechanical damage to carcass and physical and chemical properties of breast meat. The turkeys were kept in controlled environment: turkey hens for 16 weeks (group I -29 birds; group II -30 birds) and turkey cocks for 23 weeks (group I -21 birds; group II -28 birds) in compliance with the parameters recommended for this species. The turkey cocks kept on the sla�ed floor made of metal mesh had lower final body weight (11 929 g), higher body weight losses during transportation (2.41%) and higher number of birds with damaged carcasses (95%) in comparison with the turkey cocks kept on the li�er floor (13 307 g, 1.94% and 54%, respectively). Moreover, higher levels of lactic acid (turkey hens 119.83 µM/g; turkey cocks 148.09 µM/g) and larger juice area (6.5 cm 2 , 8.27 cm 2 , respectively) in breast meat a�er slaughter were found in the turkeys of both sexes kept on the sla�ed floor compared to the turkeys kept on the li�er floor (108.79 µM/g and 6.25 cm 2 , respectively for turkey hens and 128.29 µM/g and 5.23 cm 2 , respectively for turkey cocks). The values of meat pH 1 , pH 2 and pH 3 for all the groups were typical of good quality meat and ranged between pH 1 6.22-6.27, pH 2 5.85-6.06 and pH 3 5.55-5.64. However the production performance results indicate that the housing of heavy turkeys on sla�ed floor is not recommended.