Restricting the Intake of a Cereal-Based Feed in Free-Range-Pastured Poultry: Effects on Performance and Meat Quality

To evaluate the effect of a production system and feeding regimen on meat quality attributes of Naked Neck chickens, a total of 150 cockerels at 18 weeks old (1625 ± 70 g) were collected from 10 treatment groups with five replicates of three birds. The factorial arrangement of treatments consisted of two production systems (intensive and free-range) and five nutritional regimens, namely 100% commercial feed; 75% commercial feed plus 25% kitchen waste; 50% commercial feed plus 50% kitchen waste; 25% commercial feed plus 75% kitchen waste; and 100% kitchen waste. Carcass traits, meat quality, and meat organoleptic were found to differ significantly among production systems, feeding regimens, and their interaction. Higher liver weight was observed in birds reared under an intensive system. Higher gizzard weight was noted in birds fed with 100% kitchen waste, whereas lower gizzard weight was observed in birds fed the commercial diet. The meat from cockerels fed with 75% kitchen waste was most yellow, whereas the meat from the birds fed with 100% kitchen waste was least yellow. At two hours after slaughter, pH of the meat was highest in birds fed 50% kitchen waste and lowest in birds fed 100% kitchen waste. The interaction of production system and feeding regimen was significant for overall acceptability score. In conclusion, Naked Neck chickens performed equally well under intensive and free-range systems, irrespective of the level of kitchen waste that they were fed.

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Effect of the housing system (free-range vs. open air cages) on growth performance, carcass and meat quality and antioxidant capacity of rabbits

Meat Science ◽

10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.06.017 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 145 ◽

pp. 137-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rosa Loponte ◽

Giulia Secci ◽

Simone Mancini ◽

Fulvia Bovera ◽

Valentina Panettieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Housing System ◽

Free Range

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Performance and Meat Quality of Dual-Purpose Cockerels of Dominant Genotype Reared on Pasture

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10030387 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 387 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michaela Englmaierová ◽

Miloš Skřivan ◽

Tomáš Taubner ◽

Věra Skřivanová

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Ethical Problem ◽

Fibre Diameter ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dual Purpose ◽

Free Range ◽

Herbage Intake

The culling of layer cockerels due to economic inefficiency is an ethical problem. Organic or free-range fattening of these cockerels or dual-purpose genotypes breeding is a possible solution to this problem. The aim of the study was to assess the differences in performance and meat quality characteristics in dual-purpose cockerels Dominant of three genotypes (Dominant Sussex D 104, Dominant Brown D 102 and Dominant Tinted D 723, 100 cockerels per genotype) with access to pasture. The cockerels were housed in mobile boxes on the pasture herbage from the 50th to 77th day of age (stocking density: 0.108 m2/bird). The highest body weight on the 77th day of age (p < 0.001) and the nonsignificantly lowest feed conversion was achieved by Dominant Brown D 102 cockerels (1842 g and 2.79, respectively). Non-significantly higher pasture herbage intake on the 70th day of age was recorded in genotype Dominant Brown D 102 (7.41 g dry matter (DM)/bird/day) and Dominant Tinted D 723 (7.52 g DM/bird/day). The pasture herbage contained 56.9 mg/kg DM α-tocopherol, 170.3 mg/kg DM zeaxanthin and 175.0 mg/kg DM lutein and had a favourable n6/n3 ratio (0.26). The boiled meat of cockerels Dominant Tinted D723 showed the highest tenderness based on both the sensory evaluation (p = 0.022) and the value of shear force (p = 0.049). This corresponds with a higher (p < 0.001) cross-sectional area and muscle fibre diameter in these chickens. The highest content of n3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, clupanodonic and docosahexaenoic acids) in breast meat were found in Dominant Sussex D104 chickens (p < 0.001). In contrast, a significantly higher α-tocopherol content (p < 0.001) and higher oxidative stability (p = 0.012) were found in Dominant Brown D102 (4.52 mg/kg and 0.282 mg/kg) and Dominant Tinted D 723 chickens (4.64 mg/kg and 0.273 mg/kg) in comparison with the Dominant Sussex D104 genotype (3.44 mg/kg and 0.313 mg/kg). The values of the atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes were the lowest (p < 0.001) in meat from Dominant Brown D102 chickens. Moreover, a lower cholesterol content (p < 0.001) was recorded from the genotypes Dominant Brown D102 (396 mg/kg) and Dominant Tinted D723 (306 mg/kg) chickens, contrary to the Dominant Sussex D104 cockerels (441 mg/kg). It can be concluded that cockerels Dominant Brown D102 are a suitable genotype for free-range rearing due to higher performance and higher pasture herbage intake, which positively influences meat quality, whereas the meat of Dominant Sussex D104 cockerels shows higher amounts of n3 fatty acids and lower n6/n3 ratios.

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Effect of free-range days on a local chicken breed: Growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and lymphoid organ index

Poultry Science ◽

10.3382/ps.2013-03470 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 93 (8) ◽

pp. 1883-1889 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

H.B. Tong ◽

Q. Wang ◽

J. Lu ◽

J.M. Zou ◽

L.L. Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Lymphoid Organ ◽

Chicken Breed ◽

Carcass Yield ◽

Free Range ◽

Organ Index ◽

Local Chicken

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Meat quality parameters of broilers from different rearing systems

Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry ◽

10.2298/bah0504133b ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (3-4) ◽

pp. 133-140

Author(s):

Snezana Bogosavljevic-Boskovic ◽

Sreten Mitrovic ◽

Vera Radovic ◽

Milun Petrovic

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Point Of View ◽

Poultry Meat ◽

Experimental Investigations ◽

Meat Production ◽

Muscular Tissue ◽

Free Range ◽

Study Results

Bearing in mind certain established European Union regulations on non-industrial poultry meat production, experimental investigations were conducted with the aim to examine the effect of two different rearing systems (free-range rearing and extensive rearing in the chicken pen) on some meat quality characteristics. Investigation results on the shares of muscular tissue, bones and skin in major carcass parts (breasts, thighs and drumsticks) were used as poultry meat quality parameters. Based upon the obtained study results, it could be concluded that a somewhat higher meat share in breasts and drumsticks was recorded with the free-range-reared broilers as compared to the extensively reared ones. A somewhat higher meat share in the drumsticks was registered with the hens whereas other differences from the point of view of the sex effect were small.

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Growth and meat quality of three free-range chickens and commercial broiler under the same breeding conditions

Acta Scientiarum Animal Sciences ◽

10.4025/actascianimsci.v40i1.39663 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 39663 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Azdinia Zidane ◽

Adda Ababou ◽

Sarra Metlef ◽

Abdellatif Niar ◽

Kaddour Bouderoua

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Free Range ◽

Commercial Broiler

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Influence of free-range days on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, lymphoid organ indices, and blood biochemistry of Wannan Yellow chickens

Poultry Science ◽

10.3382/ps/pez504 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 (12) ◽

pp. 6602-6610 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sihua Jin ◽

Lei Yang ◽

He Zang ◽

Yuan Xu ◽

Xianzen Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Carcass Traits ◽

Lymphoid Organ ◽

Blood Biochemistry ◽

Free Range

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Low-protein diets with balanced amino acids reduce nitrogen excretion and foot pad dermatitis without affecting the growth performance and meat quality of free-range yellow broilers

Italian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1080/1828051x.2017.1400414 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 698-705 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Dan Shao ◽

Yiru Shen ◽

Xu Zhao ◽

Qiang Wang ◽

Yan Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Nitrogen Excretion ◽

Free Range ◽

Low Protein ◽

Foot Pad ◽

Protein Diets

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Do rearing system and free-range stocking density affect meat quality of chickens fed feed mixture with rapeseed oil?

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/79/2016-cjas ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 62 (No. 4) ◽

pp. 141-149 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

V. Skřivanová ◽

E. Tůmová ◽

M. Englmaierová ◽

D. Chodová ◽

M. Skřivan

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Rapeseed Oil ◽

Fatty Acid Content ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Live Weight ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Minor Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Free Range

Recently, consumers have paid an attention to animal-friendly meat. The aim of the study was to evaluate the meat quality of breast muscles in indoor and free-range chickens with respect to the stocking density of outdoor chickens (8.3 or 4.15 birds per m<sup>2</sup>) fed feed with rapeseed oil. The free-range chickens reached 96 and 97% of the final live weight of the indoor chickens and their feed : gain ratio was by 7 and 9% higher. The pasture intake had a small effect on the breast meat quality and was presumably associated with rapeseed oil in the basal diet which strongly influenced meat monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid content and reduced the effect of pasture. The free-range system and lower stocking density led to an increase in muscle fibre cross-sectional area and diameter and a higher meat shear force (P = 0.003). Concerning the meat sensory properties, the total acceptability of the meat of free-range chickens with a lower stocking density was found to be lower compared with the other groups.esults indicate a minor effect of the rearing system and free-range stocking density on chicken meat quality, and also that meat quality in experiments with free-range housing can be affected by a fat source in basal diet.

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