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Title: EFFECTS OF AGE, SEX, AND DURATION OF POST-MORTEM AGING ON PERCENTAGE YEILD OF PARTS FROM BROILER CHICKEN CARCASSES

Author
item Young, Louis
item NORTHCUTT, JULIE - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Lyon, Clyde
item WARE, GLENN - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Percentage yields of parts such as breasts, drumsticks, and filets from male and female chickens of varying ages and slaughtered using alternative carcass aging times were studied in order to give food manufacturers guidance in anticipating yields over a wide array of market conditions. Generally speaking, yields of meatier parts were enhanced by birds' maturity and shorter carcass aging times. Carcasses from female birds produced higher percentage yields of meatier parts than those of male birds. Food companies can use this information to customize growing and processing conditions for maximum efficiency which will lead in turn to lower food costs for consumers.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of age, sex and post-mortem carcass aging duration on parts yield from broiler chickens. Two hundred twenty-four mixed sex broilers were reared under commercial- like conditions for various periods between 37 and 51 d, slaughtered, packed in ice, and then aged for 0, 2, 4, or 6 h. Mean percentage yield of thighs, drumsticks, forequarters, wings, breasts, and filets were evaluated for each rearing period, sex, and post-mortem aging duration. Yield of meatier parts such as thighs, forequarters, breasts, and filets increased with birds' ages. Female carcasses produced higher percentage yields of forequarters, breasts, and filets, but lower yields of drumsticks. Carcasses aged two hours or more post-mortem tended to have lower yields of forequarters, breasts, and drumsticks than did carcasses aged for shorter durations. No statistically significant interactions among age, sex, or post-mortem aging duration which affected yield of parts were detected. This information is useful to integrated poultry firms wishing to optimize yield of the most commercially valuable parts.