DefinePK

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate quality of breast meat in White Leghorn layers during molt and post molt production cycle. One hundred and twenty layers (72 week old) of uniform body weight (1.51±0.04) were taken for induction of molt through feed withdrawal method. Out of this flock 10 birds at pre molt and 10 at post fast (10 days of fasting) stage were randomly picked up, slaughtered and breast meat samples were collected for further processing. After 10 days of fasting, remaining 100 hens were offered cracked corn diet for 25 days. After the completion of molting, 10 more bird were slaughtered and breast meat samples were collected. The remaining hens were then provided ad-libitum layer ration during 2nd production cycle. Ten birds each at 50% egg production stage and at the end of 2nd production cycle were slaughtered and breast meat samples were collected. All samples were analyzed for proximate composition and organoleptic properties. Results regarding proximate composition of layer meat determined at different stages of molting and post molt production revealed that protein content (22.59±0.44%) of breast meat were significantly (P<0.05%) increased whereas, dry matter, ether extract and ash contents were significantly decreased at post fast stage with respect to other stages. Maximum color (7.57±0.21) score was found in breast meat at post molt while minimum (P<0.05%) color scores (6.67±0.11) was observed at 50% production stage. However, tenderness (6.38±0.22) and juiciness (6.52±0.18) were reduced to minimum (P<0.05) at post-molt stage and were maximum at the end of 2nd production cycle. These results indicate that breast meat of molted layer at the end of 2nd production cycle has almost similar nutritional values with more juiciness and tenderness.