Nadine Sellier

Variations in chicken breast meat quality: implications of struggle and muscle glycogen content at death.

1. Pectoralis major (P. major) muscle pH and meat quality traits were studied in relation to bird response to ante-mortem stress in three chicken lines: a fast-growing standard line (FGL), a slow-growing French ‘Label Rouge’ line (SGL) and a heavy line (HL). Ninety-nine birds of the three genetic types were slaughtered at their usual marketing age (6, 12 and 6 weeks for FGL, SGL and HL birds, respectively) on the same day. The birds of each line were divided into three different ante-mortem treatment groups: minimum stress (shackling for 10 s) (C), shackling for 2 min (SH) and acute heat plus shackling stress (exposure to 35°C for 3·5 h and shackling for 2 min before stunning) (H + SH). 2. Regardless of chicken line, wing flapping duration (WFD) between hanging and stunning was strongly negatively related to P. major muscle pH at 15 min post-mortem. It was also moderately negatively related to P. major muscle glycolytic potential (GP), which represents glycogen level at death. Increasing WFD induced an increased ultimate pH (pHu) only in HL. The consequences of increased WFD for breast meat traits were dependent on the chicken line: it induced lower L* and b* and higher a* and drip loss in SGL while it only increased breast a* in HL birds. By contrast, WFD variations did not alter breast meat quality traits of FGL birds. Regardless of the chicken line, increased GP was associated with lower pHu and higher L* and drip loss. In SGL, it also increased b* and decreased curing–cooking yield of breast meat. 3. Struggling activity on the shackle line and muscle glycogen content at death could partly explain line and pre-slaughter variations in breast meat pH and quality traits. The water holding capacity of the raw and cooked meat was impaired by long shackling in the case of SGL birds while it was barely affected by ante-mortem conditions in the two standard lines. In conditions which minimised bird struggling (C), SGL and FGL birds had meat with a better water holding ability than that of broilers from the heavy line. However, when broilers were subjected to SH or H + SH conditions, the breast meat water holding capacity of SGL birds was lowered to the same level as that of the heavy line birds.

Chicken meat quality: genetic variability and relationship with growth and muscle characteristics

BackgroundThe qualitative properties of the meat are of major importance for poultry breeding, since meat is now widely consumed as cuts or as processed products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic parameters of several breast meat quality traits and their genetic relationships with muscle characteristics in a heavy commercial line of broilers.ResultsSignificant levels of heritability (averaging 0.3) were obtained for breast meat quality traits such as pH at 15 min post-slaughter, ultimate pH (pHu), color assessed by lightness L*, redness a* and yellowness b*, drip loss, thawing-cooking loss and shear-force. The rate of decrease in pH early post-mortem and the final pH of the meat were shown to be key factors of chicken meat quality. In particular, a decrease in the final pH led to paler, more exudative and tougher breast meat. The level of glycogen stored in breast muscle estimated by the Glycolytic Potential (GP) at slaughter time was shown to be highly heritable (h2 0.43). There was a very strong negative genetic correlation (rg) with ultimate meat pH (rg -0.97), suggesting a common genetic control for GP and pHu. While breast muscle weight was genetically positively correlated with fiber size (rg 0.76), it was negatively correlated with the level of glycogen stored in the muscle (rg -0.58), and as a consequence it was positively correlated with the final pH of the meat (rg 0.84).ConclusionThis genetic study confirmed that selection should be useful to improve meat characteristics of meat-type chickens without impairing profitability because no genetic conflict was detected between meat quality and meat quantity. Moreover, the results suggested relevant selection criteria such as ultimate pH, which is strongly related to color, water-holding capacity and texture of the meat in this heavy chicken line.

Behavioural and physiological responses of three chicken breeds to pre-slaughter shackling and acute heat stress.

1. The aim of this study was to compare the behavioural and physiological responses to hanging and acute heat stress in three different chicken breeds. Chicks were obtained from a slow-growing French ‘Label Rouge’ line (SGL), a fast-growing standard line (FGL) and a heavy line (HL). The SGL, FGL and HL birds were slaughtered at their respective market ages of 12, 6 and 6 weeks, in an attempt to achieve similar body weights. Before stunning, birds were either shackled by their legs on the moving line for 2 min (shackling stress: SH) or placed in a room at 35°C and 60% of humidity for 3·5 h and then shackled for 2 min (acute heat stress plus shackling: H + SH) or subjected to minimal stress by shackling for 10 s before stunning (control group: C). 2. Bird physiological responses to the three pre-slaughter treatments were estimated by measuring blood corticosterone, glycaemia, creatine kinase activity, acid–base status and electrolyte concentration as well as lactate content and glycolytic potential in the breast (Pectoralis major) and thigh (Ilio tibialis) muscles. Behavioural responses to shackling stress were evaluated by measuring wing flapping duration, straightening up attempts and vocalisations. 3. Blood corticosterone was higher in SH and H + SH groups than in the C group, regardless of genotype. The struggling activity on the shackle line differed among chicken breeds. It was more intense and occurred more rapidly after hanging in the SGL birds than in both other breeds. Furthermore, SGL struggling activity was not affected by hanging duration while it increased with hanging duration in FGL and HL birds. 4. Wing flapping duration was negatively correlated with blood pH, bicarbonate concentration and positively correlated with breast muscle lactate content, indicating that struggling stimulated ante-mortem glycolysis activity in breast muscle. Acute heat stress affected blood Ca2+ and Na+ concentration and increased glycaemia and glycolytic potential of thigh muscle. 5. Both acute heat stress and shackling before slaughter were experienced as stressful events by all types of birds.

Plasma lipoproteins and liver lipids in two breeds of geese with different susceptibility to hepatic steatosis: changes induced by development and force-feeding.

Susceptibility to fatty liver in the force-fed goose is partly under genetic control. However, the mechanisms leading to liver steatosis in this avian model are poorly understood, but may involve perturbation in hepatic lipoprotein synthesis. Plasma lipoproteins were fractionated by density gradient ultracentrifugation from plasma of geese differing in their susceptibility to liver steatosis (Landes breed, highly susceptible; Rhine breed, partly resistant). The concentrations and chemical compositions of the major lipoprotein classes (VLDL, IDL, LDL and HDL) were characterized at 8, 22 and 27 wk of age and compared to the lipid composition of the corresponding liver. In non-force-fed geese, the lipoprotein profile was typical of birds, with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) predominating (4–5 g/L). However, at 22 and 27 wk of age, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were significantly lower in Landes geese suggesting that this breed may possess a lower ability to export liver lipids, which would explain its susceptibility to liver steatosis when overfed. The livers of force-fed geese were specifically enriched in triglyceride, and to a lesser extent, in cholesteryl esters and non-esterified fatty acids as compared to those of control geese of the same age (27 wk). This accumulation of lipids was more pronounced in the Landes breed and was responsible for the higher liver weight in that breed. In both breeds, liver steatosis was accompanied by an increase in plasma levels of HDL (11 g/L), whereas low-density lipoproteins were essentially absent. An increase in VLDL plasma levels occurred in the Landes breed only (2.51 g/Lvs 1.85 g/L in the Rhine breed), and was positively correlated with liver weight. However, VLDL in force-fed geese in both breeds were deficient in triglyceride (28–29% by wt) but enriched in cholesterol (41% by wt). These results indicate that a defect in the incorporation of triglyceride into nascent hepatic VLDL may result in liver steatosis in this species.

Influence of orotic acid and estrogen on hepatic lipid storage and secretion in the goose susceptible to liver steatosis

Fatty liver in the goose results from an increased hepatic lipogenesis in response to overfeeding, together with a deficient secretion of triacylglycerol as very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Orotic acid and estrogen, which both modify lipid metabolism in the liver, were used in male geese as tools to understand the alterations of liver lipids and plasma lipoproteins during the induction of liver steatosis. Liver lipids were analyzed after solvent extraction and plasma lipoproteins after separation by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Contrary to what is known in the rat, orotic acid (1% in food for 2 weeks) failed to induce liver steatosis. In force-fed geese, liver weight increased from approximately 100 g to approximately 800 g in 2 weeks, as a consequence of a specific accumulation of triacylglycerol. In both groups, VLDL contained less triacylglycerol (35%) than normal. Such an uncoupling of triacylglycerol synthesis and secretion, of which the precise reason is still unknown, may facilitate their accumulation when force-feeding increases hepatic lipogenesis. As with force-feeding, triacylglycerol synthesis was enhanced by estrogen, but their secretion as VLDL was very efficient and prevented liver steatosis almost completely. Since HDL concentrations were considerably decreased by estrogen, VLDL were the main lipoprotein species, with 48 g/l and 62% triacylglycerol. Where estrogen-treated geese were force-fed concomitantly, VLDL concentration was even higher (62 g/l), but triacylglycerol secretion could not prevent liver steatosis (liver weight 640 g). The data are discussed in relation to in vitro studies showing that channelling of triacylglycerol towards secretion as VLDL or hepatic storage depends on their residence time in the different intracellular compartments.

Genetic relationships between feed conversion ratio, growth curve and body composition in slow-growing chickens

1. Relationships between feed conversion ratio, growth curve parameters and carcase composition were investigated on 1061 chickens from a slow-growing line of label-type chickens. The growth curve was modelled with the Gompertz function. Individual feed conversion ratio (FCR) was recorded between 8 and 10 weeks of age and residual feed consumption (RES) was calculated over the same interval. Abdominal fat yield (AFY), breast yield (BRY) and leg yield (LY) were also measured on the birds following slaughter at 75 d of age. 2. The means for FCR and RES were 3·15 and 0·62 g, respectively. Growth curve parameters were 0·141/d for initial specific growth rate (L), 0·031/d for maturation rate (K) and 48·9 d for age at inflexion (TI). Mean values for BRY, LY and AFY were 166, 306 and 40 g/kg, respectively. 3. Heritability of FCR and RES were moderate to high (0·33 and 0·38 to 0·45). Growth curve parameters and LY were moderately heritable (0·22 to 0·34) and BRY and AFY were highly heritable (0·50 and 0·66). Genetic correlations between growth curve parameters and either FCR or RES were low to moderate (−0·31 to 0·51). LY and AFY were highly correlated with FCR (−0·70 and 0·44) and RES (−0·32 and 0·44) but BRY was not (0·00 and −0·35). These results show that indirect selection for feed conversion ratio is possible by using growth curve parameters and abdominal fatness, which do not require rearing the chickens in cages.

Resistance to Salmonella carrier state: selection may be efficient but response depends on animal's age.

Increasing resistance to acute salmonellosis (defined as bacteraemia in animals showing symptoms) is not sufficient for food safety, because of the risk of carrier state (when animals excrete bacteria without showing any symptoms). Increased resistance to Salmonella carrier state is therefore needed. Two experiments of divergent selection on resistance at a younger and a later age lead to significant differences between lines and allowed estimating genetic parameters on 4262 animals. Heritability of resistance was estimated at 0.16 in chicks, while it varied from 0.14 to 0.23 with analysed organ in adult hens. Genetic correlations between contamination of the different organs ranged from 0.46 to 0.67, while correlations between resistance at both ages were estimated at -0.50, showing that increasing genetic resistance of hens will reduce resistance in chicks. Highest estimated absolute values of genetic correlations between resistance and production traits were, for chicken contamination level, with number of eggs laid between 41 and 60 (0.37) and, for adult contamination, with number of eggs laid between 18 and 24 (0.37) or 25 and 40 (-0.33) weeks of age.

QTL for resistance to Salmonella carrier state confirmed in both experimental and commercial chicken lines

The ability of chickens to carry Salmonella without displaying disease symptoms is responsible for Salmonella propagation in poultry stocks and for subsequent human contamination through the consumption of contaminated eggs or meat. The selection of animals more resistant to carrier state might be a way to decrease the propagation of Salmonella in poultry stocks and its transmission to humans. Five QTL controlling variation for resistance to carrier state in a chicken F(2) progeny derived from the White Leghorn inbred lines N and 6(1) had been previously identified using a selective genotyping approach. Here, a second analysis on the whole progeny was performed, which led to the confirmation of two QTL on chromosomes 2 and 16. To assess the utility of these genomic regions for selection in commercial lines, we tested them together with other QTL identified in an [Nx6(1)] x N backcross progeny and with the candidate genes SLC11A1 and TLR4. We used a commercial line divergently selected for either low or high carrier-state resistance both in young chicks and in adult hens. In divergent chick lines, one QTL on chromosome 1 and one in the SLC11A1 region were significantly associated with carrier-state resistance variations; in divergent adult lines, one QTL located in the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 16 and one in the SLC11A1 region were involved in these variations. Genetic studies conducted on experimental lines can therefore be of potential interest for marker-assisted selection in commercial lines.

Modulation of glycogen and breast meat processing ability by nutrition in chickens: Effect of crude protein level in 2 chicken genotypes

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of 2 isoenergetic growing diets with different CP (17 vs. 23%) on the performance and breast meat quality of 2 lines of chicken divergently selected for abdominal fatness [i.e., fat and lean (LL) lines]. Growth performance, breast and abdominal fat yields, breast meat quality parameters (pH, color, drip loss), and muscle glycogen storage at death were measured. Increased dietary CP resulted in increased BW, increased breast meat yield, and reduced abdominal fatness at slaughter regardless of genotype (P < 0.001). By contrast, dietary CP affected glycogen storage and the related meat quality parameters only in the LL chickens. Giving LL chickens the low-CP diet led to reduced concentration of muscle glycogen (P < 0.01), and as a result, breast meat with a higher (P < 0.001) ultimate pH, decreased (P < 0.001) lightness, and reduced (P < 0.001) drip loss during storage. The decreased muscle glycogen content observed in LL receiving the low-CP diet compared with the high-CP diet occurred concomitantly with greater phosphorylation amount for the α-catalytic subunit of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and glycogen synthase. This was consistent with the reduced muscle glycogen content observed in LL fed the low-CP diet because adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibits glycogen synthesis through its action on glycogen synthase. Our results demonstrated that nutrition is an effective means of modulating breast meat properties in the chicken. The results also highlighted the need to take into account interaction with the genetic background of the animal to select nutritional strategies to improve meat quality traits in poultry.

Effects of xylanase and antibiotic supplementations on the nutritional utilisation of a wheat diet in growing chicks from genetic D+ and D− lines selected for divergent digestion efficiency

The experiment consisted of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design testing the two D+ and D- chicken lines selected for divergent digestion efficiency (fifth selection generation), xylanase (with or without) and ampicillin and collistin (with or without) supplementations. From 8 to 22 days, 144 chickens (18 birds per treatment) were fed a diet containing 55% wheat from a high-viscosity cultivar (Rialto). Effects of treatments were evaluated on individual growth performance (8 to 19 days), digestibilities of lipids and dry matter, dietary energy value (apparent metabolisable energy corrected to zero-nitrogen retention (AMEn)), digestive organ and breast sizes, and intestinal bile acids at 3 weeks of age. Individual variabilities were much lower in D+ than in D- birds for feed : gain ratios, digestibilities and AMEn values. In all cases, feed : gain ratios were lower in the D+ than in the D- line (P < 0.001), and D+ birds showed 22% to 86% higher values than in D- birds (P < 0.001) for digestibilities and AMEn. In D- birds, antibiotics but not xylanase supplementation had significant effects on lipid digestibility (P < 0.01) and AMEn (P < 0.05), whereas both supplements improved these parameters in D+ birds (P < 0.001 for both additives on lipids digestibility, P < 0.05 for xylanase and P < 0.01 for antibiotics on AMEn). Relative weights of gizzard and proventriculus, and gizzard : intestine weight ratio were higher in D+ than in D- birds, while relative weight of intestine was increased in D- birds compared with D+ birds. Antibiotics reduced intestine relative weight in D+ (P < 0.001) and D- (P < 0.01) lines. AMEn variations were efficiently predicted by the gizzard : intestine weight ratio. In conclusion, antibiotics were very efficient for improving growth performance, AMEn and digestibility values in both chicken lines. Xylanase was less efficient than antibiotics. Because of their low individual variabilities, D+ birds were much more efficient than D- ones for the detection of significant effects induced by xylanase supplementation. Differences between lines in feed : gain ratio, digestibilities and AMEn were reduced when xylanase and antibiotics were added together. Effects of xylanase supplementation and animal genetics on lipid digestibility could not be entirely explained in terms of intestinal bile acids. Other factors should be involved, especially for the lipid digestibility difference induced by animal genetics. The gizzard : intestine weight ratio was an efficient parameter for predicting AMEn variations due to animal genetics and additives.