EFFECT OF FEED WITHDRAWAL ON YIELDS, MUSCLE PH, AND TEXTURE OF BROILER BREAST MEAT

The effects of various feed withdrawal times on yields, pH, and shear values of breast meat deboned 4 h post-mortem (PM) were determined. A total of 144 commercially reared female broilers was obtained from the holding area of a local processor, and housed for 5 days in floor pens to recover from the stress associated with transport to the plant. After 5 days, the birds were placed in one of two finishing batteries for 48 h prior to feed withdrawal treatments. Feed withdrawal times were 0, 8, 16, or 24 h prior to slaughter. Measurements included live shrink, prechill and postchill carcass yields, breast meat yield, pH at 2 and 4 h PM, and shear values. There was a progressive loss in body weight as feed withdrawal time increased. The 0-h withdrawal treatment resulted in the lowest prechill yield. Quadratic effect of feed withdrawal on shear values was significant. Breast meat from the 0-h withdrawal treatment required more force to shear, 7.09 kg, than did the meat from the 8 and 16 h treatments, 5.84 and 5.78 kg, respectively; meat from the 24-h treatment required 6.01 kg. The results indicate that feed withdrawal schedules can affect not only the carcass yields but also the objective texture of broiler meat deboned 4 h PM.