Evaluation for Meat Quality Performance of Broiler Chicken

The goal of this study was to evalaute the meat quality of broiler chicken by defining Meat Quality Index (MQI). Meat quality is a complex trait which is consist of several meat quality indicators and affected by a series of factors. So, evaluation for the meat quality of broiler is indeed a difficult project In this study, the coupling model of Principal Component Analysis and Linear programming techniques for Multidimensional Analysis of Preferences (PCA-LINMAP) was constructed to evaluate meat quality performance of broiler chicken and 250 chickens both cocks and hens from 5 populations (S01, S02, S03, SOS, D99 developed by Dahen Poultry Breeding Company and Sichuan Animal Science Academy) were used as an application case, the eight main meat quality indicators of breast muscle and leg muscle were collected. About 4 representative indicators were selected by cluster analysis, they are crude fat, ultimate pH, muscle fibre number and drip loss. And then the meat quality index was constructed by PCA-LINMAP coupling model, the results show that the meat quality of S01 is the best, S03 came next, D99 came last and meat quality of female is superior to the cock in each line. Finally, the value range of MQI was identified based on its property. The PCA-LINMAP model made the evaluation for meat quality easily and the all main meat quality indicators were gathered to one integrated trait which could be contained in the breeding plan with other traits such as production and reproduction traits of broiler.