The effects of slaughter age on carcass traits

The aim of this study was to determine the slaughter age on the dressing percentage, carcass weight and carcass composition. Ross PM, hybrid broilers were slaughtered at 35, 42, 49, 56 and 63 days of age. Randomly selected 25-30 male and female broilers were slaughtered and, slaugheter weights, dressing percentage, abdominal fat, thigh percentage, breast percentage, back percentage, wing percentage and edible inner organ percentage of total carcass were determined. Dressing percentages at the slaughter ages were found 69.65 +/- 0.24%, 72.72 +/- 0.21%, 74.15 +/- 0.21%, 75.58 +/- 0.28% and 77.06 +/- 0.28% (P<0.05): edible inner organs 6.59 +/- 0.10%, 6.18 +/- 0.09%, 5.37 +/- 0.09%, 4.75 +/- 0.11% and 4.42 +/- 0.11% (P<0.05); abdominal fat as a percentage of live weight 2.61 +/- 0.16%, 2.83 +/- 0.14%, 3.20 +/- 0.14%, 4.18 +/- 0.18% and 4.58 +/- 0.18% (P<0.05); thigh percentages 30.51 +/- 0.16%, 29.67 +/- 0.14%, 29.74 +/- 0.14%, 29.21 +/- 0.18% and 28.85 +/- 0.18% (P<0.05); breast percentages 29.75 +/- 0.32%, 29.74 +/- 0.25%, 29.53 +/- 0.25%, 29.49 +/- 0.32% and 29.46 +/- 0.32% (P<0.05): wing percentages 11.89 +/- 0.13%, 11.69 +/- 0.11%, 11.48 +/- 0.11%, 10.95 +/- 0.15% and 10.49 +/- 0.15% (P<0.05); back percentages 20.04 +/- 0.24%, 18.05 +/- 0.22%, 18.74 +/- 0.22%, 18.35 +/- 0.28% and 19.29 +/- 0.28% (P<0.05); neck percentages 6.22 +/- 0.12%, 7.60 +/- 0.11%, 7.72 +/- 0.11%, 7.76 +/- 0.14% and 8.10 +/- 0.14% (P<0.05) for 35, 42, 49, 56 and 63 days of slaughter age, respectively. Abdominal fat, breast and wing percentages were found higher in femeles than males, but thigh percentages were found highest in males.