INTRODUCTION
Genetic selection for broiler performance over the last
few decades has led to tremendous improvements in
growth (McKay et al., 2000; Deeb and Cahaner, 2002).
However, this growth potential has been achieved under
optimal conditions and may not occur under suboptimal
environmental conditions. High ambient temperature has
been recognized as one of the major environmental factors
influencing poultry production. Continuous selection for
increased growth rate may have increased sensitivity of
broilers to high ambient temperature (Cahaner et al.,
1995). The effects of heat exposure on growth rate, feed
intake, and meat yield of commercial broilers have been
well documented (Yalcin et al., 2001). Seasonal heat-stress
has been reported to accelerate postmortem glycolytic
1059
1060
LU ET AL.
Statistical Analysis
Results are presented as means with their standard
deviations. The data were classified by treatment and
1061
Breed
21AL2
21PF2
AA
BJY
169.9 7.9
55.5 1.5a
Final BW, g
AA
BJY
2,618.9 110.9a
721.3 60.1a
AA
BJY
61.45 4.56a
15.12 2.13a
AA
BJY
2.76 0.21b
3.73 0.64a
Mortality3
AA
BJY
3
0
34AL2
94.0
43.8
1,961.8
682.7
4.5
1.5b
89.0b
40.6a
29.45
12.86
3.21
3.36
4.65b
1.72a
0.41bc
0.21ab
2
0
P-value
93.6
43.1
1,876.4
713.6
4.8
2.0b
92.3b
41.1a
***
***
***
NS
22.29
14.84
3.92
2.91
4.07c
1.33a
0.76a
0.34b
***
NS
*
*
13
0
**
NS
RESULTS
Growth Performance
Effects of heat exposure on feed intake, BW gain, and
final body weight are presented in Table 1. In the case of
AA broilers, feed intake, final BW, and weight gain of
heat-exposed birds (34AL) were significantly lower than
those obtained for the 21AL group (P < 0.001), but
feed:gain ratio of 34AL group was significantly higher
than those of the 21AL group (P < 0.05). Heat-exposed
chickens had lower weight gain than that of pair-fed birds
(P < 0.05).
In the case of BJY chickens, feed intake and feed gain
ratio of heat-exposed broilers were reduced (P < 0.001
and P < 0.05, respectively), but the final BW and weight
gain were not significantly different when compared with
the controls (21AL). Body weight gain of pair-fed birds
was lower than that observed for the 21AL birds (P < 0.10).
During the growth phase in the temperature-controlled
rooms, the mortality of AA broilers was 36, 8.3, and 5.6%
in 34AL, 21AL, and 21PF groups, respectively. All of the
BJY groups survived the experimental feeding period.
Proportion of Carcass,
Muscle, and Fat Tissues
The proportion of carcass, breast muscle, and abdominal fat in BW and the proportion of subcutaneous fat and
Meat Quality
The effects of heat exposure and feeding pattern on
pH, color, drip loss, and shear force of breast were presented in Table 3. In the case of AA broilers, heat exposure
had no effect on pHi and pHu compared with 21AL. The
data on color measurement showed that the 34AL birds
had higher L* (vs. 21AL; P < 0.05). Shear force values
showed no marked difference due to treatment. Drip loss
in muscle from the heat-exposed birds and feed-restricted
birds were significantly higher than that observed in 21AL
(P < 0.05). In the case of BJY chickens, pHi were not
significantly modified by the rearing conditions, but
higher pHu was exhibited by the 34AL birds (P < 0.05).
Hot condition or feed restriction had no effect on meat
color, drip loss, or shear force of breast meat.
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LU ET AL.
Table 2. Average proportion of carcass, breast, and fat proportion of male Arbor Acres broilers (AA) and Beijing
You chickens (BJY) in 3 treatments1
21AL2
34AL2
P-value
73.89 0.85b
62.59 0.10a
75.27 0.89a
64.87 1.47a
**
NS
16.88 1.00ab
8.51 0.35b
15.99 0.65b
9.43 0.29a
*
*
25.33 1.46b
21.41 0.61b
26.61 0.83a
22.91 0.85a
*
*
0.75 0.10b
0.63 0.20b
g/100 g of leg
1.35 0.19a
0.89 0.17a
**
*
13.76 1.33a
13.70 1.33a
10.96 0.72b
13.12 0.19a
11.08 0.98b
14.00 0.63a
**
NS
0.43 0.05a
0.32 0.07a
0.22 0.02c
0.28 0.07a
0.35 0.04b
0.32 0.07a
***
NS
Item
Breed
Carcass
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
73.36
65.97
16.96
9.51
25.27
23.02
1.57
0.59
Subcutaneous fat
AA
BJY
Intermuscular fat
AA
BJY
21PF2
g/100 g of BW
Breast
Leg
Abdominal fat
0.72b
4.76a
0.34a
1.02a
0.44b
1.11a
0.23a
0.11b
Table 3. The pH, color, drip loss, shear force, and intramuscular lipid of breast meat of male Arbor Acres
broilers (AA) and Beijing You chickens (BJY) in 3 treatments1
Item
Initial pH
Ultimate pH
L* value3
a* value3
b* value3
Drip loss, %
Shear force, kg;
1 0.5 2.5 cm
Breed
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
AA
BJY
21AL2
6.08
5.95
6.00
5.87
45.08
47.08
8.67
8.70
5.10
5.91
1.56
3.90
1.17
1.67
21PF2
a
0.08
0.07a
0.10ab
0.03b
1.00b
1.11a
0.71a
0.57a
0.44a
0.67a
0.23b
1.05a
0.22a
0.39a
5.95
5.89
5.90
5.86
45.79
46.89
9.87
8.71
5.11
5.71
3.04
4.63
1.57
1.46
34AL2
b
0.07
0.09a
0.06b
0.08b
0.70ab
0.32a
1.17a
0.98a
0.33a
0.57a
0.97a
1.31a
0.49a
0.28a
6.15
5.89
6.09
5.96
47.05
47.10
8.89
7.85
5.76
6.38
2.41
3.70
1.33
1.38
P-value
a
0.09
0.07a
0.09a
0.06a
2.02a
0.77a
2.98a
0.74a
1.44a
0.47a
0.27a
0.79a
0.14a
0.18a
**
NS
**
*
*
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
*
NS
NS
NS
DISCUSSION
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LU ET AL.
Neither drip loss or shear force of BJY chickens was affected by the treatments.
The data showed that chronic heat exposure had negative effects on growth performance, breast yield, and meat
quality in AA broilers, but had no significant influence
on growth and meat quality in the local, slow-growing
chickens. The possible mechanism of high adaptability to
hot conditions of BJY chickens might be associated with
their increased feed efficiency and abdominal fat deposition in high ambient temperature.
REFERENCES