Abstract
The present study analysed the meat characteristics of i) improved Castellana Negra chickens slaughtered at 18 weeks (CN-18) and ii) F1 crossbred chickens from improved Castellana Negra hens and improved Penedesenca Negracocks (CNPN) slaughtered at 12 weeks and 18 weeks of age (young and adult animals, respectively). Purebred andcrossbred specimens were compared at similar weights (CN-18 and CNPN-12) and ages (CN-18 and CNPN-18). The protein content of the meat was similar for the three types of animals; heavier animals (CNPN-18) had more fat thanthose slaughtered at lower weights (CNPN-12 and CN-18). Adults had a higher saturated fatty acid content and theyoung CNPN chickens had more monounsaturated fatty acids than CN chickens. In the CNPN adults, less water was lost during cooking, which is directly related to the juiciness of the meat. With regard to sensory analysis, a darker colour was observed in the meat as much as the internal fat of adult animals, in addition to greater colour uniformity. The meat of young CNPN birds was juicier, whereas that of the CN chickens was more fibrous. Therefore, we conclude that meat from CNPN chickens presents chemical, physical, and sensorial characteristics that make these animals a genetic base for alternative poultry production.
Highlights
After a period of intensification in raising fowl to achieve greater production at lower cost and encountering problems from an environmental standpoint, as well as in terms of genetic sustainability, breeders and consumers have once again come to appreciate traditional systems of exploitation that are more in harmony with the environment of these autochthonous breeds (Lleonart and Castello, 1984; García-Martín, 1995)
The fat content of the breast and drumstick was greater in the CNPN-18 chickens compared to CNPN-12 and Castellana Negra sacrificados a las 18 semanas (CN-18) chickens
Stearic acid content (C18:0) was significantly less important in the drumsticks of CNPN-12 chickens compared to CNPN-18, and it was less than the content measured in the drumsticks of CN-18 chickens, which were slaughtered at a similar weight
Summary
After a period of intensification in raising fowl to achieve greater production at lower cost and encountering problems from an environmental standpoint, as well as in terms of genetic sustainability, breeders and consumers have once again come to appreciate traditional systems of exploitation that are more in harmony with the environment of these autochthonous breeds (Lleonart and Castello, 1984; García-Martín, 1995). The European Union increasingly supports these practices, and the market pays better prices for quality products, which simultaneously help conserve the environment. According to Groom (1990), the main factors that influence meat characteristics for chickens can be divided into those linked to the animal (age at slaughter, genotype, and sex) and others that are extrinsic to the animal (feeding and management during breeding, transport, and slaughter). The optimum slaughter age was determined to be 12-14 weeks for label chickens, which is similar for broilers (Cepero et al, 1989)
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