Comparison of the quality of chicken breast meat between fast- and slow-growing chicks during the neonatal period

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K14958
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 42010:Animal production science-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Shimamoto Saki 新潟大学, 自然科学系, 助教 (90875395)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 骨格筋タンパク質代謝 / 肉用鶏 / メタボロミクス / 食肉品質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated whether either growth rate or muscle protein degradation level during the neonatal period are related to the individual differences in meat quality, by comparing fast- and slow-growing chicks among the same strain. At 5 days of age, the chicks were divided into two groups based on their body weight gain from 1 to 5 days of age. At 49 days of age, after 8 chicks were randomly chosen from each group. Drip loss and cooking loss in breast muscle were significantly higher in the slow-group than in the fast group. Fifteen of identified metabolites were significantly affected by the fast- and slow-growing groups. Enrichment analysis showed that these metabolites affected multiple amino acids and phospholipids metabolic pathways. Differences in protein degradation during the neonatal period were maintained until market age. And protein degradation levels at slaughter might affect the amino acid contents in breast muscle after aging.

Free Research Field

動物生産科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで家畜の成長と生産能力の個体差が重要視されていたものの、「成長と鶏肉の品質の個体差の関連」を調べた例はほとんどなかったが、本研究結果により、初期成長速度の異なる2群間において、実際に食肉品質に直結するリン脂質の代謝産物や遊離アミノ酸含量に差があ理、水分損失や呈味に影響することを見出した。初期成長期の成長速度と出荷時の鶏肉の肉質との関連性を調べるというアプローチにより、初期成長期で出荷時の肉質のばらつきが予想することができ、早期に飼養管理方法の改善に取り組むことができる。また、成長と品質の個体差に関連性が認められると、生産性と品質の斉一性の向上が可能となる。