Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2024, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (7): 2901-2912.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2024.07.011

• Animal Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research on a Breeding Method for Predicting Meat Yield Performance of Broilers Based on Ultrasound Measurement of Pectoral Muscle Thickness

Yinuo WANG1(), Dan XU1, Jianhua YANG2, Yang LIU1, Yaofu TIAN1, Xiaoling ZHAO1,*()   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611134, China
    2. Sichuan Sihai Sanlian Agricultural Development Company, Guangyuan 628017, China
  • Received:2024-01-02 Online:2024-07-23 Published:2024-07-24
  • Contact: Xiaoling ZHAO E-mail:2839050504@qq.com;zhaoxiaoling@sicau.edu.cn

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to employ ultrasound technology to determine the breast muscle thickness of Tianfu broiler chickens (TF) so as to establish efficient selection method for broiler chickens based on their muscle development. In this present study, the breast muscle thickness, body measurements, and carcass traits of 31 healthy ((2.1±0.5) kg) Tianfu broiler cock chickens (65 days old) were measured, as well as the correlation and path coefficients between the breast muscle thickness, body measurements and carcass traits were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. The optimal regression models for the breast muscle thickness and carcass traits, as well as the lean meat weight and body measurements, were established. Furthermore, the principal component analysis was performed on the body measurements using the JMP. The ultrasound results showed that the breast muscle thickness of the Tianfu broiler male chickens followed a normal distribution. The coefficient of variation in the body slope length, chest depth, chest angle, shank girth, and crown thickness were greater than 10%, and the breast muscle thickness was significantly positively correlated with the chest circumference, chest depth, shank girth, crowm thickness, and breast muscle weight (P < 0.01), and was significantly positively correlated with the keel length, chest girth, live weight, half-carcass weight, and lean meat weight (P < 0.05). Taken together, it was revealed in this study that the lean meat weight of the Tianfu broiler male chickens were closely related to the chest girth and body slope length. Furthermore, the meat production performance were indirectly selected through optimal linear regression models of body size traits for lean meat weight and carcass traits for breast muscle thickness, whereas, live weight, chest circumference, chest girth, shank girth, and crown thickness are also traits of importance to be considered in selection of Tianfu broiler chickens. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for further selection of high-quality meat chickens.

Key words: Tianfu broiler, pectoral muscle thickness, correlation analysis, principal component analysis

CLC Number: