Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2024, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (8): 1741-1752.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20231136

• Animal Science • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Growth curve fitting and the optimal marketing age of Wenzhou Red chicken

LI Ziwei1(), ZHANG Yawen1, SONG Bin1, HOU Fengxiang1, JIN Junjie1, ZHAO Yan1,*(), LU Lizhi2,*()   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Wenzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China
    2. Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
  • Received:2023-09-12 Online:2024-08-25 Published:2024-09-06
  • Contact: ZHAO Yan,LU Lizhi

Abstract:

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the growth and development patterns of Wenzhou Red chicken, along with the differences in slaughter performance and muscle quality at different ages, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for determining the best marketing age and efficient farming. The growth curve of Wenzhou Red chicken from 0 to 24 weeks old was analyzed by fitting it to Logistic, Gompertz, and Von Bertalanffy models; 20 chickens of each age group at 26, 30, and 34 weeks (half rooster and half hen) were selected to measure slaughter performance and muscle quality. The results showed that all three nonlinear models fit well the growth of Wenzhou Red chicken, with a fitting degree (R2) reaching over 0.99, among which the Von Bertalanffy model was more suitable for roosters (R2=0.998 2), and the Gompertz model was more suitable for hens (R2=0.997 3). The dressing percentage reached over 90%, and the whole carcass weight rate reached over 68%. There were no significant differences in half carcass weight rate, whole carcass weight rate, breast muscle rate, leg muscle rate, shear force, water content, crude ash content and crude protein content between rooster and hen, and shear force was increased with the age increasing. The crude fat content of roosters at 30 weeks was the highest and the total calcium content of roosters at 26 weeks was the highest. The total phosphorus content in 26 weeks and 30 weeks old roosters were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in 34 weeks old ones. The total calcium content and crude fat content in hens at 30 weeks of age were relatively high. In the pectoral muscle, 16 amino acids were detected, with hens at 30 weeks of age having higher levels of flavor amino acids than at other ages, while roosters showed a gradual decrease in these amino acids with age; the total unsaturated fatty acids content in the pectoral muscle was higher than that of saturated fatty acids, with the highest unsaturated fatty acids content in hens at 34 weeks and roosters at 30 weeks. At 30 weeks, the profit per rooster was 46.79 yuan, and per hen was 18.73 yuan. In conclusion, it was appropriate for Wenzhou Red chicken hens to be marketed at 30 to 34 weeks of age and roosters at 30 weeks of age.

Key words: Wenzhou Red chicken, growth curve, slaughter performance, muscle quality, marketing age

CLC Number: