Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-cfpbc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T14:56:22.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Factors affecting breast meat yield in turkeys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2010

L.A. CASE ,
S.P. MILLER  and
B.J. WOOD
L.A. CASE*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
S.P. MILLER
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
B.J. WOOD
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada Hybrid Turkeys, Suite C, 650 Riverbend Drive, Kitchener, ON, Canada
*
Corresponding author: lcase@uoguelph.ca
Get access

Abstract

There is a global demand for turkey products and a high value attributed to breast meat from these birds. Breast meat can be considered the most important component of the carcass and consequently it is important to investigate factors that influence breast meat yield (BMY). The BMY trait is influenced by both genetics and the environment at all stages from pre-hatch until the end of the commercial growing period. Additive genetic effects appear to be the primary contributor to BMY, as there is minimal evidence for heterosis or maternal inheritance. The genetic potential for BMY is affected by sex, strain, and selection pressure within a pure line and this affects both muscle morphology and yield. For a turkey to fulfil its full genetic potential for BMY, optimal husbandry and management is required. Nutrition is an important component of production efficiency, although turkeys may be able to tolerate a reduction in dietary protein levels without a negative response in BMY, provided that the levels of all other nutrients are sufficient to meet metabolic needs. Housing conditions, such as barn temperature and lighting, also influence production efficiency. Cooler temperatures increase both weight gain and BMY, relative to a warmer rearing environment. Further, a light cycling programme with a daily set light and dark schedule is associated with higher BMY values compared to frequently alternating light and dark periods throughout the day in an intermittent lighting regime. Due to the influence of both genetics and the environment on BMY, maximisation of yield requires optimum management by all segments of the turkey production industry from the primary breeder through to the commercial grower.

Keywords

yieldturkeysallometric growthgeneticshatcherynutritionmanagement
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 66 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , pp. 189 - 202
Copyright
World's Poultry Science Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BARBOUR, G.W. and LILBURN, M.S. (1995) Characterization of carcass development from 14 to 145 days of age in turkey hens from two strains. Poultry Science 74: 1650-1658.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BARBOUR, G.W. and LILBURN, M.S. (1996) Comparative growth and development of Nicholas and Hybrid toms from 16 to 82 days and effects of protein restriction from 0 to 59 days on growth of Hybrid toms through 125 days of age. Poultry Science 75: 790-796.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BLAIR, M.E., POTTER, L.M. and HULET, R.M. (1989) Effects of dietary protein and added fat on turkeys varying in strain, sex, and age. 2. Carcass characteristics. Poultry Science 68: 287-296.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BRAKE, J., HAVENSTEIN, G.B., FERKET, P.R., RIVES, D.V. and GIESBRECHT, F.G. (1995) Relationship of sex, strain, and body weight to carcass yield and offal production in turkeys. Poultry Science 74: 161-168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BRENOE, U.T. and KOLSTAD, K. (2000) Body composition and development measured repeatedly by computer tomography during growth in two types of turkeys. Poultry Science 79: 546-552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CERVANTES, H.M. (2009) The influence of Stafac on live and processing performance of Nicholas Turkey hens. Stafac Technical Bulletin.Google Scholar
CHAPUIS, H., TIXIER-BOICHARD, M., DELABROSSE, Y. and DUCROCQ, V. (1996) Multivariate restricted maximum likelihood estimation of genetic parameters for production traits in three selected turkey strains. Genetics, Selection, Evolution 28: 299-317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CHEREL, Y., HURTREL, M., GARDAHAUT, M.F., MERLY, F., MAGRAS-RESCH, C., FONTAINE-PERUS, J. and WYERS, M. (1994) Comparison of postnatal development of anterior Latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle in heavy- and light-weight strains of turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). Growth, development, and aging 58: 157-165.Google ScholarPubMed
CHRISTENSEN, V.L., WINELAND, M.J., GRIMES, J.L., OVIEDO, E.O., MOZDZIAK, P.S., ORT, D.T. and MANN, K.M. (2007) Effect of incubator temperature and oxygen concentration at the plateau stage in oxygen consumption on turkey embryo muscle growth and development. International Journal of Poultry Science 6: 406-412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CLARKE, J.P., FERKET, P.R., ELKIN, R.G., MCDANIEL, C.D., FREED, M., MCMURTRY, J.P., KRUEGER, K.K. and HESTER, P.Y. (1993) Early dietary protein restriction and intermittent lighting. 2. Effects on carcass characteristics of male turkeys. Poultry Science 72: 2144-2151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CROUCH, A.N., GRIMES, J.L., CHRISTENSEN, V.L. and KRUEGER, K.K. (2002) Effect of physical feed restriction during rearing on large white turkey breeder hens: 3. Body and carcass composition. Poultry Science 81: 1792-1797.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DE OLIVEIRA, J.E. (2007) Effects of in ovo feeding on turkey embryos development, energy status, intestinal maturation, gene expression and post-hatch development. PhD Dissertation, North Carolina State University.Google Scholar
ELANCO ANIMAL HEALTH., (2008) Freedom of information summary, original new animal drug application: TOPMAX 9 (Ractopamine Hydrochloride) type A medicated article; Finishing turkeys. U.S. Food and Drug Administration NADA: 141-290.Google Scholar
FERKET, P.R., PARKS, C.W. and GRIMES, J.L. (2002) Benefits of dietary antibiotic and mannanoligosaccharide supplementation for poultry. Proceedings of the Multi-State Poultry Meeting, May 14-16, Indianapolis, IN.Google Scholar
FERKET, P.R. and SELL, J.L. (1989) Effect of severity of early protein restriction on large turkey toms. 2. Carcass characteristics. Poultry Science 68: 687-697.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FOYE, O., UNI, Z. and FERKET, P. (2006) Effect of in ovo feeding egg white protein, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, and carbohydrates on glycogen status and neonatal growth of turkeys. Poultry Science 85: 1185-1192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HAHN, G. and SPINDLER, M. (2002) Method of dissection of turkey carcasses. World's Poultry Science Journal 58: 179-194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HALVORSON, J.C., WAIBEL, P.E., OJU, E.M., NOLL, S.L. and EL-HALAWANI, M. (1991) Effect of diet and population density on male turkeys under various environmental conditions. 2. Body composition and meat yield. Poultry Science 70: 935-940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HESTER, P.Y., KRUEGER, K.K. and JACKSON, M. (1990) The effect of compensatory growth on carcass characteristics of male turkeys. Poultry Science 69: 1743-1748.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KANG, C.W., SUNDE, M.L. and SWICK, R.W. (1985) Characteristics of growth and protein turnover in skeletal muscle of turkey poults. Poultry Science 64: 380-387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KIDD, M.T., KERR, B.J., ENGLAND, J.A. and WALDROUP, P.W. (1997) Performance and carcass composition of large white toms as affected by dietary crude protein and threonine supplements. Poultry Science 76: 1392-1397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KIDD, M.T. and KERR, B.J. (1998) Dietary arginine and lysine ratios in large white toms. 2. Lack of interaction between arginine:lysine ratios and electrolyte balance. Poultry Science 77: 864-869.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LE BIHAN-DUVAL, E., BERRI, C., BAÉZA, E., SANTÉ, V., ASTRUC, T., RÉMIGNON, H., POTTIER, G., BENTLEY, J., BEAUMONT, C. and FERNANDEZ, X. (2003) Genetic parameters of meat technological quality traits in a grand-parental commercial line of turkey. Genetics, Selection, Evolution 35: 623-635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LEHMANN, D., PACK, M. and JEROCH, H. (1996) Responses of growing and finishing turkey toms to dietary lysine. Poultry Science 75: 711-718.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LEHMANN, D., PACK, M. and JEROCH, H. (1997) Effects of dietary threonine in starting, growing, and finishing turkey toms. Poultry Science 76: 696-702.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LEMME, A., FRACKENPOHL, U., PETRI, A. and MEYER, H. (2004) Effects of reduced dietary protein concentrations with amino acid supplementation on performance and carcass quality in turkey toms 14 to 140 days of age. International Journal of Poultry Science 3: 391-399.Google Scholar
LEMME, A., FRACKENPOHL, U., PETRI, A. and MEYER, H. (2006) Response of male BUT big 6 turkeys to varying amino acid feeding programs. Poultry Science 85: 652-660.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LILBURN, M.S. and NESTOR, K.E. (1991) Body weight and carcass development in different lines of turkeys. Poultry Science 70: 2223-2231.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LILBURN, M.S., RENNER, P.A. and ANTHONY, N.B. (1992) Interaction between step-up versus step-down lighting from four to sixteen weeks on growth and development in turkey hens from two commercial strains. Poultry Science 71: 419-426.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LILBURN, M.S. and EMMERSON, D. (1993) The influence of differences in dietary amino acids during the early growing period on growth and development of Nicholas and British United Turkey toms. Poultry Science 72: 1722-1730.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MACNEIL, J.H. and BUSS, E.G. (1968) Skin and meat yields of turkeys as influenced by strain. Poultry Science 47: 1566-1570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MALTBY, V., SOMAIYA, A., FRENCH, N.A. and STICKLAND, N.C. (2004) In ovo temperature manipulation influences post-hatch muscle growth in the turkey. British Poultry Science 45: 491-498.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MERLY, F., MAGRAS-RESCH, C., ROUAUD, T., FONTAINE-PERUS, J. and GARDAHAUT, M.F. (1998) Comparative analysis of satellite cell properties in heavy- and lightweight strains of turkey. Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility 19: 257-270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MOORE, D.T. (2005) The influence of early nutrition on muscle development in the poult. Ph.D. Dissertation. North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC.Google Scholar
MOORE, D.T., FERKET, P.R. and MOZDZIAK, P.E. (2005) Muscle development in the late embryonic and early post-hatch poult. International Journal of Poultry Science 4: 138-142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MOZDZIAK, P.E., SCHULTZ, E. and CASSENS, R.G. (1994) Satellite cell mitotic activity in post-hatch turkey skeletal muscle growth. Poultry Science 73: 547-555.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MOZDZIAK, P.E., SCHULTZ, E. and CASSENS, R.G. (1997) Myonuclear accretion is a major determinant of avian skeletal muscle growth. AJP - Cell Physiology 272: C565-571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MOZDZIAK, P.E., PULVERMACHER, P.M. and SCHULTZ, E. (2000) Unloading of juvenile muscle results in a reduced muscle size 9 wk after reloading. Journal of Applied Physiology 88: 158-164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MOZDZIAK, P.E., WALSH, T.J. and MCCOY, D.W. (2002) The effect of early post-hatch nutrition on satellite cell mitotic activity. Poultry Science 81: 1703-1708.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NESTOR, K.E., BACON, W.L., HAVENSTEIN, G.B., SAIF, Y.M. and RENNER, P.A. (1988) Carcass traits of turkeys from lines selected for increased growth rate or increased shank width. Poultry Science 67: 1660-1667.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NOLL, S., STRANGELAND, V., SPEERS, G. and BRANNON, J. (2001) Distillers grains in poultry diets. 62nd Minnesota Nutrition Conf. and Minnesota Corn Growers Association Technical Symposium, Bloomington, MN. Sep. 11-12, 2001.Google Scholar
NOLL, S.L. (2002) Feeding for live performance and breast meat yield. Multi-State Poultry Meeting, May 14-16.Google Scholar
NOY, Y. and SKLAN, D. (1998) Metabolic responses to early nutrition. The Journal of Applied Poultry Research 7: 437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NOY, Y. and SKLAN, D. (1999) Different types of early feeding and performance in chicks and poults. The Journal of Applied Poultry Research 8: 16-24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
OJU, E.M., WAIBEL, P.E. and NOLL, S.L. (1988) Early protein under-nutrition and subsequent realimentation in turkeys. 2. Effect on weights and proportions of organs and tissues. Poultry Science 67: 1760-1769.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PARKS, C., GRIMES, J. and FERKET, P. (2005) Effects of virginiamycin and a mannanoligosaccharide-virginiamycin shuttle program on the growth and performance of large white female turkeys. Poultry Science 84: 1967-1973.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PENG, I.C., ADAMS, R.L., FURUMOTO, E.J., HESTER, P.Y., LARSEN, J.E., PIKE, O.A. and STADELMAN, W.J. (1985) Allometric growth patterns and meat yields of carcass parts of turkey toms as influenced by lighting programs and age. Poultry Science 64: 871-876.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ROBERSON, K.D., RAHN, A.P., BALANDER, R.J., ORTH, M.W., SMITH, D.M., BOOREN, B.L., BOOREN, A.M., OSBURN, W.N. and FULTON, R.M. (2003) Evaluation of the growth potential, carcass components and meat quality characteristics of three commercial strains of tom turkeys. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 12: 229-236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ROSE, S.P. and MICHIE, W. (1987) Environmental temperature and dietary protein concentrations for growing turkeys. British Poultry Science 28: 213-218.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SALMON, R.E. (1974) Effect of dietary fat concentration and energy to protein ratio on the performance, yield of carcass components and composition of skin and meat of turkeys as related to age. British Poultry Science 15: 543-560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SALMON, R.E. (1983) The effect of the energy protein ratio of the diet, strain, and age at slaughter on performance and carcass quality of turkey broilers. Poultry Science 62: 824-831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SELL, J.L., HASIAK, R.J. and OWINGS, W.J. (1985) Independent effects of dietary metabolizable energy and protein concentrations on performance and carcass characteristics of tom turkeys. Poultry Science 64: 1527-1535.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SELL, J.L. (1993) Influence of metabolizable energy feeding sequence and dietary protein on performance and selected carcass traits of tom turkeys. Poultry Science 72: 521-534.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SELL, J.L., JEFFREY, M.J. and KERR, B.J. (1994) Influence of amino acid supplementation of low-protein diets and metabolizable energy feeding sequence on performance and carcass composition of toms. Poultry Science 73: 1867-1880.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SHAKLEE, W.E., KNOX, C.W. and MARSDEN, S.J. (1952) Inheritance of the sex difference of body weight in turkeys. Poultry Science 31: 822-825.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SHAPPELL, N.W., FEIL, V.J., SMITH, D.J., LARSEN, G.L. and McFARLAND, D.C. (2000) Response of C2C12 mouse and turkey skeletal muscle cells to the beta-adrenergic agonist ractopamine. Journal of Animal Science 78: 699-708.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SUMMERS, J.D., JACKSON, S. and SPRATT, D. (1989) Weight gain and breast yield of Large White male turkeys fed diets varying in protein content. Poultry Science 68: 1547-1552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SWATLAND, H.J. (1979) Development of shape in turkey carcasses. Journal of Agricultural Science, UK 93: 1-6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SWATLAND, H.J. (1989a) Physiology of muscle growth; Recent advances in turkey science. Buttersworth, London, pp. 167-182.Google Scholar
SWATLAND, H.J. (1989b) Morphometry of pectoral development in turkey breeding stock. British Poultry Science 30: 785-795.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELDKAMP, T., FERKET, P.R., KWAKKEL, R.P., NIXEY, C. and NOORDHUIZEN, J.P.T.M. (2000a) Interaction between ambient temperature and supplementation of synthetic amino acids on performance and carcass parameters in commercial male turkeys. Poultry Science 79: 1472-1477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELDKAMP, T., KWAKKEL, R.P., FERKET, P.R., SIMONS, P.C.M., NOORDHUIZEN, J.P.T.M. and PIJPERS, A. (2000b) Effects of ambient temperature, arginine-to-lysine ratio, and electrolyte balance on performance, carcass, and blood parameters in commercial male turkeys. Poultry Science 79: 1608-1616.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELDKAMP, T., KWAKKEL, R., FERKET, P., KOGUT, J. and VERSTEGEN, M. (2003) Growth responses to dietary lysine at high and low ambient temperature in male turkeys. Poultry Science 82: 1733-1746.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELDKAMP, T., KWAKKEL, R.P., FERKET, P.R. and VERSTEGEN, M.W.A. (2005) Growth responses to dietary energy and lysine at high and low ambient temperature in male turkeys. Poultry Science 84: 273-282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G., XIAOSONG, L., NESTOR, K.E. and MCFARLAND, D.C. (2000) Heterogeneity in growth and differentiation characteristics in male and female satellite cells isolated from turkey lines with different growth rates. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology 125: 503-509.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G., COY, C.S., ANDERSON, J.W., PATTERSON, R.A. and NESTOR, K.E. (2002a) Effect of selection for growth rate on embryonic breast muscle development in turkeys. Poultry Science 81: 1113-1121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G., COY, C.S., ANDERSON, J.W., PATTERSON, R.A. and NESTOR, K.E. (2002b) Effect of selection for growth rate on embryonic breast muscle development in turkeys. Poultry Science 81: 1113-1121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G., ANDERSON, J. and NESTOR, K.E. (2003a) Possible maternal inheritance of breast muscle morphology in turkeys at sixteen weeks of age. Poultry Science 82: 1479-1484.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G., COY, C.S., ANDERSON, J.W., PATTERSON, R.A. and NESTOR, K.E. (2003b) Effect of selection for growth rate and inheritance on post-hatch muscle development in turkeys. Poultry Science 82: 1365-1372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VELLEMAN, S.G. and NESTOR, K.E. (2004) Inheritance of breast muscle morphology in turkeys at sixteen weeks of age. Poultry Science 83: 1060-1066.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VELLEMAN, S.G. (2007) Muscle development in the embryo and hatchling; Embryo symposium: Managing the embryo for performance, poultry science association meeting, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 19 July 2006. Poultry Science 86: 1050-1054.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WAIBEL, P.E., CARLSON, C.W., BRANNON, J.A. and NOLL, S.L. (2000) Limiting amino acids after methionine and lysine with growing turkeys fed low-protein diets. Poultry Science 79: 1290-1298.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WAIBEL, P.E., HALVORSON, S.L., NOLL, S.L. and HOFFBECK, S.L. (1991) Influence of virginiamycin on growth efficiency of large white turkeys. Poultry Science 70: 837-837-847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WALDROUP, P.W., ADAMS, M.H. and WALDROUP, A.L. (1993) Effects of amino acid restriction during starter and grower periods on subsequent performance and incidence of leg disorders in male large white turkeys. Poultry Science 72: 816-828.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WALDROUP, P.W., ANTHONY, N.B. and WALDROUP, A.L. (1998) Effects of amino acid restriction during starter and grower periods on subsequent performance and incidence of leg disorders in two strains of male large white turkeys. Poultry Science 77: 702-713.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WILSON, B.W., NIEBERG, P.S., BUHR, F.T., KELLY, B.J. and SHULTZ, F.T. (1990) Turkey muscle growth and focal myopathy. Poultry Science 69: 1553-1562.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WOOD, B.J., WOJCINSKI, H. and BUDDIGER, N. (2006) Company consolidation and the responsibility of the primary turkey breeders. Proceedings 8th World Congress Genetics Applied to Livestock Production.CD-ROM Communication no 07-09.Google Scholar