Effects of rearing systems on growth performance and meat quality of Wuding chickens

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the different rearing systems on growth performance and meat quality of Wuding chickens (local native breeds in Yunnan Province of P. R. China). A total of 240, 70-day-old Wuding chickens with similar weight were divided into two groups of healthy Wuding chickens: (1) chickens caged-reared at the Poultry Unit of Yunnan Agricultural University, and fed a commercial feed and (2) chickens reared free-range in the gardens or meadows where there was no animal epidemic in Wuding county of Yunnan Province; free-range chickens were provided corn, wheat bran, and grass. The growth performance of caged Wuding chickens was substantially higher than that of free-range chickens. Crude protein content in the breast muscle of free-range cocks was substantially higher than that of caged cocks. The crude ash content of free-range chickens was substantially higher than that of caged chickens. Four essential amino acids (Thr, Leu, Phe and Lys), total essential amino acids and total amino acids in breast muscle of the free-range Wuding chickens were substantially higher than that in caged Wuding chickens. In the free-range mode, the C12:0, C18:l n-9t, C18:1, C18:2 n-6c, C20:0, C20:4, C20:5 n-3, C22:6; total, polyunsaturated, unsaturated, and essential fatty acids in breast muscle of the free-range Wuding chickens were substantially higher than that in caged Wuding chicken. The meat quality of the Wuding chickens was improved by free-range management.