The effects of broiler catching method on breast meat quality

Mechanical and hand catching of broilers (n = 24 per treatment for each trial) were performed to determine if differences existed in breast meat quality among catching methods. Two trials (summer and winter 2005) were conducted, and it was determined that there was greater variation in meat quality in the summer in comparison to the winter within treatments in both catching methods. Neither catching method yielded breast meat with significant quality issues. Therefore, either catching method should be acceptable for catching broilers in respect to meat quality. However, mechanical catching and crating for 2 h yielded slightly better (P < 0.05) quality meat than hand catching in respect to averages and individual quality problems. These slight improvements in meat quality included higher (P < 0.05) 15 min pH, lower (P < 0.05) drip loss, and lower (P < 0.05) incidence of pale meat with a rapid pH decline in the summer.