The Effect of Modification of Incubation Factors on the Quality of Broiler Chickens Meat

Embryonic stage of development, in conditions of intensive broiler production, is a period in which the dynamics of postnatal development and the productive performance can be affected significantly. Green monochromatic light and thermal conditioning are the most commonly used treatments that have given satisfactory results in postnatal development. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of these treatments on meat quality of broiler chickens. Our study is based on the four experimental groups (control and three different treatments). Each group was incubated in separate incubator with 80 eggs, with controlled incubation parameters (temperature, humidity, ventilation). The control group was incubated under standard conditions (37.8 ̊C, without light). The first treatment consisted of thermal conditioning (raising the temperature to 39,8 ̊C for 3 h on 16th, 17th and 18th day of incubation). Another treatment consisted of lighting a green monochrome light (diffused LED lighting intensity of 0.1 W/m2) from 5th until 14th day of incubation, in the intermittent mode (15 min. light, 15 min. darkness), and from 15th day of incubation under constant light regime. The third treatment was a combination of first two treatments, with the temperature and lighting changed by these regimes. Our results indicate a significantly higher average body weight, protein content in meat, and less progressive loss of moisture (drip loss) in all treated groups. The applied treatments had no effect on mortality, conversion, or the content of fat and ash in meat. The results also indicate a significant synergistic effects achieved by the simultaneous application of both treatments.