Growth Traits, Breast Meat Yield and Quality of Broiler Genotypes under Hot Conditions

The study evaluated the body weight during growth (BWG), body weight at slaughter (BWS), breast meat yield (BMYg), percent breast meat yield (BMY) and breast meat quality (colour and drip loss) of genetically featherless (scsc) broilers compared to their feathered sibs under hot conditions. Two hundred featherless chicks and 200 feathered sibs were reared under hot conditions in two rooms (average temperature 29 to 33 ˚C) divided into pens by genotypes and diets (control diet and 10%, 15% and 20% protein and energy reduction) for 50 days. Fattening traits (BWG and BWS), breast meat quantity traits (BMYg and BMY %) and breast meat quality traits [(colour: lightness(L*), redness (a*), and drip losses at 24 hours (h) and 72 hours (h) postmortem (PM)] were measured or calculated on 56 featherless and 39 feathered sibs. Results confirmed statistically significant improvements (P