Comparative Analysis of Slaughter Performance and Meat Flavor Traits of Quality Chicken under Cage Rearing and Free-range Farming Conditions

[Objective]The paper was to compare the slaughter performance and meat flavor of quality chicken under cage rearing and free-range farming conditions.[Method]A total of 4001-day-old cocks,S07 line cultivated by Sichuan Dahen Poultry Breeding Co.,Ltd.(bred for 4 succes-sive generations),were kept in cages until the end of 5 weeks of age,which were then divided into cage rearing and free-range farming groups.All cocks were fed with the same diet,and slaughter tests and meat quality analysis were carried out at the end of 10 and 22 weeks of age,respectively.[Result]The live weight,carcass weight and abdominal fat percentage in cage rearing group were significantly higher than those in free-range farming group(P<0.01),and the percentage of half-eviscerated yield and percentage of eviscerated yield in cage rearing group were significantly higher than those in free-range farming group(P<0.05),but there were no significant differences in dressing percentage,percentage of leg muscle and per-centage of breast muscle.The intramuscular fat(IMF)content and muscle fiber density of chicken in cage rearing group were significantly higher than those in free-range farming group(P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in inosinic acid(IMP)content.The content of IMF and IMF increased with the increase of feeding age,but the deposition rate of intramuscular fat was higher than that of IMF in late feeding period.[Conclusion]The study will provide reliable guidance for production and market consumption of high quality chicken.

Aquafeed fermentation improves dietary nutritional quality and benefits feeding behavior,meat flavor,and intestinal microbiota of Chinese mitten crab(Eriocheir sinensis)

Normally,proper fermentation can be an efficient and widely used method to improve feed quality in animal rearing;however,the studies on crustaceans,especially Eriocheir sinensis,remain limited.This study aimed to investigate whether feed fermentation could meliorate dietary nutritional value and benefit E.sinensis rearing.First,non-fermented feed(NFD)and fermented feed(FD)were produced and assessed,respectively.Then,the“Y”maze feed choice behavior test(180 times;30 times,6 rounds)was conducted to assess the attractiveness of these 2 feeds for crabs.Finally,a total of 80 crabs(44.10±0.80 g)were randomly assigned into 2 groups with 4 replicates,and fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks to evaluate the effects of each feed on growth,antioxidant capacity,meat flavor,and intestinal microbiota.In this study,FD showed higher levels of crude protein(P<0.01),soluble protein(P<0.01),amino acids(P<0.05),lactic acid(P<0.001),and lower levels of crude fiber(P<0.05)and antinutritional factors(agglutinin,trypsin inhibitor,glycinin,andβ-conglycinin)(P<0.001)than NFD.Additionally,FD was more attractive to crabs than NFD(P<0.01)and it stimulated the appetite of crabs more than NFD(P<0.05).The growth performance,feed efficiency,and digestive enzyme activity of FDfed crabs were significantly higher than those of NFD-fed crabs(P<0.05).The electronic sensory measurements and free amino acid profiles revealed that the FD diet had positive impacts on the meat flavor of crabs,particularly in“sweet”and“umami”tastes.Moreover,the antioxidant capacity of FD-fed crabs was significantly higher than that of NFD-fed crabs(P<0.05).Fermented feed also affected the diversity and composition of intestinal microflora.The functional prediction of microbial communities showed that crabs fed FD had a better microecological environment in the intestine.In conclusion,the fermentation of aquafeed could be an effective approach to enhance feed quality and therefore benefit E.sinensis rearing.