China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (5): 2208-2218.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.05.025

• Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles    

Study on the Growth and Development,Meat Performance and Their Correlation Analysis of Guizhou Recessive White-feather Chickens

TIAN Yingping1,2, DU Yun1,2, JIANG Yaozhou1,2, LIU Qinsong1,2, ZHOU Xiaohong1,2, WU Sheng1,2, ZHAO Xudong1,2, ZHANG Fuping1,2   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Guiyang 550025, China;
    2. Research Chicken Farm, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
  • Received:2024-07-22 Published:2025-04-27

Abstract: 【Objective】 The aim of this study was to study the growth and development patterns as well as the meat performance of Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens.【Method】 The experiment was conducted at the scientific research chicken farm of Guizhou University.A total of 140 Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens (equally divided by sex) were selected,and their body weight was measured at fasting intervals at fixed times at 0,2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,and 18 weeks of age,respectively.The growth curve of the chickens’ body weight from 0 to 18 weeks was fitted using the Logistic,Gompertz,and Von Bertalanffy models. At 18 weeks of age,40 Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens (equally divided by sex) were randomly selected,and their body size traits,slaughter performance and meat quality traits were measured. Difference analysis and Pilson correlation analysis were performed for these indexes in roosters and hens.【Result】 The growth and development of Guizhou Recessive White-feather roosters and hens from 0 to 18 weeks of age were best modeled by the Von Bertalanffy equation,with a high goodness-of-fit (0.998).The growth inflection point for roosters was observed at 7.75 weeks,with a body weight of 760.58 g,while for hens,it was reached at 6.64 weeks with a body weight of 520.20 g.All body size indexes of the roosters were found to be significantly larger than those of the hens (P<0.01).There was a extremely significant or significant positive correlation between body weight and body slant length,breast width, hip width in roosters (P<0.01 or P<0.05),and a significant or extremely significant positive correlation between body weight and body slant length,tibia length, breast circumference in hens (P<0.05 or P<0.01).In terms of slaughter performance,the slaughter rate of Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens was found to range from 84.17% to 85.81%.The evisceration rate ranged from 60.76% to 62.79%,the breast muscle rate from 11.09% to 12.47%,and the leg muscle rate from 18.45% to 19.30%.In roosters,there was a extremely significant positive correlation between hamstring rate and hamstring weight (P<0.01).In hens,there was a extremely significant or significant positive correlation between pectoral rate and pectoral weight,full clearbore rate (P<0.01 or P<0.05),and their hamstring rate was significantly positively correlated with hamstring weight (P<0.05).Regarding meat quality,the pH values of the breast and leg muscles ranged from 6.2 to 6.4.The shear force of the breast muscle was recorded between 18 and 19 N,while the leg muscle shear force ranged from 27 to 33 N.Additionally,the water loss rate of the breast and leg muscles ranged from 17% to 20%.There was a extremely significant positive correlation between pectoral muscle pH and hamstring muscle pH (P<0.01),and a significant or extremely significant positive correlation between hamstring muscle cook rate and pectoral muscle shear,hamstring muscle water loss (P<0.05 or P<0.01).【Conclusion】 This study revealed the growth and development pattern of Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens from 0 to 18 weeks of age and the trend of body weight growth at each stage through the Von Bertalanffy model,and found that Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens had good meat production performance,which provided a scientific basis for the subsequent rearing management,breeding selection and the development and utilization of Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens.

Key words: Guizhou Recessive White-feather chickens; growth curve; slaughter performance; meat quality; correlation

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