Broiler chicken thigh and breast muscle responses to cold stress during simulated transport before slaughter

The effect of acute cold exposure was assessed on broiler physiology, breast and thigh muscle metabolites, and meat quality. In total, 160 male birds at ages of 5 and 6 wk were exposed to temperatures of –9 to –15°C (cold stressed) and +20°C (control) in a simulated transport chamber for 3 h before slaughter followed by 0 or 2 h of lairage. Bird physiology parameters, including core body temperature, live shrink, blood glucose, and muscle temperature, were assessed. Core body temperature was monitored every minute using i-Button data loggers, and live shrink and blood glucose were assessed. Total glucose and lactate concentrations at 30 h postmortem, as well as ultimate pH (pHu), color, and water-holding attributes were evaluated on pectoralis major muscle of breast and iliotibialis muscle of thigh. Birds were grouped based on their microclimate temperature to control and cold-stressed groups (0 to –8, –8 to –11, and –11 to –14°C). Significant (P < 0.05) decreases in core body temperature and breast and thigh muscle temperatures were observed at simulated transport temperatures below 0°C. In addition, higher (P < 0.05) live shrink and lower blood glucose values were observed as a result of 3-h exposure to temperatures below 0°C, exacerbated as temperature decreased further below –8°C. Thigh muscle was almost depleted of glycogen reserve compared with a significant but small reduction in breast muscle glycogen when exposure temperature was below –8°C. Similarly, much greater effects were observed on thigh pHu and quality attributes compared with breast. In addition, 84% incidence of the dark, firm, dry quality defect was observed in thigh meat (pHu > 6.4, L* < 44) compared with 42% incidence of dark, firm, dry in breast meat (pHu > 6.1, L* < 46) when transportation temperature was below 0°C. Results of this study showed that thigh muscle was affected more severely than breast muscle by exposure to cold temperatures before slaughter.