MUSCLE TYPE AND MEAT QUALITY OF LOCAL CHICKENS ACCORDING TO ANTE-MORTEM CAPTURE CHASE CONDITIONS AND SEX IN BENIN

Understanding the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic conditions on chicken meat quality is an asset for stakeholders. This study aimed to determine the influence of muscle on meat quality in local chickens from Benin according to ante-mortem capture chase conditions and sex. It was carried out on thirty-six male and female chickens of 6 to 7 months, including a control group, a group slaughtered after 4 hours of rest following 15 minutes of capture chase, and a group immediately slaughtered after capture chase. Meat acidity and color parameters were evaluated. In all three groups, the thigh pH was higher than that of the breast at all measure times (p < 0.001), decreasing from 6.13 to 6.03 in the thigh and from 5.65 to 5.41 in the breast, between 1 hour and 48 hours post-mortem. This same trend was observed for the red index (a*) and the hue (p< 0.001) for the whole group and specifically in the control and 4 h of rest groups for the red index at both times and for the hue in chased and immediately slaughtered chickens on the slaughter day (p< 0.001). However, the lightness (L*) and yellow index (b*) of the breast were higher than those of the thigh in all three groups, both on the slaughter and following days (p < 0.001). It was also relatively the case for meat chroma. These same trends between thigh and breast were also observed in both sexes. Thus, regardless of sex or antemortem capture chase conditions, breast meat is more acidic, brighter and more yellow but less red than thigh meat.