Bleeding efficiency, carcass characteristics and meat quality assessments in broiler chickens subjected to different pre-slaughter restraining methods

Abstract This research aimed to determine how the pre-slaughter restraint method affected broiler chickens' bleeding efficiency, carcass characteristics, and physicochemical qualities. Before slaughter, 30 male Ross broiler chickens were randomly allocated to either shackling or cone restraint. The individual blood loss of each bird was determined by comparing their body weight before and after 90 seconds of exsanguination. On the Pectoralis major muscle, meat quality measures including pH, water-holding capacity, color, tenderness, and total bacterial counts were determined. At the same time, the incidences of hemorrhage on the breast and thigh of each carcass were analysed morphologically. It was found that shackling produced less blood loss than cone restraint. Except for the final pH, shackling significantly affected the quality of the end product, as muscle lightness, shear force, drip loss, cooking loss, lipid-protein oxidation, and bacterial counts increased (p < 0.05). In addition, broiler birds held by the shackle exhibited larger (p < 0.05) hemorrhages than those restrained by the cone. The results indicated that the method of restraint might affect bleed-out and carcass and meat quality in broiler chickens; consequently, it should be examined in future research.