INFLUENCE OF HANDLING PROCESSES FOR BROILERS ON MORTALITY AND CARCASS QUALITY AT SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Bio-Eng. Dept., Ag. Eng. Res. Inst., Ag. Res. Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

2 Chemistry Dept., Animal Health Res. Inst., Ag. Res. Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The current study was conducted during spring and summer of 2016 and winter of 2017 at Al-Watania Poultry Company. A preliminary test was performed to identify the optimum operating conditions of a proposed mechanical catching machine (CIEMME Super Apollo L) and compare the effect of using this machine versus manual catching under commercial conditions, with respect to the performance rate; operation and production costs at the optimum operating conditions and the “welfare“ stress indices, which were concentration of Corticosterone “CORT”; Adrenocorticotropic “ACTH”; glucose and lactate with tonic immobility as ant-mortem stress indices and dead on arrival “DOA”; the incidence of bruises and the rate of downgrade carcass quality as postmortem stress indices. The preliminary test results indicated that, the optimum operating conditions for the proposed catching machine were forward speed of 0.1 m/sec. and collection belt speed of 0.65 m/sec. at these conditions the recorded machine productivity were 20.66 and 20.59 ton/h and the recorded losses were 0.049 and 0.06 % at MBM of 1600 or 2000 gm. respectively. The main test results indicated that, the performance rate of catching machine ranged from 8227 to 10418 Bird/h. Meanwhile it was ranged between 4474 to 5317 Bird/h. with manual catching. The average catching costs for the mechanical and manual method was 9.48 L.E/ton and 44.7 L.E/ton respectively. As far the stress indices, the mechanically caught broilers had lower CORT concentrations and shorter durations of tonic immobility. That means, mechanical catching, birds were less stressed than the manually caught. There is a positive feedback mechanism between CORT and glucose; lactate and duration of tonic immobility. Meanwhile there is a negative feedback mechanism between concentration of CORT and ACTH hormones. The highest DOA was 0.76% and 0.53% recorded with manual catching at summer and winter respectively, while it was 0.439 and 0.409 with mechanical catching at summer and winter respectively, with transport distance of >250 km and mean body mass “MBM” of 2000 g. The contusion of wing was reduced from 3.81 %; 3.27 % for broiler caught manually to 3.02 %; 2.18 % for broilers caught mechanically. However, there was no difference in contusions in the breast or paw between the two catching methods. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of the broilers mechanical catching machine, CIEMME Super Apollo L, appears to be a good alternative to manual catching from the worker’s; bird’s welfare and economic point of view.

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