This document provides an overview of key areas of focus for addressing carcass quality issues at the processing plant, including transport, receiving, live-hang, stunning, bleeding, scalding, defeathering, evisceration, and chilling. Specifically:
- Transport time should be minimized to reduce bruising, and birds should arrive at the plant 8-12 hours after feed removal.
- Receiving areas should provide airflow and protection from temperature extremes while birds await processing.
- Live-hang areas require low-light and careful handling to avoid injuries.
- Stunning and bleeding must be properly conducted to ensure humane treatment and minimize meat quality issues.
- Scalding and defeather
Broiler Farming Management Guide is designed to help Aviagen’s customers achieve optimum performance from their birds. While not intended to provide definitive information on every aspect of management, this manual does draw attention to important issues that if overlooked or inadequately addressed may depress flock performance. The objective of this manual is to provide management techniques that help growers achieve good overall bird performance from day one through to processing while promoting bird health and welfare.
Aviagen applies a balanced approach to genetic progress, concentrating on commercial traits such as growth rate, feed conversion ratio, livability and meat yield, while improving bird welfare in areas such as leg health, cardiovascular fitness and robustness.
Achieving the genetic potential of the birds depends on three key factors:
• Management to provide birds with their required environment.
• A dietary regimen that offers nutrients in the appropriate profile.
• Effective biosecurity and disease control programs.
These three sectors, environment, nutrition and health, are interdependent. A shortfall in anyone will bring negative consequences to the others and if any one of these elements is sub-optimal, broiler performance will suffer.In reality, the guidance of a manual such as this cannot wholly protect against performance variations that may occur for a wide variety of reasons. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the information presented, Aviagen accepts no liability for the consequences of using this information for the management of chickens. Information presented in this manual combines data derived from internal research.
Broiler Farming Management Guide is designed to help Aviagen’s customers achieve optimum performance from their birds. While not intended to provide definitive information on every aspect of management, this manual does draw attention to important issues that if overlooked or inadequately addressed may depress flock performance. The objective of this manual is to provide management techniques that help growers achieve good overall bird performance from day one through to processing while promoting bird health and welfare.
Aviagen applies a balanced approach to genetic progress, concentrating on commercial traits such as growth rate, feed conversion ratio, livability and meat yield, while improving bird welfare in areas such as leg health, cardiovascular fitness and robustness.
Achieving the genetic potential of the birds depends on three key factors:
• Management to provide birds with their required environment.
• A dietary regimen that offers nutrients in the appropriate profile.
• Effective biosecurity and disease control programs.
These three sectors, environment, nutrition and health, are interdependent. A shortfall in anyone will bring negative consequences to the others and if any one of these elements is sub-optimal, broiler performance will suffer.In reality, the guidance of a manual such as this cannot wholly protect against performance variations that may occur for a wide variety of reasons. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the information presented, Aviagen accepts no liability for the consequences of using this information for the management of chickens. Information presented in this manual combines data derived from internal research.
Poultry production can be divided into four sectors:
1. industrial and integrated, 2.commercial high bio-security, 3. commercial low bio-security, 4. village, and family or backyard poultry. The focus here is largely on sectors 3 and 4 but there may be some overlap.
‘Family poultry’ as defined by the International Network for Family Poultry Development, covers sectors 3 and 4 which encompass small - scale poultry production.
There are numerous poultry handbooks which cover sectors 2 and 3, but this hand book has attempted, in two manuals, to cover mainly sector 3 while not ignoring the great importance of bio-security particularly in the face of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). It is envisaged that, given time, some producers, now in sector 3 may move into sector 2.
The two manuals are pitched at two different levels.
The Trainer’s (instructor) manual assumes that the trainer has qualifications and/or experience in a branch of agricultural science but not necessarily in poultry production. Some of the material included is beyond that necessary to give an initial course in poultry production but may be useful as the farmer progresses from sector 3 to sector 2. The trainee’s manual has numerous illustrations and is aimed at a lower level than for the trainer.
The farmer may be interested in starting a poultry enterprise is already producing poultry in a small - scale commercial or semi-commercial (opportunistic) situation but would like to make poultry farming more permanent. The course will allow the farmer to increase his/her knowledge and skills and to become aware of a number of important issues (e.g. managing the environment, disease surveillance) of his/her enterprise.
In order to minimise repetition, there is some material in the trainee’s manual that is not in the trainer’s manual. Trainers should familiarise themselves thoroughly with both manuals.
The third manual is for the millions of families, worldwide, in low – income,
developing countries who keep backyard poultry, mainly unmanaged, with few inputs, but nevertheless are of great importance by providing, some security, income and high – quality protein. It is hoped that this manual will make families aware of the possibility of improving output with a minimum of input.
Much of the information has been taken from a range of sources as well as the author’s own experience of working in several developing countries over 25 years.
Ideally, there should be a small-scale demonstration unit or a poultry farm available so that the trainees can see, first hand, and better understand the main points in these manuals and observe how commercial poultry production should be practised.
There are many factors which affect feed intake of chickens and hence determine nutrient intake level and efficiency of poultry production. Although the spectrum of these factors is very broad, here the focus will be made on management and environment, feed and water, and physical factors. Management and environment play an important role in controlling feed intake and efficiency. Poultry producers should, therefore, make use of the current technology and recent research works aiming at optimising management practices and micro-environment for better feed intake and utilisation.
To manage means "to handle or control". Animal management is the care, control and
handling of the animal species under study. In our livestock species, most of the time and energies of the animal manager are spent providing food and shelter and assuring optimal health and reproductive capacity of the animals under the care of the manager. In this course we will study "typical livestock management systems."
While we refer to these as "typical" management systems, the particular management system in any livestock operation will vary depending upon the following:
species of animal
intended use of animal (dairy cow vs. beef cattle)
location - part of the country, climate, resources available, nearness to neighbors, etc.
resources of producer -- land, labor, capital
materials handling required -- what goes in and what comes out of system feed and water are materials handling inputs waste products and products to be marketed are materials handling outputs
government rules and regulations -- waste management, food safety, humane care,
etc.
preference of producer, processor and consumer
A Good Management system must do the following:
provide for basic needs of animal -- food, water, shelter
provide a product that can be sold at a profit for producer
In operating a livestock management system, a great deal of time is devoted to providing food and water, assuring the health of the animals under one's care and assuring animal reproduction in systems where reproduction is important to providing the final product. As a consequence, we will devote the majority of lecture time in this course to these topics.
5 ijhaf feb-2018-4-the use of brood pheromonesAI Publications
The study was conducted at the Apiary site of the College of Agriculture University of Baghdad to evaluate the effect of brood pheromone (Superboost) and feeding substitutes on stimulation of colony growth brood and honey area, building wax foundation and quantity of pollen collected. Results showed that was a significant difference on the amount of change in brood area between treatments. The synthetic pollen patty was given the highest brood area of 234.142 inch2, followed by treatment of superboost brood pheromone, synthetic pollen patty+ superboost brood pheromone, artificial mesquite patty+ superboost brood pheromone and mesquite patty treatment which reached192.857,179.571, 169 and 114.714 inch2 respectively, compared with 77.285inch2 for the control treatment.. Results of the speed of building wax foundation were showed no significant differences within 24 hour for all the treatments. Within 120 hour The highest average of 272 inch2was recorded on colonies treatedoffwith superboost pheromone only and synthetic pollen patty+ superboost brood pheromone , followed by 180, 150 , 120 inch2for the treatment of artificial pollen patty , superboost + mesquite patty and mesquite patty. The highestpollen weight of41.1gmwas observed on colonies treated with super boost only compared with 10.454 , 9.172 and 1.2 gm for other treatments of synthetic pollen patty+ superboost, pollen patty and control treatments . The results of using superboost brood pheromone with locally feeding substitutes for increasing the pollination activating and efficiency of honey bee colonies also discussed.
The objective of the Swine Nutrition Guide remains the same: to provide the reader with a simple, easy-to-read source of practical information on the nutrition of the pig. Fundamentally, the pig has changed little since 1989 when the first edition
was released; of course, genetic progress has been impressive, but the list of nutrients required by the pig and how they are used have remained much the same.
Poultry production can be divided into four sectors:
1. industrial and integrated, 2.commercial high bio-security, 3. commercial low bio-security, 4. village, and family or backyard poultry. The focus here is largely on sectors 3 and 4 but there may be some overlap.
‘Family poultry’ as defined by the International Network for Family Poultry Development, covers sectors 3 and 4 which encompass small - scale poultry production.
There are numerous poultry handbooks which cover sectors 2 and 3, but this hand book has attempted, in two manuals, to cover mainly sector 3 while not ignoring the great importance of bio-security particularly in the face of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). It is envisaged that, given time, some producers, now in sector 3 may move into sector 2.
The two manuals are pitched at two different levels.
The Trainer’s (instructor) manual assumes that the trainer has qualifications and/or experience in a branch of agricultural science but not necessarily in poultry production. Some of the material included is beyond that necessary to give an initial course in poultry production but may be useful as the farmer progresses from sector 3 to sector 2. The trainee’s manual has numerous illustrations and is aimed at a lower level than for the trainer.
The farmer may be interested in starting a poultry enterprise is already producing poultry in a small - scale commercial or semi-commercial (opportunistic) situation but would like to make poultry farming more permanent. The course will allow the farmer to increase his/her knowledge and skills and to become aware of a number of important issues (e.g. managing the environment, disease surveillance) of his/her enterprise.
In order to minimise repetition, there is some material in the trainee’s manual that is not in the trainer’s manual. Trainers should familiarise themselves thoroughly with both manuals.
The third manual is for the millions of families, worldwide, in low – income,
developing countries who keep backyard poultry, mainly unmanaged, with few inputs, but nevertheless are of great importance by providing, some security, income and high – quality protein. It is hoped that this manual will make families aware of the possibility of improving output with a minimum of input.
Much of the information has been taken from a range of sources as well as the author’s own experience of working in several developing countries over 25 years.
Ideally, there should be a small-scale demonstration unit or a poultry farm available so that the trainees can see, first hand, and better understand the main points in these manuals and observe how commercial poultry production should be practised.
There are many factors which affect feed intake of chickens and hence determine nutrient intake level and efficiency of poultry production. Although the spectrum of these factors is very broad, here the focus will be made on management and environment, feed and water, and physical factors. Management and environment play an important role in controlling feed intake and efficiency. Poultry producers should, therefore, make use of the current technology and recent research works aiming at optimising management practices and micro-environment for better feed intake and utilisation.
To manage means "to handle or control". Animal management is the care, control and
handling of the animal species under study. In our livestock species, most of the time and energies of the animal manager are spent providing food and shelter and assuring optimal health and reproductive capacity of the animals under the care of the manager. In this course we will study "typical livestock management systems."
While we refer to these as "typical" management systems, the particular management system in any livestock operation will vary depending upon the following:
species of animal
intended use of animal (dairy cow vs. beef cattle)
location - part of the country, climate, resources available, nearness to neighbors, etc.
resources of producer -- land, labor, capital
materials handling required -- what goes in and what comes out of system feed and water are materials handling inputs waste products and products to be marketed are materials handling outputs
government rules and regulations -- waste management, food safety, humane care,
etc.
preference of producer, processor and consumer
A Good Management system must do the following:
provide for basic needs of animal -- food, water, shelter
provide a product that can be sold at a profit for producer
In operating a livestock management system, a great deal of time is devoted to providing food and water, assuring the health of the animals under one's care and assuring animal reproduction in systems where reproduction is important to providing the final product. As a consequence, we will devote the majority of lecture time in this course to these topics.
5 ijhaf feb-2018-4-the use of brood pheromonesAI Publications
The study was conducted at the Apiary site of the College of Agriculture University of Baghdad to evaluate the effect of brood pheromone (Superboost) and feeding substitutes on stimulation of colony growth brood and honey area, building wax foundation and quantity of pollen collected. Results showed that was a significant difference on the amount of change in brood area between treatments. The synthetic pollen patty was given the highest brood area of 234.142 inch2, followed by treatment of superboost brood pheromone, synthetic pollen patty+ superboost brood pheromone, artificial mesquite patty+ superboost brood pheromone and mesquite patty treatment which reached192.857,179.571, 169 and 114.714 inch2 respectively, compared with 77.285inch2 for the control treatment.. Results of the speed of building wax foundation were showed no significant differences within 24 hour for all the treatments. Within 120 hour The highest average of 272 inch2was recorded on colonies treatedoffwith superboost pheromone only and synthetic pollen patty+ superboost brood pheromone , followed by 180, 150 , 120 inch2for the treatment of artificial pollen patty , superboost + mesquite patty and mesquite patty. The highestpollen weight of41.1gmwas observed on colonies treated with super boost only compared with 10.454 , 9.172 and 1.2 gm for other treatments of synthetic pollen patty+ superboost, pollen patty and control treatments . The results of using superboost brood pheromone with locally feeding substitutes for increasing the pollination activating and efficiency of honey bee colonies also discussed.
The objective of the Swine Nutrition Guide remains the same: to provide the reader with a simple, easy-to-read source of practical information on the nutrition of the pig. Fundamentally, the pig has changed little since 1989 when the first edition
was released; of course, genetic progress has been impressive, but the list of nutrients required by the pig and how they are used have remained much the same.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Presentation of preparation of multiple enterprise farm plansabin bhattarai
Sample presentation about preparation of multiple enterprise farm plan prepared by Bsc Ag undergraduates students of Agriculture and Forestry University
Performance Characteristics and Carcass Yield of Indigenous Turkeys Fed Indom...iosrjce
This study evaluated the performance of turkey poults fed indomie waste (IW) based-diet. A total of
one hundred and forty-four (144) local strain of turkey poults were allotted to four dietary treatments in which
indomie waste was used to replace maize at 0%, 33.33%, 66.67%, and 100% levels, representing treatments one
to four (T1- T4) respectively. Each treatment was replicated three times with 12 poults per replicate using the
Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The study lasted for eight weeks. The initial weights of the poults were
taken while the final weight record was taken at the end of the study. The feed intake record was taken daily and
computed as total feed consumed per bird at the end of the study while weight gain, feed conversion ratio and
feed cost were calculated. Three birds were randomly selected from each replicate for carcass and organ
evaluation and were expressed as percentages of the body weight. The result showed that the IW significantly
(p< 0.05) affected the average weight gain and improved feed conversion ratio. The cost of feed per kg
decreased with increasing levels of IW in the diet. Significant differences were not observed in the carcass and
organ except in the breast yield. The lowest cost of feed was obtained at 100% inclusion level. The reduction in
feed cost is an advantage to the farmer who desires low cost of production. It was evident that IW could be
incorporated into the diet of local strain of turkey poults up to 100% level without any deleterious effect on the
performance of the turkeys, however, the 66.67% replacement which led to higher final body weight and better
feed conversion is recommended.
Assessment of the Profitability Window of Broiler Chickens Farming in Bobo-Di...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
The purpose of this study, was to determine the optimal size for broiler farming and the optimal hen's raising time to achieve technically and economically profitable farming .The study was conducted in the suburban area of Bobo-Dioulasso where three groups of six broiler farms were identified: the 1st group was made of farms that had 200 to 400 heads, the 2nd group had between 400 to 600 heads, and the 3rd group had more than 1000 heads.. In each group, three farms had completed the hen raising within 35 days and the other three within 42 days. We found that among the chicken coops, 17% respected the building orientation standards and most had low roofs (< 2.5 m) with a short extended eave (< 1 m) and a low dwarf wall (< 20 cm). Almost all of the producers (94.4%) used concomitantly a feed formula and a vaccination schedule. In terms of conduct, crawl space, lighting, preheating and heating were effective on all farms. In fact, 72.2% used coal-fired heaters, 16.7% radiant heater and 11.1% heating bulbs. Upon installation of the chicks (day 1), 76.5% of producers were administering veterinary products. In terms of good density of feeding and watering material, 61% were met at start-up, 43% at growth and 29% at finish. For those who observed the recommended density standards, 88.89% were encountered at start-up, 44% at growth and 5.2% at finish. The highest mortalities and average live weights (AVL) were found on large farms and 42 days raising while the highest Feed conversion ratios (FCR) were recorded in farms with 35 days of driving. The highest chicken production costs were seen in smaller flocks (1831±233) and the larger the flock size at finish, the better the profit (822 ± 151). In conclusion, the category of flock size that allowed the highest benefit for farmers in the suburban area of Bobo-Dioulasso is the group had more than 1000 heads and therefore should be recommended for extension purpose.
1.The poultry accounts for about 2% of the gross domestic product.
2.It has grown rapidly at the rate of 4 to 6% in layers and 8 to 10 % broliers.
3.During the past 2 decades the poultry industry has provided direct employment to about 9 lakhs and given rise to man allied industry.
The Cobb Broiler Management Guide is part of our technical information service, which includes Hatchery, Grand Parent, Breeder, Vaccination & Nutrition Guides, Technical Bulletins and a full range of performance charts. Our recommendations are based on current scientific knowledge and practical experience from around the world. You should always be aware of local legislation, which may influence the management practice that you choose to adopt.
This paper will discuss types of substances with hormonal activity currently in use or under
investigation, their effects, mechanism of action, metabolism/elimination, tissue levels, risks to
the consumer and their economic importance.
the liver is the central laboratory of a chicken’s body. It is
essential that this organ is kept in an excellent condition in
order to maintain a healthy bird. Understanding the metabolic
function and causes of disruptions in liver functions helps us
to provide the birds with the right feed and health treatment.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
1. AviagenBrief
®
Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the
Processing Plant
Dr. Sarge Bilgili, Professor Emeritus, Auburn University
September 2016
INTRODUCTION
Poultry is the fastest growing sector in the animal protein (meat) industry and one of the most widely consumed meats
in the world. The increase in demand, along with population growth, increasing disposable income and consumer
choices, has made it more important than ever for producers to take a closer look at any issues that may arise in the
processing plant.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), chicken meat represents
approximately 88% of worldwide poultry meat output and in 2014, accounted for approximately 96 million tons of meat
(FAO, 2014). It is also estimated that since the year 2000, the global average for eviscerated carcass weight had
increased from 1.44 kg (3.17 lbs) to 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs). Looking at this from an economic standpoint, the processing
plant is truly the only profit center in an integrated poultry company.
The purpose of this article is to emphasize the importance of correctly addressing issues within the processing
plant. After the producer has worked hard to get the correct number of birds for processing, reducing issues at the
processing plant helps guarantee the most profitability for the producer. Key areas of focus will be:
• Processing overview
• Transport/Receiving
• Live-Hang
• Stunning
• Bleeding out/Scalding
• Defeathering
• Evisceration
• Chilling
BIRD HANDLING
It is important that all birds are handled in a calm and correct way at all times. All people handling
birds (for catching, weighing, physical assessment, crop fill assessment, or vaccination) should
be experienced and appropriately trained so that they can handle the birds with the care that is
appropriate for the purpose, age, and sex of the bird.
2. 2
Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016 Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016
3
PROCESSING OVERVIEW
HIGH-SPEED PROCESSING
One of the key aspects of mechanized processing is high input-high output. It also includes characteristics such as:
• High speed slaughter/processing lines.
• Sanitation and hygiene procedures.
• Veterinary and government oversight (inspection).
• Sizing, portioning and forming.
• Ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat production.
• Fresh and frozen storage.
• Distribution infrastructure.
• By-product and waste processing.
• Water treatment.
Figure 1 describes the flow of the broilers from receiving into the processing plant to being shipped as a product.
Figure 1: Processing plant flow chart (red circle indicates receiving and holding, blue circles indicate slaughter and pre-processing,
purple circles indicate evisceration and processing and green circles represent organ and carcass chillers).
Receiving/
Holding
Shackling Stunning Neck Cut Bleeding Scalding
De-
feathering
Head/
Trachea
Remover
Pinning
Hock
Cutter
Transfer
Oil Gland
Removal
Vent
Opening
Opening
Cut
Carcass
Inspection
Viscera
Draw
Vacuum
Giblet
Harvest
Carcass
Trim
Inside/
Outside
Bird
Washer
Carcass
Chiller
Neck Chiller
Gizzard Chiller
Heart Chiller
Liver Chiller
The processing plant is the midway point in the farm-to-fork food chain. Parameters such as bird live weight, FCR, welfare,
livability and cost are monitored during production; whereas factors such as safety, quality and yield are emphasized during
processing. The formula is simple – healthy birds, combined with sanitary processing and inspection produces safe and
wholesome poultry meat.
TRANSPORT/RECEIVING
TRANSPORT TO THE PROCESSING PLANT
Transport of broilers from the farm to the processing plant is one of the most important steps in producing a quality meat
product. Catching, crating, loading and transporting must be performed carefully so as not to cause bruising, broken
bones, stress or mortality. These factors will lead to downgrades or condemnations in the plant resulting in loss of product
and profit. Incorrect transport practices do not only affect the live bird, but may affect meat quality as well. By its nature,
transport alters both the metabolism and physiological state of the bird, which may produce undesirable changes in meat
quality (Zhang, et. al, 2009). Controlling the micro-climate (i.e. temperature and humidity birds are exposed to within the
containers) is extremely important in reducing the level of thermal stress. This is accomplished by either facilitating better
airflow among the birds (warm climates) and/or controlling the wind-chill by the use of covers (cold climates (Figure 2)).
Figure 2: Shielding birds from the cold during transport.
Transport time to the plant plays a key role in the end quality of poultry meat products. Scheduling should be done so that
broilers arrive at the processing plant between 8-12 hours after the removal of feed. This allows sufficient time for birds to
empty their gut, creating fewer problems with fecal material contaminating the carcasses. If held longer than 12 hours, the
bird’s intestinal lining will begin to break down, increasing contamination rates and reducing carcass yield.
A good method to use for calculating total feed withdrawal time can be found in the following formula:
Feed Withdrawal Period =
Time in House Without Feed
+
Catching Time
+
Transport Time
+
Holding Time (Lairage)
Separation between receiving and live-hang
and from hock cutting in pre-processing to
evisceration and processing.
Antimicrobial
Application
3. 4
Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016 Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016
5
It has also been noted that the longer the journey from the farm to the plant, the higher the incidence of breast bruising
(Figure 3). This may be caused because the birds are confined to crates for longer periods of time, resulting in the breast
muscle having contact with the rigid floor of the crate. Bruising incidence is worsened if the transportation route from the
farm to the plant includes roads with uneven surfaces. Although it is not uncommon for transport time to take between 1-7
total hours, the less time the bird can spend in transport, the better for the live bird and meat quality.
Figure 3: Example of breast bruising.
RECEIVING BROILERS AT THE PROCESSING PLANT
Once birds have arrived at the plant there will most likely be a certain amount of time that they will have to wait before
being unloaded onto the receiving dock. Depending on the season of the year and the amount of time traveled, this can
pose potential problems for the birds. The longer birds are held, the greater the risk for skin scratches and lesions which
may cause downgrading at processing.
Although it is recommended that broilers only have to spend a short time being held on the truck once they arrive at the
plant (2 hours or less is preferred), some processing plants are equipped with environmentally controlled holding areas with
fans and foggers that allow cool air to circulate around the crates, cooling the birds (Figure 4). This is especially helpful
during the summer months when temperatures are the hottest. During the colder months, it is recommended to use a
covering (tarpaulin) to help shield the birds from the cold but still allow air to flow between the crates.
Figure 4: Examples of bird-holding areas.
SHACKLING
The live-hang area of the processing plant is one of the busiest areas of the process in terms of labor use. Because of
the high volume of birds that come into a plant on a daily basis and manual shackling procedures, employees must work
quickly to ensure that all birds are not only shackled and enter the processing line in a timely manner, but also in optimal
quality with minimal handling damage. Extreme care and a high regard for bird welfare should be observed during this
process as there is still a chance of injury to the live bird. If done incorrectly, shackling can cause bruising, broken wings,
red wing tips and broken legs.
It is highly recommended that low light levels in this area be used to help calm the birds (Figure 5). Under low light
intensities, birds are less likely to become excited and accidentally injure themselves. In some locations, blue light is also
used for the same purpose. Broilers should always be handled with care by individuals who have been trained in the
correct shackling techniques.
Figure 5: Example of a correctly shackled bird under low lighting conditions.
4. 6
Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016 Aviagen Brief - Addressing Carcass Quality Issues at the Processing Plant, September 2016
7
STUNNING
Stunning is a process that is used to render a bird unconscious prior to killing and to facilitate bleeding. The two most
common methods are water bath electrical stunning systems and gas stunning systems, which are viewed positively from
an animal welfare standpoint.
Electrical stunning is typically performed in the range of 12-150 mA (milliamps) of electrical current per bird for a duration of
2-11 seconds. Stunning is an extremely important step because if done incorrectly, it can affect carcass quality, blood loss,
and meat quality (Figure 6). The effects of electrical stunning on final meat quality are dependent on the voltage, frequency
and duration used (Huang, et.al, 2014). It is important to note that the time of unconsciousness increases with an increase
in the voltage; however, carcass damage may also be increased. If the stunning voltage is too high, wing and muscle
hemorrhages may occur. If the voltage is too low, birds may only be partially unconscious and can become excited, causing
muscle tension and insufficient bleed out. The three most common methods of electrical stunning are high-voltage/low
frequency (HS), middle voltage/low frequency (MS) and low voltage/high frequency (LS), with the HS method being most
commonly used in Europe, the MS method in Asia and the LS method in the US. The main concern for electrical stunning is
to correctly and humanely prepare broilers for bleeding and to limit the suffering associated with humane killing.
Gas stunning is different from electrical stunning in that it is not instantaneous. However, because birds do not have
receptors for nitrogen and argon (two of the most common gasses used in gas stunning), they do not feel any distress in
the minutes leading up to unconsciousness. The most crucial part of a gas stunning system is to take into account advice
from qualified experts who can determine the correct flow rate in which the gas is delivered and the correct gas to use.
Figure 6: Red wing tips caused by improper stunning setting.
BLEEDING/SCALDING
BLEED-OUT
During the bleeding process, about 40% of the total blood volume drains from the broiler carcass, 3 to 5% stays in the
muscles, and the rest remains in the viscera (Plumber, et.al, 2012). If the bird has been correctly stunned, the heart will
continue to beat during the allotted bleed-out time, helping to pump blood out of the carcass. Worldwide, it is common to
use a bleed-out time of between 90 to 150 sec. Poorly bled carcasses exhibit dispersed redness on the carcass, which can
lead to downgrading (Figure 7) or condemnation of the whole carcass. Proper bleeding also permits maximum collection
of blood as a by-product (blood meal) and significantly decreases the amount of blood in the scalder and floor drains,
decreasing the organic content (Biological Oxygen Demand) of the waste-water (Kuenzel and Ingling, 1977).
Figure 7: An example of poorly bled-out carcass.
SCALDING
Scalding is a process by which the birds are immersed into hot water in single or multi-stage tanks to help loosen the
feathers prior to defeathering. Most processing plants use scald times of 1 to 3.5 minutes, depending on the type of
scalding required. Most commonly, soft (52-54°C, 125-130°F) and medium (55-57°C, 131-135°F) scalding temperatures
are recommended for yellow (skin cuticle intact) and white (skin cuticle removed) skin color. Intact cuticle is preferred
in whole or cut-up broilers marketed as fresh. Under hard-scalding (54-60°C, 130-140°F), birds typically remain in the
scalder for 45-90 seconds. Soft-scalding, however, requires a longer time of 120-210 seconds to facilitate proper feather
removal. In both cases, proper agitation of the scald water is essential for effective wetting of the feathers. If the scalding
temperature is too high, carcass color may appear uneven and the fillets can have an almost “cooked” appearance from
heat induced denaturation (Figure 8). If the temperature is too low, it may cause “barking” or un-even removal of the skin
cuticle (Figure 9).
Figure 8: Over-scalded breast.
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Figure 10: Examples of poor defeathering, broken wing and bruising associated with defeathering.
Figure 11: Carcass that has become damaged in the defeathering machine.
Figure 9: Skin barking.
DEFEATHERING
After the birds have been sufficiently scalded, they enter a series of defeathering machines in which rotating disks
with these rubber fingers help remove the feathers from the bird without damaging the carcass. However, if placed
incorrectly in the machine, these rubber fingers can also cause improper feather removal, broken wings, skin and muscle
tears and carcass bruising (Figure 10). Both scalding and defeathering processes are considered important sites of
cross-contamination, increasing the risk of spreading bacteria from the skin of a contaminated bird to ones that are not
contaminated.
In the scalder, it is essential that the water move against the birds in a counter-current direction. This helps to remove feces
from the carcass and ensure that as the birds move along the scalder line, they are moving through the cleanest water
before entering the defeathering machine. The rate of water flow should also be high, making sure to dilute and properly
remove any feces from the carcasses. If regular checks to the scalder are not made, any fecal contamination left on the
carcass can transfer to the defeathering machine. This, in turn, can act as a source of cross-contamination by spreading
bacteria from one carcass to another through the rubber fingers on the defeathering equipment.
Any damaged, worn, broken and missing rubber fingers in defeathering machines should be replaced daily to assure
proper “break-in” period and to make sure that carcass damage is not occurring (Figure 11).
EVISCERATION
Evisceration is one of the most critical points for carcass contamination along the route to the finished product. If the
broilers have not had long enough to empty their intestinal tract before killing and if there is viscera damage during
evisceration, then carcasses can easily become contaminated with the contents of the digestive tract. As a general rule,
a maximum of 8-12 hours without feed is needed to ensure that the gastro-intestinal tract is empty without reducing
bodyweight before beginning processing. However, if the birds have gone too long without feed (13+ hours) the intestinal
linings may break during evisceration, causing bile and other fluids to leak onto the carcass. If contamination occurs, the
carcass must be washed, trimmed or reprocessed, which is both expensive and time consuming (Bilgili, 2010). Figure 12
shows an example of uncontaminated birds with their viscera, while Figure 13 illustrates an example of a contaminated
carcass that will have to be reprocessed.
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Figure 12: Clean, uncontaminated birds and their viscera.
Figure 13: Example of a carcass contaminated with bile that must be reprocessed.
Figure 14: Examples of water immersion and air chilling systems.
CARCASS CHILLING
The two most common methods of carcass chilling during processing are water immersion and air chilling (Figure 14).
Immersion chilling involves placing carcasses into a counter flow water system at 0-1°C (32-34°F) for 1.5 to 3 hours
depending on carcass weight. The aim is to reduce deep muscle temperature to <4°C (40°F) to inhibit the growth of
microorganisms. One of the key issues in water immersion chilling is to maintain a free chlorine level of about 5 ppm to
reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination. This can be difficult since large numbers of birds entering the chiller introduce
organic material that decreases the levels of free chlorine in the chiller.
Air chilling systems are growing in popularity, partly due to the fact that there is less water uptake of the carcass than with
immersion chilling. Air chilling systems are characterized by chilling carcasses in environmentally controlled rooms with
forced air. Because the rate of heat transfer is much slower with air than in water, it takes much longer to air chill. However,
carcasses must reach 4°C (40°F) or less within 16 hours.
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KEY POINTS
• Catching, crating, loading and transporting must be performed carefully so as not to cause
bruising, broken bones, stress or mortality.
• Broiler feed withdrawal time should be between 8-12 hours before processing and birds
should have to wait no longer than 2 hours to be unloaded off the truck.
• Extreme care and a high regard for bird welfare should be observed during shackling as there
is significant chance of injury to the live bird (bruises, broken bones and red wing tips).
• It is recommended to use low light levels or blue light in the receiving and shackling areas to
help to calm the birds.
• Electrical stunning is typically performed in the range of 12-150 mA (milliamps) of electrical
current per bird for a duration of 2-11 seconds.
• Gas stunning system should take into account advice from qualified experts who can
determine the correct flow rate in which the gas is delivered and the correct gas to use.
• It is recommended that a bleed-out time of between 90 to 150 seconds be used.
• Most processing plants use scald times of 1 to 3.5 minutes, depending on the type of scalding
required.
• Most commonly, soft (52-54°C, 125-130°F) and medium (55-57°C, 131-135°F) scalding
temperatures are recommended for yellow (skin cuticle intact) and white (skin cuticle
removed) skin color.
• Any damaged, worn, broken and missing rubber fingers in defeathering machines should be
replaced daily.
• Every effort should be made to maintain sanitary evisceration conditions and if contamination
occurs, the carcass must be washed, trimmed or reprocessed.
• Chilling of carcasses through water and/or air chilling is critical to reducing microbial growth
and extending shelf-life. For either system, carcasses must be chilled to 4°C (40°F).
REFERENCES
Bilgili, S. F., 2010. Poultry Meat Inspection and Grading. Pages 67-99 in: Poultry Meat Processing, Eds., C. M. Owens, C.
Alvarado, and A. R. Sams, 2nd ed., CRC Press LCC, Boca Raton, FL.
Huang, J.C., M. Huang, J. Yang, P. Wang, X.L. Xu, and G.H. Zhou. The effects of electrical stunning methods on broiler
meat quality: Effect on stress, glycolysis, water distribution, and myofibrillar ultrastructures Poultry Science (August 2014)
93 (8): 2087-2095 first published online June 3, 2014 doi:10.3382/ps.2013-03248.
Kuenzel, W.J. and A.L. Ingling. A Comparison of Plate and Brine Stunners, A.C. and D.C. Circuits for Maximizing Bleed-out
in Processed Poultry Poultry Science (1977) 56 (6): 2087-2090 doi:10.3382/ps.0562087.
Plumber, H.S., B.H. Kiepper, and C.W. Ritz. Effects of broiler carcass bleed time and scald temperature on poultry
processing wastewater J Appl Poult Res (2012) 21 (2): 375-383 doi:10.3382/japr.2011-00444.
Zhang, L., H.Y. Yue, H.J. Zhang, L. Xu, S.G. Wu, H.J. Yan, Y.S. Gong, and G.H. Qi. Transport stress in broilers: I. Blood
metabolism, glycolytic potential, and meat quality Poultry Science (2009) 88 (10): 2033-2041 doi:10.3382/ps.2009-00128.
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Red Skin
Condition
Carcass
Bruising
Adequate ventilation to
minimize mortality and
live shrink.
Process birds in a timely
manner so that intestinal
integrity is maintained and
breakage during evisceration
is minimal.
Receiving
and Holding
Unloading &
Shackling
Carcass bruises.
Red wing tips/Broken wings.
Broken legs.
Check:
• Catching and unloading procedures;
• Shackling procedures;
• Light intensity during shackling;
• Bird movement prior to unloading,
during and after shackling.
Stunning
Wing hemorrhages.
Red skin condition.
Check:
• Stunner settings are correct.
Neck Cutting
Take care that the toe and head guide
bars are positioned correctly as to not
sever the trachea and esophagus during
neck cutting. Doing so can lead to
difficulty when removing the head
and lungs.
Bleeding Poor Bleeding.
Check:
• Chilled birds;
• Stunner settings;
• Type and effeciency of neck cut;
• Bleeding time.
1 2
3
4 5
Red
Wing Tips
Broken
Wing
Wing
Hemorrhages
Broken
Leg
Poor
Bleeding
Poor
Bleeding
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Broken
Wing
Broken
Leg
Poor
Defeathering
Defeathering
Poor defeathering.
Broken legs.
Wing damage.
Carcass bruising.
Check:
• Defeathering settings,
• Defeathering machine finger replacement;
• Adjustment of fingers.
7
Vent
Opening Carcass fecal contamination.
Check:
• Equipment settings,
adjustment or replacement,
• Carcass washers.
8
Carcass
Brusing
Carcass Fecal
Contamination
Scalding
Carcass/meat discoloration.
Skin tears/barking.
Check:
• Scalding time, temperature and agitation.
6
Meat
Discolouration
Skin
Tears
Skin
Barking
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Bile
Contamination
Ingesta
Contamination
Machine
Damage
Viscera Draw/
Giblet Removal
Viscera/giblet contamination.
Giblet abnormalities.
Check:
• Evisceration equipment;
• Giblet removal equipment;
• Nutrition on farm;
• Health issues.
10
Fecal
Contamination
Viscera/Giblet
Contamination
Giblet
Abnormalities
Difference Between
Normal fillet (left)
Excessive Moisture (right)
Pick-up
Dehydrated
Carcass
Crop Removal/
Opening Cut
Machine damage to carcass.
Viscera and carcass
contamination-bile/feces.
Ingesta contamination.
Check:
• Uniformity of opening cuts,
evisceration equipment;
• Crop removal equipment.
9
Chilling
11
Dehydration.
Excessive moisture pick-up.
Check:
• Air chilling time, temperature,
and air flow;
• Water chilling time,
temperature, and agitation;
• Excessive skin openings;
• Drip time.