Detection of woody breast condition in commercial broiler carcasses using image analysis

• Published in: Poultry science 2021-04, Vol.100 (4), p.100977-100977, Article 100977
• Main Authors: Caldas-Cueva, Juan P., Mauromoustakos, A., Sun, X., Owens, Casey M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; carcass grading; Chickens; Female; image analysis; Male; Meat - analysis; meat quality; Muscular Diseases - veterinary; Pectoralis Muscles; Poultry Diseases; processing; Processing and Products; woody breast
• ISSN: 0032-5791; 1525-3171
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.12.074

Image analysis could be an objective and rapid method to identify woody breast (WB) myopathy and benefit the global poultry industry. The objective of this study was to determine if there are conformational changes that can be used to detect WB characteristics in commercial broiler carcasses across strains, gender, and ages using image analysis. A total of 900 images of male and female broiler carcasses from commercial standard and high breast-yielding strains and 5 ages (6 through 10 wk) were captured before evisceration. These images were processed and analyzed using ImageJ software. Conformational measurements were M0: breast length; M1: breast width in the cranial region; M2: vertical line from the tip of keel to 1/5th of breast length; M3: breast width at the end of M2; M4: angle formed at the tip of keel and extending to outer points of M3; M5: area of the triangle formed by M3 and lines generated by M4; M6: area of the breast above M3; M7: M6 minus M5. Ratios of these measurements were also considered. Intact breast fillets were scored for WB severity based on tactile evaluation. Regardless of strain, sex, and age, M11 (M1/M0), M9 (M3/M2), and M4 had the highest correlation to WB score (rs ≥ 0.65; P