ARS | Publication request: Comparison of hematologic and serologic profiles of broiler birds with normal and severe degrees of white striping in breast fillets

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 10, 2012
Publication Date: July 9, 2012
Citation: Kuttappan, V.A., Huff, G.R., Huff, W.E., Hargis, B.M., Apple, J.K., Coon, C.N., Owens, C.M. 2012. Comparison of hematologic and serologic profiles of broiler birds with normal and severe degrees of white striping in breast fillets [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 91:(Suppl 1):148.

Technical Abstract: “White Striping” (WS) is the abnormal white striation seen parallel to the direction of muscle fibers in broiler breast fillets and thighs with variable frequency at processing. Broiler breast fillets can be categorized as normal (NORM), moderate (MOD) and severe (SEV) based on thedegree of WS. Histologically, the SEV fillets are characterized by chronic degeneration of muscle fibers along with fibrosis and lipidosis when compared with NORM. The present study was undertaken to compare the hematologic and serologic profiles of broilers with NORM and SEV degrees of WS. In this study, day-old male broiler chicks of a commercial strain were grown on the same diet in 6 replicate pens (n = 32 birds/pen). Blood samples (5mL) were collected from the wing vein of each bird on the day before processing (62d) for analyzing hematologic and serologic profiles. At 63d, the birds were weighed and processed in a commercial-style inline processing system. Weight of the butterfly fillets, liver and abdominal fat pad were recorded. Left-side fillets were scored to obtain the degree of WS for each bird. Hematologic and serologic profiles of blood from birds that exhibited either NORM (n = 24) or SEV (n = 17) breast fillets were compared. The SEV birds had a higher (P < 0.05) live, fillet and liver weights as well as fillet yield when compared with the NORM birds, but the abdominal fat yield was lower (P < 0.05) in SEV birds. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in differential leucocyte counts between groups. The SEV birds had elevated (P < 0.05) levels of creatine kinase, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase. These results suggest that there is no systemic infectious or inflammatory condition associated with SEV degree of WS, and the elevated serum enzyme levels in the SEV birds confirm the muscle damage.