Effect of Season on Carcass Characteristics of Indigenous Chicken Reared in Free Range Scavenging System of Assam

Abstract

Altogether 160 numbers of indigenous chickens of 7 to 10 months of age (5 cocks and 5 hens were randomly selected from each district in each season) were slaughtered by standard procedure collected from four districts viz. Sivasagar, Dhubri, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam during pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter seasons to determine the carcass traits. The pre-slaughter live weight (g), per cent dressed yield, giblet yield, head yield, wing yield, drumstick yield, thigh yield, breast yield and back yield were determined in different seasons and sexes. The overall mean dressed yield (%) of cock during pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter seasons recorded as 64.60±0.30, 65.19±0.33, 64.49±0.33 and 65.05±0.31 respectively. The corresponding mean values in hen recorded during pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter as 65.17±0.26, 64.81±0.22, 64.50±0.24 and 64.81±0.18 per cent respectively. The giblet yields (%) both in cock and hen were significantly (P≤0.05) higher during monsoon season than post-monsoon and winter seasons, however the mean values were comparable between pre-monsoon and monsoon season. The corresponding values were also comparable between post-monsoon and winter season. Season did not influence pre-slaughter live weight (g), dressed yield (%) and thigh yield (%) in indigenous chicken of Assam. However, giblet yield, head yield, wing yield, drumstick yield, breast yield and back yield per cent were varied significantly (P≤0.05) in different seasons.