Effect of Chick Quality on Viability, Performance Traits and Meat Quality Characteristics of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The chick quality in broiler production is a major factor that has a direct impact on the profitability of both hatcheries and producers. In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the correlations between chick quality, which is measured by quantitative or qualitative methods, and yield characteristics. This study aims to compare the viability, performance traits, and meat quality characteristics of broiler chickens classified into two chick quality categories based on the Tona score method. In the study, broilers in the first-grade group had a lower mortality rate of 1.67%, while the average mortality rate of those with poor chick quality was 23.33% (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant correlations between post-hatch performance and chick quality characteristics such as Tona score, chick weight, chick length (all P>0.05). According to the Tona score, there were no differences between the mean values of body weight, feed efficiency, Gompertz growth curve parameters, slaughter carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of first- and second-grade broiler chickens (all P>0.05). Although there is no difference between high and low quality chicks in terms of performance characteristics, it is possible that the use of low quality chicks in conventional broiler production will increase the general mortality of the flock. Due to their superior yield potential, it is recommended that low-quality chicks be utilized in more suitable production systems without culling, rather than in conventional broiler production.