Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2015, 60(2):52-59 | DOI: 10.17221/7974-CJAS

A mobile system for rearing meat chickens on pastureOriginal Paper

M. Skřivan1, S.H. Pickinpaugh2, V. Pavlů3, E. Skřivanová1, M. Englmaierová1
1 Department of Nutrition Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic
2 Key Industry Engineering Group s.r.o, Prague, Czech Republic
3 Department of Weeds and Vegetation of Agroecosystems, Grassland Research Station Liberec, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic

The effect of grazing on the productive performance and meat quality was evaluated for chickens (Ross 308, n = 192). Chickens were kept in two pens on wooden shavings (2 × 96) from one day of age. On day 23 of age, one group was moved to a pasture and kept in a portable floorless pen with an area of 0.11 m2 per chicken. The field portion of the experiment was conducted from the 1st till the 18th of June 2013. A control group was kept in the original pen until the end of the experiment at 6 weeks of age. Both groups were fed the same pelleted feed ad libitum. For the pasture-reared group, the moveable shelter was moved twice daily around the pasture with a predominance of grass species. The herbage intake of chickens was indirectly assessed by compressed sward height measurement after each cage movement, which employed a rising plate-meter. In the pasture, chickens preferred grass over clover. There was no significant effect of grazing observed on chicken body weight. The mortality of chickens in the grazing group was lower than that in the control group. Pasture treatment improved meat flavour by 9% (P = 0.014), produced breast meat with significantly higher (P = 0.009) redness, and almost doubled the concentration of α-tocopherol (P < 0.001). There were no significant effects of grazing on the dry matter, fat, cholesterol or pH of the meat. The production of TBARS in the breast meat of the pasture group after storage at 4°C for 5 days was lower (P = 0.013) than that in the breast meat of the control chickens. Although the differences between K, Ca, P, Mg, and N concentrations in pasture and soil before and after grazing reached 20%, these differences were not significant.

Keywords: Ross 308; free ranging; grazing; meat; vitamin E; TBA

Published: February 28, 2015  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Skřivan M, Pickinpaugh SH, Pavlů V, Skřivanová E, Englmaierová M. A mobile system for rearing meat chickens on pasture. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2015;60(2):52-59. doi: 10.17221/7974-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. AOAC (2005): Official Methods of Analysis. 18th Ed. AOAC International, Gaithersburg, USA.
    2. Breitsameter L., Kuchenmeister K., Kuchenmeister F., Wrage-Monnig N., Isselstein J. (2013): Canopy cover and herbage accumulation of fourteen grassland species when stocked with chickens. Agronomy Journal, 105, 727-734. Go to original source...
    3. Castle M.E. (1976): A simple disc instrument for estimating herbage yield. Journal of the British Grassland Society, 31, 37-40. Go to original source...
    4. Dolezalova M., Molatova Z., Bunka F., Brezina P., Marounek M. (2010): Effect of organic acids on growth of chilled chicken skin microflora. Journal of Food Safety, 30, 353-365. Go to original source...
    5. Eleroglu H., Yildirim A., Isikli N.D., Sekeroglu A., Duman M. (2013): Comparison of meat quality and fatty acid profile in slow-growing chicken genotypes fed diets supplemented with Origanum vulgare or Melissa oficinalis leaves under the organic system. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 64, 395-403. Go to original source...
    6. EN 12822 (2000): Foodstuffs - Determination of vitamin E by high performance liquid chromatography - Measurement of α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium.
    7. Englmaierova M., Bubancova I., Vit T., Skrivan M. (2011): The effect of lycopene and vitamin E on growth performance, quality and oxidative stability of chicken leg meat. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 56, 536-543. Go to original source...
    8. Englmaierova M., Skrivan M., Bubancova I. (2013): A comparison of lutein, spray-dried Chlorella, and synthetic carotenoids effects on yolk colour, oxidative stability, and reproductive performance of laying hens. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 58, 412-419. Go to original source...
    9. Fanatico A.C., Owens C.M., Emmert J.L. (2009): Organic poultry production in the United States. Journal of Applied Poultry Research, 18, 355-366. Go to original source...
    10. Gatellier P., Mercier Y., Renerre M. (2004): Effect of diet finishing mode (pasture or mixed diet) on antioxidant status of Charolais bovine meat. Meat Science, 67, 385-394. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. Glatz P.C., Ru Y.J., Miao Z.H., Wiatt S.K., Rodda B.J. (2005): Integrating poultry into a crop and pasture farming system. International Journal of Poultry Science, 4, 187-191. Go to original source...
    12. Grashorn M.A. (2010): Research into poultry meat quality. British Poultry Science, 51, 60-67. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Grau A.F., Quardiola S., Grimpa A., Barroeta C., Codony R. (2001): Oxidative stability of dark chicken meat through frozen storage. Influence of dietary α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid supplementation. Poultry Science, 80, 1630-1642. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Hilimire K., Gliessman S.R., Muramoto J. (2012): Soil fertility and crop growth under poultry/crop integration. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 28, 173-182. Go to original source...
    15. Kalac P. (2012): Carotenoids, ergosterol and tocopherols in fresh and preserved herbage and their transfer to bovine milk fat and adipose tissues: a review. Journal of Agrobiology, 29, 1-13. Go to original source...
    16. Kalac P. (2013): Fresh and ensiled forages as a source of estrogenic equol in bovine milk: a review. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 58, 296-303. Go to original source...
    17. Kalber T., Meier J.S., Kreuzer M., Leiber F. (2011): Flowering catch crops used as forage plants for dairy cows: influence of fatty acids and tocopherols in milk. Journal of Dairy Science, 94, 1477-1489. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Kotrbacek V., Skrivan M., Kopecky J., Penkava O., Hudeckova P., Uhrikova I., Doubek J. (2013): Retention of carotenoids in egg yolks of laying hens supplemented with heterotrophic Chlorella. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 58, 193-200. Go to original source...
    19. Larsen M.K., Frette X.C., Kristensen T., Eriksen J., Soegaard K., Nielsen J.H. (2012): Fatty acid, tocopherol and carotenoid content in herbage and milk affected by sward composition and season of grazing. Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture, 92, 2691-2698. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Lorenz C., Grashorn M.A. (2012): Comparison of crop and gizzard content of conventional and organic broilers. In: Proc. 24th World's Poultry Congress, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, 92.
    21. Lorenz C., Kany T., Grashorn M.A. (2013): Method to estimate feed intake from pasture in broilers and laying hens. Archiv für Geflügelkunde, 77, 160-165. Go to original source...
    22. McGinley B.C., Ceffey K.P., Sauer T.J., Goodwin H.L., Humphry J.B., Coblentz W.K., McBeth L.J. (2004): Case study: Mineral content of forages grown on poultry litteramended soils. The Professional Animal Scientist, 20, 136-145. Go to original source...
    23. Mehlich A. (1984): Mehlich No. 3 soil test extractant, a modification of Mehlich No. 2. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 15, 1409-1416. Go to original source...
    24. Meisser M., Deleglise C., Frelechoux F., Chassot A., Jeangros B., Mosimann E. (2014): Foraging behaviour and occupation pattern of beef cows on a heterogeneous pasture in the Swiss Alps. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 59, 84-95. Go to original source...
    25. Mikulski D., Celej J., Jankowski J., Majewska T., Mikulska M. (2011): Growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of slower-growing chickens raised with and without outdoor access. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Science, 24, 1407-1416. Go to original source...
    26. Pavlata I., Antos D., Pechova A., Podhorsky A. (2008): Occurrence of vitamin E metabolism disorders, their diagnostics and therapy in cattle. Veterinářství, 58, 38-43. (in Czech)
    27. Piette C., Raymond Y. (1999): Comparative evaluation of methods to determine rancidity in processed meat. Fleischwirtschaft, 7, 69-73. (in German)
    28. Ponte P.I.P., Rosado C.M.C., Crespo J.P., Mourao J.L., Chaveiro-Soares M.A., Bras J.L.A., Mendes I., Gama L.T., Prates J.A.M., Ferreira L.M.A., Fortes C.M.G.A. (2008): Pasture intake improves the performance and meat sensory attributes on free-range broilers. Poultry Science, 87, 71-79. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    29. Sales J. (2014): Effects of access to pasture on performance, carcass composition, and meat quality in broilers: A metaanalysis. Poultry Science, 93, 1523-1533. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    30. Singh M., Cowieson A.J. (2013): Range use and pasture consumption in free-range poultry production. Animal Production Science, 53, 1202-1208. Go to original source...
    31. Sirri F., Castellini C., Bianchi M., Petracci M., Meluzzi A., Franchini A. (2011): Effect of fast-, medium-, and slowgrowing strains on meat quality of chickens reared under the organic farming method. Animal, 5, 312-319. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    32. Skrivan M., Englmaierova M. (2014): The deposition of carotenoids and α-tocopherol in hen eggs produced under a combination of sequential feeding and grazing. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 190, 79-86. Go to original source...
    33. Sun T., Long R.J., Liu Z.Y. (2013): The effect of diet containing grasshoppers and access to free-range on carcase and meat physicochemical and sensory characteristics in broilers. British Poultry Science, 54, 130-137. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    34. Surai P.F. (2003): Natural Antioxidans in Avian Nutrition and Reproduction. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK.
    35. Velik M., Gangnat R., Kitzer R., Finotti E., Steinwidder A. (2013): Fattening heifers on continuous pasture in mountainous regions - implications for productivity and meat quality. Czech Journal of Animal Science, 58, 360-368. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content