Evaluation of different air temperature and air velocity conditions on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of European quail

• Ano de defesa: 2020
• Autor(a) principal: Santos, Tatiany Carvalho dos
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Codornas; Carne - Qualidade; Aves - Criação; Animais domésticos - Instalações; Construções Rurais e Ambiência
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/28353

Brazilian quail production is still small compared to the billions of broiler chickens raised every year in Brazil, but in the last years it has been developing rapidly. Mixed type quail farming is practiced worldwide because quails are suitable for commercial rearing for both egg and meat production under intensive management. These features are noteworthy, considering the increase in world consumption of meat and the increase number of consumers demanding quality products. Quail are sensitive to changes in their environment, and the indoor environment is designed and managed for optimal control of the temperature, ventilation, light, humidity, and external noise so that the birds can reach their maximum performance. The temperature and air velocity in quail production barns are the main environmental factors to manipulate for better production results. Quail production barns in Brazil are typically open sided, exposed to prevailing winds and with relatively poor environment control. The effect of these temperature and velocity conditions on meat quality is not understood. In view of the need to clarify the above, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of the thermal environment in which the birds are reared, thus establishing ideal standards for the production environment based on their production performance. This thesis documents a literature review on the effects of stress on meat quality, performance and quail meat quality. Also, an experimental evaluation was conducted in climatic chambers located in AMBIAGRO - DEA/UFV, using quails raised from 1 to 37 days of age. The thesis chapters are entitled as: Chapter I: “Meat quality parameters and the effects of stress: A review”. Chapter II: “Effects of temperature and air velocity on European quail performance and carcass traits”. Chapter III: “Meat quality traits of European quails reared under different conditions of temperature and air velocity” and Chapter IV: Final Summary. The objective of the research in (Chapter II and II) was to evaluate the effect of different air velocities in different temperature ranges on the productive performance, carcass traits and meat quality of European quail (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) during the rearing phase. Producing and processing high-quality meat is a challenge since it is necessary to apply methods that promote comfort in a complete sense, in a way that minimizes significant stress. Thermal environment and air velocity both affected quail performance. There was a tendency for temperature and air speed to influence body weight and cumulative body weight gain in the first weeks of bird life.The thermal environment and air velocity also affected quail meat quality traits. Thawing loss was greater for thermal comfort samples at 2 m/s air velocity. Keywords: European quail. Meat quality. Poultry. Tenderness. Thermal environment.