A statistical model for white meat yield in broilers

The advent of further processed and portion-controlled poultry products has generated interest within the broiler industry for more information on fillet dimensions, fillet weight, and the relationship between them. Broiler breeder companies are devoting more resources towards determining the contribution of various lines to broiler fillet measures, especially length, width, thickness, and weight of the pectoralis major muscle. In this study, strain and sex differences were detected for measures of fillet length, fillet width, fillet thickness, and fillet weight. Lines selected for growth rate had longer fillets than lines selected for yield. In contrast, lines selected for conformation and yield had shorter, thicker, and heavier fillets. Differences in fillet thickness were responsible for differences observed among sire breeds for template coverage. Increases in fillet length, fillet width, and fillet thickness were associated with increases in fillet weight, total white meat weight, and percent white meat. Regression analyses revealed that a given increase in fillet thickness has approximately seven times more impact on fillet weight than the same increase in fillet length or width.