Abstract:
There are few data
concerning the somatic muscles and carcass
quality of commercial hybrid hens. Meat
quality is determined by a variety of factors,
including fibre thickness and muscle
fascicles. For the elucidation of some of the
above-mentioned elements, we have
collected histological samples of the
superficial pectoral muscle from 10
individuals, males and females, belonging to
the COBB-500 commercial meat-type
poultry hybrid. Samples were processed by
using the “paraffin section" technique, 30
histological blades being obtained. They
were studied with the MC3 - type photon
microscope, while the thickness of fibres
and of muscle fascicles was measured by
using cito- and histometric techniques. The
obtained results were myocyte thickness
that ranged from 31.6 to 34.08μ, according
to gender. The thickness of the primary
muscle fascicles ranged from 320.25 to
354μ and of the secondary muscle fascicles,
from 568.25 to 628.5μ. No notable
differences were found between the two
genders, some being statistically significant,
while others were not.
