Blair M E, Potter L M, Hulet R M
Department of Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg 24061-0332.
Poult Sci. 1989 Feb;68(2):287-96. doi: 10.3382/ps.0680287.
The effects of dietary protein and added fat on carcass characteristics were determined at various ages for female and male turkeys and from three strains: Nicholas Large White (N), Jaindl Large White (JL), and Jaindl Medium White (JM). A total of 1,350 turkeys was divided into 36 pens and fed diets containing 0, 5, or 10% added fat and standard or high protein levels from 8 wk of age to time of processing. One-fourth of the females and one-third of the males from each pen were processed at 16, 20, 24, or 28 wk and at 20, 24, or 28 wk, respectively. Breast meat weight, expressed as a percentage of carcass weight, was greater for JM and JL turkeys than for N turkeys (34.6, 33.9, and 31.7%, respectively), increased with age (31.9, 34.1, and 34.2% at 20, 24, and 28 wk of age, respectively), was greater for females than for males (34.2 and 32.6%, respectively), decreased with added fat (33.7, 33.4, and 33.1% for 0, 5, and 10% fat, respectively) and increased with a 3% addition of dietary protein (33.2 and 33.6%, respectively).
