Use of photoperiod management and microwave toe-treatment to improve carcass quality in broiler chickens

This study was conducted to evaluate microwave toe-treatment in combination with increasing photoperiod as a means to improve carcass quality in broiler chickens. The toe tips of day-old broilers were exposed to microwave energy to restrict claw growth. Birds were grown under two photoperiod programs known to influence bird activity and growth rates and suspected of altering collagen metabolism. Bird performance and the level of stress and fear were measured. Zymography and immunohistochemistry were employed to determine the activity of plasma collagenase and skin type I and type III collagen content. The results indicate that the microwave toe-treatment improved carcass quality by reducing carcass scratches and increasing skin strength without detrimental effects on growth performance and wellbeing of the birds. The increasing photoperiod program decreased mortality and reduced feeding costs, as well as tended to increase type I collagen content in the skin without reducing overall performance of the birds.