Egg and meat quality attributes of Tukong, a rumpled chicken breed in Indonesia

The Tukong chicken is a distinctive Indonesian local breed characterized by its rumpless phenotype; however, scientific information regarding its productive and nutritional attributes remains limited. This study evaluated the physical quality of Tukong chicken eggs, carcass characteristics, nutrient and fatty acid compositions of both eggs and meat under tropical environmental conditions. A total of 40 eight-week-old Tukong chickens were used in this research. Egg external and internal quality traits were measured individually, while proximate and fatty acid analyses were conducted via pooled samples and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). During the 14-day study, ambient temperatures ranged from 26 to 34°C, and afternoon temperature-humidity index (THI) values frequently exceeded the severe heat stress threshold (>82). The tukong eggs were round (egg index 79.32%) and had good internal quality, with a Haugh unit of 71.73 (Grade A). An average yolk colour score is 10.43. Egg composition consisted of 11.23% protein, 13.98% fat, and 72.91% moisture, while the meat had 19.74% protein and 18.15% fat. Carcass yield reached 78.9% potentially associated with the rumpless phenotype. In summary, Tukong chickens maintain favourable egg quality nutritional profiles, despite exposure to moderate to severe heat stress, highlighting their potential as resilient local genetic resources.