Meat quality and muscle fiber comparisons between rapid- and slow-growth broilers

Consumers are concerned about differences in meat quality between rapid-growth (RG) and slow-growth (SG) broilers available commercially. Comparative studies are required to underpin consumer confidence. This study aimed to compare meat quality and muscle fiber traits between RG and SG genotypes and to evaluate the effects of sex and genotype using a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design. A total of 416 birds were used: 13 per replicate and 8 replicates, for a total of 104 per experimental group. RG broilers had significantly greater breast muscle weight, lighter meat color, and higher muscle fiber density, whereas SG broilers exhibited darker meat and thicker connective tissue. RG broilers also showed higher drip loss, indicating reduced water-holding capacity. Correlation analyses revealed distinct relationships between muscle fiber traits and meat quality parameters for the two genotypes: in RG broilers, breast muscle weight was closely associated with pH, drip loss, and color traits, implying a dominant role of metabolic factors in determining meat quality of fast-growing birds; in contrast, SG broilers exhibited stronger associations between muscle structural traits and connective tissue characteristics, suggesting a greater structural contribution to meat quality variation. These findings highlight trade-offs between growth rate and meat quality and suggest that breeding strategies should balance production efficiency with consumer-preferred meat attributes to optimize broiler performance and product value.