Histopathological alterations of turkey skeletal muscle observed at the slaughterhouse

1. Six leg muscles (iliotibialis cranialis, iliotibialis lateralis, flexor cruris lateralis pars pelvica, gastrocnemius lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis and puboischiofemoralis medialis) were collected immediately after slaughter from each of 200 randomly selected male commercial turkeys. 2. Among these 1,200 samples processed for histology and examined in cross-sections, 9.4% exhibited fibre splitting and 9% intrafascicular adipose tissue infiltration. 3. Gastrocnemius medialis muscles were more often affected than other muscles (P < 0.05), with 33% showing isolated necrotic fibres. There were rarely more than 5 necrotic cells out of roughly 4000 cells per sample. 4. Twelve percent of samples showed a high incidence of hypercontracted fibres, 63% a medium incidence (less than 8% present) and 24% none. Hypercontraction was more frequent in puboischiofemoralis medialis muscles (P < 0.05).