BREAST MEAT AND PART YIELDS FROM 4 RETAIL BRANDS OF BROILER-CHICKENS OBTAINED IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA AREA

Four brands of broiler chicken were obtained fresh from grocery stores in the greater Athens, Georgia area. Ten carcasses were selected from each brand in three replicate lots. All carcasses were in the approximate weight range of 1,600 to 2,000 g. Carcasses were held at 2 to 4 C for 4 days prior to analyses. Each carcass was weighed and cut into standard parts for wings, thighs, and drumsticks. The parts were weighed and the breast meat and thigh meat removed and also weighed. Parts and meat yields were calculated using the package weight, drained weight, shell weight (without giblets), and with abdominal fat pad removed. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance to determine whether differences existed among brands. There were no significant differences in carcass weights among brands. Significant differences did exist among brands for all parts, except wings, and meat yields, regardless of method of calculation. The four brands were also found to differ in weepage (moisture loss based on net weight), giblets, and abdominal fat. Deboned breast meat, both Pectoralis major and minor muscles, for the four brands were 20.5, 20.8, 20.9, and 24.0%, respectively. These results indicate that significant differences in part yields and meat yields exist among market brands available in the northeast Georgia market area.