SKIN TEARING IN BROILERS IN RELATION TO SKIN COLLAGEN - EFFECT OF SEX, STRAIN, AND DIET

The relationship between skin tearing and collagen in broilers was investigated in two trials in which strain and sex, and strain and diet served as factorial-arranged variables, respectively. In the first trial, males and females of three strains were examined. Both skin tearing and skin collagen were significantly influenced by strain and sex without any significant strain by sex interaction. Skin collagen, expressed as a fraction of fresh skin or of skin protein (N x 6.25) was lower and skin tearing was higher in females than in males, particularly in the most susceptible strain. In the second trial, the effects of supplementary protein or methionine and of a low-density diet were tested in females of two strains that differed in their susceptibility to skin tearing. High dietary protein reduced skin tearing and increased skin collagen. The significant diet by strain interaction resulted from the more pronounced response of the susceptible strain. Neither supplementary methionine nor feeding of low-dietary-density diet significantly affected skin tearing or skin collagen.