Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Two Serbian Indigenous Chicken Breeds: Comparative Assessment of Banat Naked Neck and Svrljig Hen

Indigenous and local chicken breeds can be used as slow-growing genotypes in non-conventional production systems, thereby ensuring consumer preferences for meat from these systems while conserving endangered animal genetic resources. This study aimed to examine and compare the potential of indigenous Banat Naked Neck (BNN) and Svrljig hen (SH) chickens in meat production under defined rearing conditions and con-tribute to the economic interest in the survival of these breeds. The growth of BNN and SH chickens up to the age of 12 and 14 weeks was analysed for a total of 240 individuals. Carcass yield and quality were analysed on a sample of 10 male chickens of each breed and slaughter age, a total of 40 chickens, based on measures of carcass conformation, processed carcass yield, proportion of main and edible carcass parts, and meat yield in main carcass parts. The quality of breast meat and leg meat is determined by analysing the basic chemical composition, fatty acid content and certain physical properties (cook-ing loss and tenderness). Breeds BNN and SH have a similar line of growth and final body weight at the ages of 12 and 14 weeks. The advantages of the BNN breed are in the higher yield of processed carcass, a higher proportion of breast and breast meat compared to the SH breed. On the other hand, SH chicken meat has a lower fat content, a higher n-3 fatty acid content and a more desirable n-6/n-3 ratio. Slaughter at an older age is justified in better carcass conformation and higher yields of carcass, breast and leg meat. Keywords: meat quality, indigenous breed, Banat Naked Neck, Svrljig hen, slaughter age.