Abstract:
Indigenous chickens reared in South and East Asian region have been assessed for
their carcass and meat quality traits over the past years. This review provides the overview of
findings on the carcass and meat quality traits of indigenous chickens. Ancestry analysis
revealed that these chickens have evolved from the Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus). These
indigenous breeds/ecotypes are named based on their unique phenotypic characteristics. In
most Asian countries, indigenous chicken populations are sustained due to the crossbreeding
programmes between different lines of local and exotic breeds. The production systems for
these chicken breeds/ecotypes are mainly semi-intensive of the backyard and free-range
systems. The carcass and meat quality parameters of these chickens are primarily influenced
by genotype, age, body weight, feed, and several other environmental conditions. At present,
consumer preference for indigenous chicken meat has increased due to its superior quality
compared to broiler meat, particularly in terms of unique taste, texture, and nutritional value.
Indigenous chicken meat exhibits favourable fatty acid profiles including n-3 and n-6 fatty
acids, and desirable physiochemical and sensory attributes compared to commercial broiler
meat. However, further research is needed to explore the carcass and meat quality parameters,
and histological traits of the meat from different indigenous chicken breeds/ecotypes in the
South and East Asian regions.
