Poultry Improvement Project Conformation and Fleshing

Conformation is Important Conformation sounds like something really confusing. However, many points (300) are given for conformation when the birds are judged. Judging conformation of poultry is very similar to judging conformation in any other species.

Unlike the story which comes out and tells you what you need to write, conformation is much more difficult. Conformation can be hard to see because the chickens are covered with feathers. It is also difficult if you do not know what you are looking for.

Conformation Body conformation of a broiler refers to the bird’s structure (the shape and size of the body parts relative to each other). A bird’s body conformation can be evaluated objectively because the structural dimensions can be measured and recorded, similarly as for the height and waist measurements of a human body.

Measurements Evaluating a broiler’s body conformation requires measuring the: width across the shoulders length of back depth of body length of keel spring of ribs width across hips

Body Length Length should be proportionately larger than the body width. Width across the shoulders (from wing to wing) should be 75% of the length of the back. The length (from the base of neck to the base of thee tail) should be 1.5 times greater than the width across the shoulders.

Depth of Body Should equal or exceed the width across the shoulders, at both the front and rear of the keel bone. This will make the keel parallel to the back. The length of the keel should be equal to or greater than the width across the shoulders.

Length of Muscling determined by the length of the keel »the length should extend the full distance along the keel bone. »Be approximately 1.5 times greater than the width of muscling

Depth of muscling Determined by the depth of the body. Depth of muscling should be equal or greater than the width of muscling. The keel bone should also run parallel to the backbone. Width of muscling(carry of muscle) Determined by the width of breast between the points of wing attachment. Carry of muscling is determined by how well the breast meat width carries from the front (at the point of the wing attachment) to the rear (at the end of the keel bone).

Spring of Ribs Width across the back between the hips and wings. This should equal the width across the shoulders. The width across hips should exceed the width across the shoulders.

Breast Meat Quantity Closely related to body conformation. Breast meat quantity on broiler birds refers to the amount of muscling in the breast area(the choice cut in the poultry product market). It can be measured objectively.

Measuring the Breast Meat What to measure? Length of muscling Depth of muscling Width of muscling Carry of muscling All estimates are done by touching the birds with your hands.

Fleshing Described as Excellent, Very Good, Good, and Poor. Determined by looking and feeling the meat on the breast bone, thighs, and drumstick.