R.M. Radu-Rusu


ASPECTS CONCERNING THE HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF THE BICEPS BRACHIALIS MUSCLES IN CHICKEN BROILERS

R.M. Radu-Rusu, V. Teusan, I. Vacaru-Opris

Abstract
The researches goal was to assess the histological features of the Biceps brachialis muscles from chicken broilers reared within the intensive system. The biological material comprised 120 broilers, belonging to "COBB-500" (30♀ and 30♂) and "ROSS-308" (30♀ and 30♂), slaughtered at 42 days old. The muscular samples have been processed through formalin 10% fixation and paraffin impregnation then by serial sectioning and by HEA coloration. A digital trinocular Motic DMWB1-223 microscope has been used to study the smears and to run the micrometric measurements, via the Motic Image Plus ML software. The large and small diameters of the myocytes have been assessed then the average thickness and the cross-surface area have been calculated. The ANOVA single factor algorithm was used for statistical analysis. The results indicated higher values for the myocytes average thickness in ROSS-308 hybrid (32.19 μ in males, 30.80 μ in females, distinguished significance), respectively thinner texture in the muscles of COBB-500 chickens (27.90 μ at cockerels and 26.51 μ in pullets, distinguished significance). These data led to various values for the cross-section area, comprised between the limits of 547.95-601.59 μ2 (Cobb-500), respective of 739.96-801.80μ2 (ROSS-308). The results revealed thinner texture of these muscles, compared with the results achieved during previous researches, which referred to the histology of white muscles or of red muscles from the rear limbs, in chicken broilers.

Key words: chicken broiler, Biceps brachialis, histology, structure, myocytes