The goal of the study was to evaluate the influence of broiler chickens age at slaughter on carcass characteristics such as: dressing percentage, the share of the breasts and thigh meat as well as the proportion of abdominal fat in the chilled carcass. The muscles of the left moiety of carcass were submitted to a sensory evaluation, whereas samples from the right part were evaluated for the content of dry matter, crude ash, crude protein, ether extract and meat water holding capacity, as well as the muscle examined. In the intramuscular fat the fatty acid profile was analyzed. The chicken in group I were raised for 32 days, in group II 38 days and in group III 44 days. The influence of age turned out to be significant only with respect to body weight, but even the basic carcass characteristics of the chicken did not differ significantly. With the advance of broilers age the protein and fat content in both breast and thigh muscles grew significantly while the content of minerals in the muscle tissue was not changed remarkably. The water holding capacity in muscle tissue of chickens was significantly higher in 32-day-old chickens than in 38- and 44-day-old chickens. The profile of fatty acid depended on broilers age as well. In intramuscular fat of chickens slaughtered at 44th day of age it was significantly less of C14:0, C16:0 and C20:0 fatty acids. The proportion of C16:1 also diminished whereas the share of C18:2 acid was increased. It should be noted that in intramuscular fat of thigh the changes in fatty acid profile were of decidedly lower extent. The general evaluation of breast and thigh meat as well as evaluation of its tenderness and juiciness in chickens slaughtered on 44th day of life were higher compared to the other groups. The effect of sex on the basic characteristics of meat as well as on its composition was not revealed. The obtained results demonstrated that shortening the rearing period of broiler chickens does not significantly influence carcass characteristics, however the chemical composition, fatty acids profile, and sensory characteristics of the meat were decidedly the most advantageous in muscles of chicks slaughtered at 44th day of age.
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