Effect of food and water deprivation on live‐weight shrinkage, eviscerated carcass yield and water absorption during chilling of Turkey carcasses

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Abstract
1. The effect of depriving turkeys of food or both food and water for 12 or 24 h prior to slaughter on live‐weight shrinkage, eviscerated carcass yield and water uptake by the carcass during chilling was studied. 2. Deprivation of both food and water more than doubled the live‐weight shrinkage caused by removal of food alone, and deprivation for 24 h doubled the live‐weight shrinkage caused by 12 h. 3. Reduction in eviscerated carcass yield was small (4 g/kg) when only food was removed for 12 h but was increased by deprivation of both food and water or by depriving for 24 h. 4. Carcass weight gain during chilling in ice and water was not influenced by pre‐slaughter treatment.