WEIGHTS OF BROILER PARTS AS RELATED TO CARCASS WEIGHTS AND TYPE OF CUT

960 broiler carcasses weighing from less than 450 to 2000g were individually tagged and cut using eight commercial cutting techniques. Percentages of the different pieces to whole carcass weight ranged from 17.2% for split breast with back to 5.4% for drumstick portions. Percentages of the smaller breast pieces, particularly the quartered breast, the keel and the wishbone, approached those of the wing, thigh and drumstick, thus facilitating portion control. The validity of using one mean percentage for each piece over all carcass weights was established by statistical analysis of all data relating piece weight to carcass weight, For all pieces the predictability of weights was greatest when the piece was obtained by cutting through well defined anatomical features such as a joint.