Table 4.

Effect of housing system, age, and their interaction on breast meat quality.

HS	Moisture loss rate (%)	L*	a*	b*	Shearing force (N)	pH
CC	24.15	51.79A	0.82	8.73	31.71	5.89
FF	24.81	49.19B	1.46	7.65	33.56	5.92
SEM	0.747	0.589	0.391	0.530	3.434	0.056
Age
32 wk	23.08B,a	48.13B	0.007B	9.74A	48.58A	-
41 wk	35.76A	-	-	-	18.61C	5.72B
49 wk	19.27C	51.24A	4.05A	6.14B	-	5.66B
57 wk	20.17B,C,b	52.10A	-0.65B	8.69A	30.71B	6.31A
SEM	1.000	0.721	0.479	0.649	4.206	0.068
HS	NS	0.005	NS	NS	NS	NS
Age	<0.001	0.002	<0.001	0.002	<0.001	<0.001
HS × age	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS

Means within a column followed by different superscript letters differ significantly; NS: P > 0.05; ^A,B,CP < 0.01; ^a,bP < 0.05.

- = Data were not measured.

Abbreviations: a*, redness; b*, yellowness; CC, conventional cage; FF, flattening on floor; HS, housing system; L*, lightness.