Experiments were conducted to determine 1) whether different crating d
urations influence stress responses and meat quality in broilers, and
2) whether holding crated broilers after transport influences corticos
terone (CORT) levels and meat quality. In a preliminary experiment, ma
le broilers (n = 50) were held in crates (10 birds per crate) for eith
er 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 h prior to processing. Crating duration did not af
fect plasma CORT level, cooking loss, shear value of breast or thigh m
uscles, or carcass skin discolorations. Crating duration also did not
affect the color (L, a*, b*, chroma, and hue angle) of breast meat, b
ut did change the color of thigh meat, with samples from the 3 h crati
ng group having the highest hue values (P < 0.01). Corticosterone conc
entrations and hue values of thigh samples were positively correlated
(P < 0.05, r = 0.244). In Experiment 1, broilers (n = 36) were crated
for either 1 or 3 h, with 9 birds per crate. Crating time did not infl
uence plasma CORT, epinephrine, or norepinephrine concentrations, init
ial pH, color, or texture of breast and thigh meat samples. in Experim
ent 2, broilers were crated (nine birds per crate) early in the mornin
g and transported 3 h to the processing facility by truck. Nine crates
of birds were held in a dark quiet place for 4 h prior to processing
(H) and the remaining nine crates were processed immediately (NH). Cor
ticosterone levels were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the H group
than in the NH group. Initial pH of thigh meat of the H group was also
significantly lower (P < 0.01), although breast meat pH was not affec
ted by treatment. Holding had no effect on shear values, color (breast
and thigh), or total heme concentration (thigh). There was a signific
ant correlation (P < 0.01, r = 0.302) between CORT levels and hue valu
es of thigh meat. These results suggest that higher preslaughter stres
s levels in broilers could influence the color of thigh meat, although
overall meat quality was not affected under the conditions of this st
udy.