Woody breast syndrome is declining, but still in need of answers

The poultry sector has made progress reducing incidence of woody breasts, but it still impacts a significant portion of fillets. “Breeders will tell us that we should see a 10% year-over-year reduction in woody breast levels,” said Parker Hall, PhD, vice president of research and development at Perdue Farms, Salisbury, Maryland. “And that’s about what we see.” In a webinar hosted by the Poultry Science Association, Hall outlined the status of poultry quality, options to address it and how best to use the meat. Woody breast remains the leading quality concern, and it is found throughout the world. In a 2022 Canadian study, 70.5% of fillets received a severe woody breast score, with another 11.8% identified as modest; only 17.7% scored normal. Read more