Poultry production in the US is at record levels and expected to continue rising thanks to consumer demand,1 especially for white meat. The trend has led to a steady increase in the market weight of broilers – but this sometimes comes with unwanted consequences, such as deep pectoral myopathy, commonly called green muscle disease (GMD).
This condition isn’t new and it can occur at any age or weight. GMD is not to be confused with woody breast, which has been featured in a number of articles in recent years and is distinctly different.
GMD is closely associated with heavier weight birds grown for the debone market. As the percentage of birds grown to heavier weights for deboning has increased, so has the incidence of GMD showing up at processing plants. Read more