Group Research Project - Individual Blog 1

Our plan is to investigate the differences in muscle fibers within the leg and breasts of turkeys, chickens, and ducks.

Two categories of meat will be analyzed during gel electrophoresis tests- white and dark. The difference in color of these meats is a result of the type of muscle fibers within them. Fast-twitch fibers are found in white meat, while slow-twitch fibers are found in dark meat. Slow-twitch muscles require a constant supply of oxygen to properly function. These are ideal for activities involving endurance. Fast-twitch muscles are suited for rapid, short-term activities. They don’t require continuous inputs of oxygen, but fatigue very quickly (Wilson 2014).

The lifestyle differences between chickens, turkeys, and ducks has lead to particular arrangements of muscle proteins in the body.  Ducks contain red meat throughout their bodies due to the fact that they fly long distances and are usually walking or swimming when not in flight. The slow-twitch fibers in their muscles are the reason they are able to perform these strenuous activities on a daily basis. On the other hand, turkeys and chickens rarely fly. The breasts of these birds are white meat and contain fast-twitch fibers. This allows them to have quick bursts of flight when fleeing from danger (Wilson 2014). However, since chickens and turkeys are always walking, their leg muscles are dark and contain slow-twitch fibers.

Reference:

Wilson Herb. White versus Dark Muscles in Birds. Maine Birds RSS. 2014 Jan 19 [accessed 2017 Feb 8]. http://web.colby.edu/mainebirds/2014/01/19/white-versus-dark-muscles-in-birds/