At 42 days of age, 40 birds were taken in specific
transport crates to FMVZ experimental processing
plant, and were distributed in four groups of 10 birds
submitted to four different pre-slaughter fasting
times:group I: 6 hours, group II: 9 hours, group III: 12
hours, and group IV: 15 hours. During lairage, broiler
behavior was monitored every three hours. At the end
of the fasting times, birds were electrically stunned
and bled by cutting the jugular vein and carotid artery.
Carcasses were scalded, eviscerated, and chilled.