Gross and Histological Studies of Muscles of Flight in Some Avian Species

Abstract

Gross and histological morphology and biometry of two muscles of flight were studied, 5 local Nigerian chickens, 5 broilers and 5 pigeons, were purchased from Sokoto meat market. Each of the birds were weighed, bled, their skin was dissected to expose and extract their flight muscle [supracoracoideus and pectoralis]. Biometrics of the muscles were obtained using a ruler, tape rule and measuring scale. The relative muscle weight was 9.41%, 11.60% and 21.20% in broiler, local chickens and pigeons respectively. Flight muscles in pigeon also appeared in color with numerous nuclei and mitochondria compared to broilers and local chickens, these justifies why pigeons could fly higher than broilers and local chickens.