As activity levels of intensively managed broiler chicken vary over time, detailed knowledge on their influence is potentially useful to further adjust welfare assessment schemes. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of daytime and age on the performance of broiler chicken in two applied fear tests.On-farm studies were carried out in 14 flocks of intensively managed broiler chicken. A forced and a voluntary approach test were conducted during morning and evening hours and at three different ages (1: 6-12d; 2: 21-24d; 3: prior to slaughter). At each observation, avoidance distances (AD) and the number of animals voluntarily approaching (VA) an observer were collected.No significant correlation was found between daytime and AD or VA. When tested at different ages, daytime and VA were significantly correlated (1: r= 0.56*; 2: r= 0.40*; 3: r= 0.64*), but the results were not consistent. At three weeks the VA was found to be higher in the morning but at younger age and prior to slaughter, more birds approach an observer in the evening. Both, approach and avoidance peaked at three weeks and decreased prior to slaughter. Further, the effect of differing observer locations in the chicken house on the behavioural response of broiler chicken was studied. A higher proportion of birds voluntarily approached an unknown human in the area close to the main entrance door, but the avoidance behaviour was not affected.From the results of this study I conclude, that the time of assessment has no effect on avoidance or approach behaviour of commercial slow-growing broiler chicken. However, fear related behaviour changed depending on age. This makes the applied tests potentially applicable independent of daytime restrictions when performed with birds of the same age.

Play is a self-motivated seemingly non-functional behavior mainly observed in young animals. Moreover, play behaviors can be divided into three categories; social play, object play and locomotor play. The type of activity the category contains varies, as play behaviors vary between species. Play behavior is seen as an indicator of positive emotions in animals, therefore play could be an indicator of welfare. However, the relationship between play and welfare requires further studies. In this study, information was compiled from various articles about play and its relation to welfare. Above all, the study focuses on welfare and play in chickens, as studies on chickens are most lacking. Play provides several benefits regarding motor training, social cohesion and cognitive training. Livestock such as calves, piglets and lambs have all been observed playing. No play has been confirmed in chickens which is mainly due to lack of research. However, play has been observed in other bird species, including birds within the order Galliformes. Amount and type of play varies depending on the environment, which suggests that animal welfare has a great significance for play. If no play occurs, one could conclude that welfare needs to be improved. Lack of play observed in chickens could be due to poor welfare or lack of research. After all, presence of play in other bird species increases the probability that chickens also play. Results indicate that play could be used as an indicator for welfare.

In layer hen commercial production systems, chicks are not raised by hens and do therefore not receive any maternal care. In the wild, after hatching, chicks undergo filial imprinting where they create a social bond with a stimulus in their surrounding environment, usually the mother hen. Filial imprinting behaviors remain in chicks until adulthood. This bond and maternal care influence the emotional development of chicks. Here, I aimed to investigate short- and long-term effects of filial imprinting on a model hen, on the emotional state of White Leghorn chicks, hatched at Linköping University. To measure optimism, pessimism, and fear, a judgment bias test (JBT), an open field test (OFT), and a novel object test (NOT), was performed and replicated. Before the tests, half of the chicks were imprinted on a model hen, while the other half was not given such a model to imprint on. All chicks were weighed during the entire project. The hypotheses were that the imprinted chicks would be more optimistic in the JBT, show less fearful behavior in the OFT and NOT, and weigh more compared to the non-imprinted chicks. If these results would be found, imprinting could potentially be used to reduce stress in commercially hatched chicks, and thus improve their welfare. The results were inconsistent with all three hypotheses. This indicates that imprinting on a model hen, did not have a positive impact on the chicks’ emotional state. Further studies need to be performed to find methods to improve commercially hatched chicks’ emotional welfare.

Social dominance relationships are formed within numerous animal species and reduce costly fights over resources. Dominant individuals often enjoy greater access to important resources such as food and mating partners, and are generally more aggressive, bold, active and explorative compared to subdominant individuals. These behavioural traits can differ among individuals, but they can also be consistent within the individual, thereby describing the individual’s personality type. However, the causal direction of the observed correlation between dominance and personality is not well studied. One possibility is that some personality types have higher chances of obtaining a dominant social position. This would suggest that personality has consequences for fitness. Another possible explanation is that possessing different social positions gives rise to consistent behavioural differences among individuals on various timescales. If social status has a lasting effect on behaviour, social status would constitute a ‘stable state’ that explains some of the diversity of personality types that has been observed in a multitude of animal species. Dominance and personality may also share underlying proximate factors. In this thesis, I investigate the relationship between social dominance and personality using male domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus. The species is group-living with pronounced dominance hierarchies, and dominance increases male access to mating partners. I show that some aspects of personality, exploration, vigilance and in particular aggressiveness, increased a male’s chances of obtaining dominance (paper III, IV, V), and that aggressiveness can be even more important than body weight and ornament size (comb size, paper V) or recent experience of winning or losing (paper IV). Winning a social interaction resulted in an increase in aggressiveness, while a decrease was seen in males that experienced a loss (paper IV). By observing behaviour before and after changes in male dominance relationships, I further show that a recent (2 days earlier) change in social status induced behavioural adjustments to the new social status in activity, exploration and vigilance (paper I). By extending the time of the new social relationship to 3 weeks, I show that such behavioural changes did not continue (paper II). Finally, I show that the social environment during juvenile development had little impact on adult male competitiveness (paper V). Social interactions appear to have several short-term effects on behaviour, but did not contribute significantly to variation and long-term consistency of personality in male fowl. Instead, a male's personality, and in particular his aggressiveness, affected the outcome of dominance interactions. Overall, my studies reveal important consequences of individual differences in behaviour, and contribute to the highly sought-after empirical testing of hypotheses explaining variation in animal personality. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Estudar a arquitetura genética de uma dada característica quantitativa significa descrever os fatores genéticos e ambientais que a afetam, bem como o valor dos efeitos genéticos de cada loco e suas interações. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo geral estudar a arquitetura genética de características quantitativas associadas ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça de uma população experimental oriunda do cruzamento entre uma linhagem de postura (CC) e uma de corte (TT) genotipada para marcadores microssatélites que foram associados ao peso vivo aos 42 dias na população recíproca TCTC nos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4. Para tanto, foram propostos três objetivos específicos: 1) caracterizar genotipicamente as duas populações referências (TCTC e CTCT); 2) construir mapas de ligação para a população CTCT; 3) mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça na população CTCT, utilizando o Mapeamento por Intervalo Composto (CIM). Os resultados evidenciaram que as duas linhagens parentais (CC e TT) possibilitaram a criação de gerações recíprocas F1 com elevados valores do conteúdo de informação polimórfica e heterozigosidade observada, resultado do satisfatório número de alelos verificado. Isto implica que as populações recíprocas F2, derivadas de ambas as gerações F1, são apropriadas para mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça. Adicionalmente, os mapas de ligação da população CTCT são similares ao de sua população recíproca TCTC e ao Mapa Consenso da galinha doméstica. A estimação de intervalos de confiança para as distâncias entre locos permitiu melhor entendimento das diferenças obtidas tanto no tamanho dos cromossomos quanto na ordem dos locos. Finalmente, foram observadas vantagens com o uso do CIM nas estimativas de número de QTLs mapeados e em suas posições. As regiões onde os QTLs foram mapeados neste estudo corroboram algumas daquelas da população recíproca TCTC, mas por outro lado sugerem que outras regiões do genoma dos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4 podem controlar tais características. Foram definidas duas regiões ainda não descritas na literatura no cromossomo 4: uma associada ao ganho de peso (MCW0240- LEI0063) e outra ao consumo de ração (LEI0085-MCW0174) 35-41 dias. Os resultados deste estudo podem ser explorados através do mapeamento fino, buscas in silico por genes candidatos por posição e validação em populações comerciais, a fim de implementar a seleção assistida por marcadores em programas de melhoramento genético avícolas. / Understanding the genetic architecture means to describe the genetic and environment factors that affect a quantitative trait, together with the estimation of individual genetic effects and its interactions. The aim of this work was to understand the genetic architecture of quantitative traits associated with performance and carcass yield of a chicken reference population created from crosses between a layer line (CC) and a broiler line (TT) genotyped for microsatellite markers that were associated with body weight at 42 days in its reciprocal cross on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4. Three specific topics were presented: 1) to characterize genotypically two reference populations (TCTC and CTCT); 2) to construct linkage maps in the CTCT population and 3) to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield in CTCT population, using Composite Interval Mapping (CIM). The results showed that the two parental lines (CC and TT) created reciprocal F1 generations with suitable polymorphic information content values and observed heterozygosity, as result of the satisfactory number of alleles. This implies that the reciprocal F2 populations, derived from both F1 generations, are appropriated to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield. The linkage maps from CTCT population were similar to its reciprocal population and to the Chicken Consensus Linkage Map. Estimating confidence intervals for distances between loci allowed the elucidation of the causes for differences both on chromosome sizes and on order loci. Finally, there were advantages in using CIM, mainly on QTL number and location. The regions where QTLs were mapped in this study not only corroborated some results from TCTC reciprocal population, but also suggested that other genome regions on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4 may control such traits. On chromosome 4 two regions were defined that were not previously described in the literature: one associated with weight gain (MCW0240-LEI0063) and another one with feed intake (LEI0085-MCW0174) at 35- 41 days. The results of this study can be explored through fine mapping, searches in silico for candidate genes and by validation in commercial populations, in order to implement marker assisted selection in poultry breeding programs.

Fraturas cominutivas com grandes perdas ósseas são comuns em animais silvestres, sendo de maior prevalência em aves, devido a traumas, com a crescente urbanização e desmatamento. Um dos problemas para o tratamento dessas fraturas nesses animais é a dificuldade do uso de enxertia autógena, devido os locais de coleta não oferecerem material suficiente e pela alta taxa de morbidade. Assim, a engenharia de biomateriais vem desenvolvendo diversos dispositivos com a intenção de auxiliar nesse tratamento. O uso de cimento ósseo é crescente nesse meio, e tem como objetivo a recuperação e reintrodução do animal a seu habitat. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso do cimento ósseo de hidroxiapatita deficiente em cálcio (HAD) associado ou não a proteína morfogenética óssea (BMP), para o tratamento do defeito crítico (DC) diafisário em ulna de galinhas domésticas. Foram utilizadas 32 aves, separadas em 4 grupos de 8 animais, sendo: controle negativo (GCN), controle positivo (GCP), cimento de HAD (GHAD) e cimento HAD associado a BMP (GHAD+BMP). Todos os animais passaram pelos procedimentos de ostectomia e a fixação dos fragmentos por meio da colocação de um pino intramedular de 1,5mm de forma retrógada, e acompanhados por período de 60 dias. Foram realizados exames radiográficos, análise histopatológica e biomecânica das ulnas. O presente trabalho demonstrou que não houve diferença significativa de consolidação entre os grupos com e sem BMP, porém o HAD+BMP apresentou-se mais eficiente para DC em galinhas na avaliação histopatológica, levando a resposta osteoindutora, por parte do cimento, e osteogênica, pela proteína. / Comminuted fractures with great bone loss are common in wild animals, being more present in birds due to trauma related to growing urbanization and deforestation. One of the problems of the treatment of these kinds of fractures in these animals is the difficulty of using autogenous grafting because collection places do not offer enough material and also because of the high morbidity rate. Therefore, biomaterials engineering has been developing several devices intending to help on this treatment. Therewith, the use of bone cement is increasing in this environment, and has as its goal the recovery and reintroduction of the animal to its habitat. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite bone cement (HAD) for the treatment of diaphysialcritical defect (DC) in ulna of domestic hens. Thirty-two birds were used, divided in four groups of eight animals, being: negative control (GCN), positive control (GCP), HAD cement (GHAD) and HAD cement associated with bone morphogenetic protein (GHAD + BMP). All animals went through the procedure of ostectomy and fixation of the fragments by placing a 1.5mm intramedullary pin in a retrograde way, and assisted for a period of 60 postoperative days. Radiographic examinations, histopathological and biomechanical analysis of the ulna were performed.The present paper demonstrated that there was not a significant consolidation measure between the groups with no BMP, however HAD + BMP presented more efficient results for DC in hens in the histopathological evaluation, leading to an osteoinductive response by cement and osteogenic by the protein.

Fraturas cominutivas com grandes perdas ósseas são comuns em animais silvestres, sendo de maior prevalência em aves, devido a traumas, com a crescente urbanização e desmatamento. Um dos problemas para o tratamento dessas fraturas nesses animais é a dificuldade do uso de enxertia autógena, devido os locais de coleta não oferecerem material suficiente e pela alta taxa de morbidade. Assim, a engenharia de biomateriais vem desenvolvendo diversos dispositivos com a intenção de auxiliar nesse tratamento. O uso de cimento ósseo é crescente nesse meio, e tem como objetivo a recuperação e reintrodução do animal a seu habitat. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso do cimento ósseo de hidroxiapatita deficiente em cálcio (HAD) associado ou não a proteína morfogenética óssea (BMP), para o tratamento do defeito crítico (DC) diafisário em ulna de galinhas domésticas. Foram utilizadas 32 aves, separadas em 4 grupos de 8 animais, sendo: controle negativo (GCN), controle positivo (GCP), cimento de HAD (GHAD) e cimento HAD associado a BMP (GHAD+BMP). Todos os animais passaram pelos procedimentos de ostectomia e a fixação dos fragmentos por meio da colocação de um pino intramedular de 1,5mm de forma retrógada, e acompanhados por período de 60 dias. Foram realizados exames radiográficos, análise histopatológica e biomecânica das ulnas. O presente trabalho demonstrou que não houve diferença significativa de consolidação entre os grupos com e sem BMP, porém o HAD+BMP apresentou-se mais eficiente para DC em galinhas na avaliação histopatológica, levando a resposta osteoindutora, por parte do cimento, e osteogênica, pela proteína. / Comminuted fractures with great bone loss are common in wild animals, being more present in birds due to trauma related to growing urbanization and deforestation. One of the problems of the treatment of these kinds of fractures in these animals is the difficulty of using autogenous grafting because collection places do not offer enough material and also because of the high morbidity rate. Therefore, biomaterials engineering has been developing several devices intending to help on this treatment. Therewith, the use of bone cement is increasing in this environment, and has as its goal the recovery and reintroduction of the animal to its habitat. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite bone cement (HAD) for the treatment of diaphysialcritical defect (DC) in ulna of domestic hens. Thirty-two birds were used, divided in four groups of eight animals, being: negative control (GCN), positive control (GCP), HAD cement (GHAD) and HAD cement associated with bone morphogenetic protein (GHAD + BMP). All animals went through the procedure of ostectomy and fixation of the fragments by placing a 1.5mm intramedullary pin in a retrograde way, and assisted for a period of 60 postoperative days. Radiographic examinations, histopathological and biomechanical analysis of the ulna were performed.The present paper demonstrated that there was not a significant consolidation measure between the groups with no BMP, however HAD + BMP presented more efficient results for DC in hens in the histopathological evaluation, leading to an osteoinductive response by cement and osteogenic by the protein.

Fraturas cominutivas com grandes perdas ósseas são comuns em animais silvestres, sendo de maior prevalência em aves, devido a traumas, com a crescente urbanização e desmatamento. Um dos problemas para o tratamento dessas fraturas nesses animais é a dificuldade do uso de enxertia autógena, devido os locais de coleta não oferecerem material suficiente e pela alta taxa de morbidade. Assim, a engenharia de biomateriais vem desenvolvendo diversos dispositivos com a intenção de auxiliar nesse tratamento. O uso de cimento ósseo é crescente nesse meio, e tem como objetivo a recuperação e reintrodução do animal a seu habitat. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso do cimento ósseo de hidroxiapatita deficiente em cálcio (HAD) associado ou não a proteína morfogenética óssea (BMP), para o tratamento do defeito crítico (DC) diafisário em ulna de galinhas domésticas. Foram utilizadas 32 aves, separadas em 4 grupos de 8 animais, sendo: controle negativo (GCN), controle positivo (GCP), cimento de HAD (GHAD) e cimento HAD associado a BMP (GHAD+BMP). Todos os animais passaram pelos procedimentos de ostectomia e a fixação dos fragmentos por meio da colocação de um pino intramedular de 1,5mm de forma retrógada, e acompanhados por período de 60 dias. Foram realizados exames radiográficos, análise histopatológica e biomecânica das ulnas. O presente trabalho demonstrou que não houve diferença significativa de consolidação entre os grupos com e sem BMP, porém o HAD+BMP apresentou-se mais eficiente para DC em galinhas na avaliação histopatológica, levando a resposta osteoindutora, por parte do cimento, e osteogênica, pela proteína. / Comminuted fractures with great bone loss are common in wild animals, being more present in birds due to trauma related to growing urbanization and deforestation. One of the problems of the treatment of these kinds of fractures in these animals is the difficulty of using autogenous grafting because collection places do not offer enough material and also because of the high morbidity rate. Therefore, biomaterials engineering has been developing several devices intending to help on this treatment. Therewith, the use of bone cement is increasing in this environment, and has as its goal the recovery and reintroduction of the animal to its habitat. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite bone cement (HAD) for the treatment of diaphysialcritical defect (DC) in ulna of domestic hens. Thirty-two birds were used, divided in four groups of eight animals, being: negative control (GCN), positive control (GCP), HAD cement (GHAD) and HAD cement associated with bone morphogenetic protein (GHAD + BMP). All animals went through the procedure of ostectomy and fixation of the fragments by placing a 1.5mm intramedullary pin in a retrograde way, and assisted for a period of 60 postoperative days. Radiographic examinations, histopathological and biomechanical analysis of the ulna were performed.The present paper demonstrated that there was not a significant consolidation measure between the groups with no BMP, however HAD + BMP presented more efficient results for DC in hens in the histopathological evaluation, leading to an osteoinductive response by cement and osteogenic by the protein.

Estudar a arquitetura genética de uma dada característica quantitativa significa descrever os fatores genéticos e ambientais que a afetam, bem como o valor dos efeitos genéticos de cada loco e suas interações. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo geral estudar a arquitetura genética de características quantitativas associadas ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça de uma população experimental oriunda do cruzamento entre uma linhagem de postura (CC) e uma de corte (TT) genotipada para marcadores microssatélites que foram associados ao peso vivo aos 42 dias na população recíproca TCTC nos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4. Para tanto, foram propostos três objetivos específicos: 1) caracterizar genotipicamente as duas populações referências (TCTC e CTCT); 2) construir mapas de ligação para a população CTCT; 3) mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça na população CTCT, utilizando o Mapeamento por Intervalo Composto (CIM). Os resultados evidenciaram que as duas linhagens parentais (CC e TT) possibilitaram a criação de gerações recíprocas F1 com elevados valores do conteúdo de informação polimórfica e heterozigosidade observada, resultado do satisfatório número de alelos verificado. Isto implica que as populações recíprocas F2, derivadas de ambas as gerações F1, são apropriadas para mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça. Adicionalmente, os mapas de ligação da população CTCT são similares ao de sua população recíproca TCTC e ao Mapa Consenso da galinha doméstica. A estimação de intervalos de confiança para as distâncias entre locos permitiu melhor entendimento das diferenças obtidas tanto no tamanho dos cromossomos quanto na ordem dos locos. Finalmente, foram observadas vantagens com o uso do CIM nas estimativas de número de QTLs mapeados e em suas posições. As regiões onde os QTLs foram mapeados neste estudo corroboram algumas daquelas da população recíproca TCTC, mas por outro lado sugerem que outras regiões do genoma dos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4 podem controlar tais características. Foram definidas duas regiões ainda não descritas na literatura no cromossomo 4: uma associada ao ganho de peso (MCW0240- LEI0063) e outra ao consumo de ração (LEI0085-MCW0174) 35-41 dias. Os resultados deste estudo podem ser explorados através do mapeamento fino, buscas in silico por genes candidatos por posição e validação em populações comerciais, a fim de implementar a seleção assistida por marcadores em programas de melhoramento genético avícolas. / Understanding the genetic architecture means to describe the genetic and environment factors that affect a quantitative trait, together with the estimation of individual genetic effects and its interactions. The aim of this work was to understand the genetic architecture of quantitative traits associated with performance and carcass yield of a chicken reference population created from crosses between a layer line (CC) and a broiler line (TT) genotyped for microsatellite markers that were associated with body weight at 42 days in its reciprocal cross on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4. Three specific topics were presented: 1) to characterize genotypically two reference populations (TCTC and CTCT); 2) to construct linkage maps in the CTCT population and 3) to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield in CTCT population, using Composite Interval Mapping (CIM). The results showed that the two parental lines (CC and TT) created reciprocal F1 generations with suitable polymorphic information content values and observed heterozygosity, as result of the satisfactory number of alleles. This implies that the reciprocal F2 populations, derived from both F1 generations, are appropriated to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield. The linkage maps from CTCT population were similar to its reciprocal population and to the Chicken Consensus Linkage Map. Estimating confidence intervals for distances between loci allowed the elucidation of the causes for differences both on chromosome sizes and on order loci. Finally, there were advantages in using CIM, mainly on QTL number and location. The regions where QTLs were mapped in this study not only corroborated some results from TCTC reciprocal population, but also suggested that other genome regions on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4 may control such traits. On chromosome 4 two regions were defined that were not previously described in the literature: one associated with weight gain (MCW0240-LEI0063) and another one with feed intake (LEI0085-MCW0174) at 35- 41 days. The results of this study can be explored through fine mapping, searches in silico for candidate genes and by validation in commercial populations, in order to implement marker assisted selection in poultry breeding programs.

Orientador: Pedro Fernando Romanelli / Banca: José Francisco Lopes Filho / Banca: Expedito Tadeu Facco Silveira / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar as propriedades funcionais da carne de Ema (Rhea americana) e de Avestruz (Struthio camellus) por meio de um estudo comparativo com a carne de Frango (Gallus domesticus). Para tanto, analisaram-se a solubilidade das proteínas miofibrilares, a capacidade de retenção de água, a capacidade de emulsificação das proteínas totais, a estabilidade da emulsão e as perdas por cocção, por evaporação e por gotejamento. Obtiveram-se os seguintes resultados por meio das análises da composição nutricional do músculo Iliotibialis lateralis das aves: avestruz: 19,59 % de proteínas, 75,53 % de umidades, 1,37 % de lipídeos, 1,13 % de cinzas e 2,38 % de carboidratos; ema: 23,50 % de proteínas, 74,19 % de umidades, 1,11 % de lipídeos, 1,13 % de cinzas e 0,07 % de carboidratos e frango: 18,35 % de proteínas, 73,30 % de umidades, 5,92 % de lipídeos, 1,03 % de cinzas e 1,40 % de carboidratos. Por meio da análise das propriedades funcionais observou-se que as proteínas solúveis no NaCl (PS) e as proteínas extraídas com NaCl das proteínas totais (PT) apresentaram, respectivamente, os seguintes resultados: pH 7.0: avestruz (7,40 % e 38,06 %), ema (8,52 % e 36,11 %) e frango (7,68 % e 41,88 %); pH 5.5: avestruz (5,87 % e 30,18 %), ema (6,53 % e 28,54 %) e frango (5,65 % e 29,97 %) e pH 3.0: avestruz (3,04 % e 15,64%), ema (3,29 % e 13,97 %) e frango (2,85 % e 15,52 %). Na análise da capacidade de retenção de água obteve-se para avestruz (73,19 %), ema (66,25 %) e frango (67,13 %). Com relação à capacidade de emulsificação no pH 7.0 foram obtidos estes resultados: avestruz (21,42 mL óleo/ 100 mg de proteína), ema (18,98 mL óleo/ 100 mg de proteína) e frango (31,87 mL óleo/ 100 mg de proteína). Para a estabilidade da emulsão (pH 7.0) obteve-se: para avestruz (36,33 mL liberado (água e óleo)/ 100 g de emulsão)... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study aims to assess the functional properties of both Rhea (Rhea americana) and Ostrich meat (Struthio camellus) through a comparive study to chicken meat (Gallus domesticus). For that, myofibrillar proteins solubility, water retention capacity, total proteins emulsifying capacity, emulsion stability and losses due to cooking, evaporation and meat proteins drip loss were analyzed. This results obtained through the nutritional composition analysis of the muscle Iliotibialis lateralis of poultry: to ostrich 19,59 % proteins, 75,53 % humidity, 1,37 % fat, 1,13 % ash and 2,38 % carbohydrate; to rhea 23,50 % proteins, 74,19 % humidity, 1,11 % fat, 1,13 % ash and 0,07 % carbohydrate and to chicken 18,35 % proteins, 73,30 % humidity, 5,92 % fat, 1,03 % ash and 1,40 % carbohydrate. Through the functional properties analysis we observed that the soluble proteins in NaCl (PS) and the extracted proteins with NaCl from total proteins (PT) presented, respectively, the following results: pH 7.0: to ostrich (7,40 % and 38,06 %), rhea (8,52 % and 36,11 %) and chicken (7,68 % and 41,88 %), pH 5.5: to ostrich (5,87 % and 30,18 %), rhea (6,53 % and 28,54 %) and chicken (5,65 % and 29,97 %) and pH 3.0: to ostrich (3,04 % and 15,64 %), rhea (3,29 % and 13,97 %) and chicken (2,85 % and 15,52 %). Analysing water retention capacity we obtained to ostrich (73,19 %), rhea (66,25 %) and chicken (67,13 %). Regarding the emulsifying capacity in pH 7.0 these results were obtained: ostrich (21,42 mL oil/ 100 mg proteins), rhea (18,98 mL oil/ 100 mg proteins) and chicken (31,87 mL oil/ 100 mg proteins). For the emulsion stability (pH 7.0) we obtained: to ostrich (36,33 mL released (water and oil)/ 100 g emulsion), rhea (81,00 mL released (water and oil)/ 100 g emulsion) and chicken (0,66 mL released (water and oil)/ 100 g emulsion). The values found to cooking losses were: ostrich (21,77 g/ 100 g sample)... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre