NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY AND BODY COMPOSITION OF ADULT GIRIBAZ PIGEON (Columba livia) AND MEAT YIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR SQUAB

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate nutrient availability, body composition of semi scavenging Giribaz pigeon and meat yield of their squab. The average DM, CP, CF, EE, ash, NFE, Ca and Av. P in crop and gizzard contents of male and female pigeon were 716.75, 108.50, 50.55, 15.90, 49.60, 574.25, 0.54 and 0.22 g/kg, respectively. The ME contents was 14.20 MJ/kg DM. The average live weight was 297.30g for male pigeon and 267.70g for female pigeon. Dressing percentage, total meat, breast meat, head and gizzard were 62.60, 34.52, 23.63, 3.09 and 1.91% for male pigeon and 56.80, 28.22, 19.45, 4.24 and 2.63% for female pigeon respectively. Live weight, dressing percentage, total meat and breast meat were (11.06, 5.80, 6.30 and 4.18%) higher (P<0.01) in males than females. While, females had heavier (P<0.01) head and gizzard (1.15 and 0.72 %) than males. Total meat, breast meat and wing meat were increased (P<0.01) with advancement of age of squab. Proportionate bone weight had no relation (P>0.05) with age. On the other hand, dressing percentage, total meat and breast meat were increased (P<0.01) with the increasing live weight. Weight of drumstick meat and total bone (neck weight+ wing bone+ vertebral column weight+ thigh bone + drumstick bone) did not maintain any relation (P<0.05) with live weight. It is concluded that feeds in crop and gizzard of pigeon were low in CP, EE, NFE, Ash, Ca and Av. P but higher in CF and ME. Live weight had pronounced effects on dressing percentage, total meat and breast meat in both adult and squab pigeons. Supplemental diet like CP, EE, NFE, Ash, Ca and Av. P were rich, whereas low in CF that could increase the production of semi scavenging pigeon. Nutrient availability and body composition between male and female pigeon is apparently negligible difference.