It is not known exactly where the meat pigeons appeared. Historians say that the first mention of the industrial breeding of these birds is in Egyptian manuscripts. At the moment, pigeon poultry farming has been put on stream in Western Europe and the USA. In our country, the decorative and postal direction is more developed, however, more and more often we have enthusiasts who are ready to engage in this promising industry.
Italian giants
Perhaps the largest birds in this direction are Roman pigeons. If you believe the legends and the historical descriptions that have survived to this day, these giants began to be deliberately bred back in the days of the Roman Empire. Then it was a delicacy available only to the highest nobility.
Adult mature males with proper care can gain up to 1.3 kg of live weight, in females this figure does not exceed 1.1 kg.
Over the centuries-old history of selection, the "Romans" have acquired not only a solid weight, but also the best immunity among large birds. Most pigeon diseases bypass these giants. The length of their body from the tip of the beak to the tail fluctuates around half a meter. With such a weight and size, the flight qualities of these pigeons leave much to be desired.
Again, large dimensions cause a special approach to the design of the dovecote. So, the entrance window with a notch (a platform for landing and takeoff) is installed at a height of 0.2-0.5 m, no more. Plus, these birds need nests of the appropriate size 30x30 cm. The character of the "Romans" is bad, they are very pugnacious. The fecundity of these pigeons is below average, and worst of all, the birds can be obese.
King - the pride of American pigeon breeders
Pigeons of the king breed are considered the pride of American breeders. As a result of the painstaking work of poultry farmers at the end of the 19th century (1890), birds of the industrial king meat breed were introduced to the pigeon community. Like most birds of this direction, their color can be quite diverse.
Although to this day no relationship between the taste of poultry meat and the color of plumage has been documented, Americans continue to claim that the white pigeons of this breed are the most delicious. Independent experts from Europe believe that this is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Adult males of the king breed grow up to 900 g, the weight of females does not exceed 700 g. This breed is easily recognizable by its powerful body and widely spaced legs. The head of the birds is large, the neck is short and powerful, which gives the impression that it does not exist at all.
A short, high-turned tail forms an almost regular semicircle with the head. Fertility is considered a special pride of the breed, one pair with 7 broods per year can raise up to 18 pigeons. In addition, the young animals quickly gain slaughter weight; in a month of active fattening, the pigeon grows up to 650 g.
Texans: high fertility and docile nature
This meat breed was bred in the middle of the 20th century in the state of Texas, hence the name itself. Many researchers are of the opinion that Texans are just a variant of the aforementioned King breed. Indeed, in terms of weight characteristics and breeding ability, many pigeons of meat breeds in America are similar.
Thus, the weight of male Texans fluctuates around 800-950 g, females are 200 g lighter. Keeping and breeding these birds is considered one of the most profitable types of business. This breed is characterized by a docile nature and very high fecundity. On average, a couple hatches 19-22 chicks per year.
The Texans are also unique in that they belong to an autosex breed, which is extremely rare among pigeons. Simply put, males from females can be easily distinguished immediately after birth and further throughout life.
In particular, newly hatched males are either bald or with a very short down, the beak of the "boys" is light. While the "girls" are distinguished by a rather long and thick down with a yellowish tint, and a brown spot is clearly visible on the beak. Adult males are white with a pockmarked neck and chest, while females are multicolored.
Brawler Strassers
The Strasser pigeon breed was originally considered German. But now in Western Europe there are several subspecies. In particular, Czech, Austrian and German branches are used for meat cultivation.
There are pigeons of the Strasser breed of the Russian breeding school, but these birds do not belong to meat, but to a decorative species, and in general meat pigeons have never been grown on an industrial scale in the vastness of our homeland.
The males of this breed weigh 700-800 g, the weight of females barely reaches 600 g. Experiments on crossing Strassers were stopped in the middle of the last century. Poultry farmers have come to the conclusion that purebred pigeons, compared with crossed pigeons, show an order of magnitude better results. So, on some elite German farms, strainers grow up to 1.2 kg in weight.
The fecundity of the breed is quite high - up to 7 broods per year. But there is one feature - females are taken for breeding at least 5-7 years old. It is believed that they give much healthier offspring, as they become less shy with age. As for the disadvantages, the Strassers are very pugnacious and fly rather poorly.
Western European family
In addition to the aforementioned international record holders with a very high population around the world, there are also recognized meat pigeon breeds that cannot yet boast of large numbers.
The breed called "Polish lynxes" is characterized by good productivity, up to 8 broods per year. But at the same time, the slaughter weight of pigeons is not large - up to 700 g. Polish breeders are proud that their pigeons are able to search for food on their own. Although this is a rather dubious advantage, because in this case the probability of accidental death or poisoning will increase significantly. You can recognize pigeons by the wave-like ornament on the wings.
Hungarian meat giants belong to the chicken family. Hungarians have a rather colorful and rich plumage, and most importantly, they have good weight. A male can gain 1.2 kg in a few months, and a female 1 kg. Caring for these pigeons is no more difficult than caring for ordinary chickens.
Pigeons of the Carnot breed are considered the pride of French poultry farming. The slaughter weight here does not exceed 650 g, but these pigeons breed and gain weight perfectly. Since the breed was bred exclusively for meat, it is kept only in cages or aviaries.
The diet of birds going for meat
In order for meat pigeons to quickly gain weight and not get fat, they need a balanced diet and the right diet.
There are often no problems with the regime, usually these pigeons are fed 4 times a day, at regular intervals at the rate of 40-60 g per 1 bird. But the selection of a forage base is a delicate matter, in particular, the meat pigeon breeding association recommends the following ratio:
- cereals make up 50-70% - barley, corn, wheat, steamed oats;
- legumes make up 20-40% - beans, vetch, peas (green and yellow), lentils;
- greens 10-25% - the entire salad row, plus cabbage, clover, germinated oats and barley;
- oilseeds 1-5% - sunflower seeds, flax, anise and rapeseed;
- mineral additives 1-5% - grated shells, salt, charcoal, chalk, eggshells;
- vitamins 1-5% - fish oil (in pure form) and a vitamin complex (compound feed for birds);
- root crops 1-5% - potatoes and carrots.
Feeding methods
At the moment, in pigeon poultry farming, there are 2 ways to feed birds - intensive and extensive. The first gives excellent results. On average, a pigeon grows to slaughter weight in 30-40 days, but it is not suitable for every breeder.
Birds are closed in a dark room and fed 4 times a day by hand through a special syringe. In this case, a porridge-like balanced mixture in liquid form is pumped directly into the beak. Agree, not the most humane way.
The extensive way is much more humane. Birds are kept in special dovecotes with the possibility of access to an open aviary. Flying breeds can even be released for free walks. But meat birds rarely have good flying qualities, so most of the time they sit in the aviary and eat actively. Weight is gained here in 2-3 months, but on the other hand, there is an order of magnitude less trouble with such content.
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Pigeons were tamed not only to be used as a means of communication. Initially, they were bred for their tasty and tender meat. New breeds of these birds were bred, which were distinguished by endurance, precocity, could quickly gain weight and breed large offspring. In total, more than 35 breeds of pigeons with meat productivity are known. But not all birds from these varieties meet all the above requirements.
Development of pigeon breeding
Pigeon breeding is not a means of making money. Most often, amateurs do this in their free time. If you get involved in the process seriously, then you can supply dietary meat for sale. With intensive fattening, young chicks gain up to 700–800 g in a month and a half. After the carcass of such a pigeon is plucked and gutted, its weight can be 400–450 g. But you can get a similar result from certain meat pigeon breeds.
The cultivation of meat breeds of pigeons was carried out on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In Greece, Ancient Rome and Egypt, the meat of these birds was included in the diet of different strata of society. But in Europe and the United States, breeding pigeons "for meat" began only at the beginning of the last century.
Their meat was considered a delicacy. In some countries, work has begun to improve the quality of pigeon meat. And in the United States, some farmers bred tens of thousands of meat pigeons on their farms, and this direction began to generate income. And in the future, they began to breed meat pigeon breeds in many European countries: France, Italy, Hungary, Germany and some others.
On farms where meat varieties of pigeons with a high propensity to breed are bred, up to 13-17 chicks can be obtained from one pair of birds per year. Spending about 6 kg of feed on their food, after 30 days breeders receive up to 1.5 kg of delicious dietary meat. Moreover, these types of pigeons are precocious: after six months, the chicks already become sexually mature and are able to produce offspring themselves. In general, from one pair of pigeons, with proper feeding and care, you can get 8–9 kg of meat per year.
In the process of growing these types of pigeons, the main emphasis is on the high digestibility of feed by birds, undemanding maintenance, calm disposition, and the quality of feathers, which are also sold.
pigeon meat quality
The meat of these birds is with small fibers, it contains a large amount of proteins, and in taste it surpasses chicken. Its taste and appearance are similar to game meat.
Meat breeds of pigeons differ in the weight of adult birds. Moreover, males of the king variety are recognized as the best in terms of meat indicators. But at about 4.5-5 weeks, many meat breeds reduce body weight. This happens because at this age they fly out of the nests, starting an independent life.
The main breeds of meat pigeons
The most popular among breeders are the following meat breeds of pigeons:
- king;
- carnot;
- mondin;
- Roman pigeons;
- strasser;
- texane;
- prankensky canic.
In addition to basic information about each of these breeds, breeders should also know how to keep and feed them. But first, you should tell more about these meat breeds.
Strasser
This species among breeders is considered one of the best. The "ancestors" of these pigeons are Czech, Austrian and German breeds of pigeons. It was by crossing these birds that the Strassers were bred. Their main characteristics:
- high decorativeness of individuals;
- large body weight;
- high quality meat;
- fecundity (from one pair per year you can get 6-7 broods).
The following features are considered the breed standard:
- squat body;
- the chest is wide, rounded;
- Long neck;
- tail and wings are medium;
- limbs small, naked.
The back and tail may be black, grey, or fawn, while the chest and belly may be white. The weight of adult males reaches 700–800 g, females - 550–600 g. Early maturation in chicks is high - at the age of one month it can weigh up to 600 g. Adults do not fly very well.
king
This breed was bred at the end of the last century in the United States, and breeders have been working on its breeding for decades. The distinctive features of this species of pigeons include:
- the limbs are long, covered with feathers, widely spaced;
- the body is massive;
- the chest is raised high, deep set;
- tail plumage is greatly shortened, raised up.
The colors of the plumage of these birds can be red, black, gray, beige, yellow. However, the snow-white representatives of this breed are recognized as the most valuable. Adult "boys" weigh up to 850-900 g, "girls" - 550-600 g. But individual males can increase their live weight of more than a kilogram. At the age of one month, the chicks weigh 600–650 g. The mothers of this species are distinguished by a high incubation instinct; 7–8 broods can be obtained from a pair of these birds per year.
texans
Birds with high productivity are the Texan pigeons. This breed was bred by breeders from Texas in the middle of the last century. The mass of an adult individual can reach 900 g. The main difference between this variety and other meat breeds is well-developed secondary sexual characteristics. And most importantly, breeders determine the sex of newborn chicks immediately after they hatch from eggs. In boys, the beak is light, and the fluff is very short (or may not be at all), in girls at birth, the fluff is very long, yellow in color, and a brown spot clearly appears on the beak.
Adults also differ from each other. The plumage of males is white, and the neck and chest may have a brown or yellow tint. Or the color can be pure white, and color blotches are clearly visible on the neck and chest. In females, the color is darker, beige wings, gray or blue breast.
The main advantages of this breed:
- precocity;
- rapid weight gain;
- calm character;
- high fecundity - one pair has 15–16 chicks per year.
Roman giants
Already by the name of the breed it is clear that it appeared in Italy. The color of the feathers of these birds can be blue with an ashy tint, red, black, fawn with a brown tint, white. Their body is fleshy, squat, elongated. In length, these pigeons grow up to 50 cm. And the live weight of adults is 1.2–1.4 kg, so they fly very poorly.
When breeding Roman giants, breeders should not equip a dovecote higher than 1.5–2 meters from the ground. But nests for these birds should have the following dimensions: 30 cm long and 30 cm wide, and 10 cm deep.
This breed cannot boast of fertility, as the birds are inactive and prone to obesity. But pigeons also have advantages - they are very trusting, and also have high resistance to most diseases.
Carnot
This breed was bred in France. At that time, birds were bred in enclosures, so this breed can only be kept in such conditions, but is not capable of foraging. The weight of adults is no more than 600–650 g, but their productivity and precocity are much higher than those of other representatives of the pigeon meat tribe. The carno's chest is too protruding forward, the neck is too thick, and the head is miniature. Therefore, these birds do not differ in special beauty. Their beak is long, slightly bent down, pink in color, the tail plumage is short, the wings are poorly developed. The plumage color is yellow, white or black. Legs of the same color as the body, bare.
A home poultry farm is a great help for the family budget. Among the many types of farms, pigeon breeding is very popular. It is generally accepted that such birds are raised as a hobby or for sporting purposes. However, pigeon meat is considered a valuable dietary product. It is easily absorbed in the body and is suitable even for babies. Poultry lovers should pay attention to pigeons of meat breeds. This article provides information for beginner pigeon breeders who decide to start breeding birds for sale.
Where to begin?
First of all, you need to get more information about the birds, since pigeon breeding has its own nuances that should be taken into account. Some elite breeds, in their habits and living conditions, differ significantly from ordinary pigeons. Let's pay attention to the general characteristics of birds:
- The dove is an independent bird, loves to fly and in the summer is able to provide itself with food.
- The unpretentiousness of meat breeds frees the poultry breeder from unnecessary troubles when arranging a home for them.
- The digestive system of pigeons is designed in such a way that their glands, located in the goiter, are able to secrete the so-called bird's milk, which the birds feed their chicks with. Interestingly, not only females have this property, but also males.
- Individuals are distinguished by fidelity towards each other, therefore they create monogamous pairs. The bird does not leave its partner until the moment of his death.
Individuals that are sources of dietary meat need separate mating boxes and a competent approach to feeding. In this regard, a novice pigeon breeder faces a number of mandatory tasks:
- Prepare the room and stock up on material for the construction of future boxes.
- Choosing the right breed, since the quality of the meat product and the income received will depend on this.
- Seriously approach the care of young animals, as well as their feeding.
- Timely send pigeons for slaughter.
Breed types
There is a considerable amount, but only some individual breeds are suitable for growing them for meat. Among them are gigantic, chicken and meat. Each of them has its own characteristics. Giant birds cannot fly and have a lot of weight. Chicken species in their structure are very similar to ordinary chickens. They have a wide short body and a small tail. Meat - typical birds of this family, only slightly larger. Meat pigeons are expected to have the following characteristics:
- rapid development and growth;
- good fertility;
- high endurance;
- propensity to accelerate feeding.
Perhaps the description of meat pigeons presented in our article will help you make your choice. However, before acquiring productive birds, you need to prepare a comfortable home for them to live.
Arrangement of the premises
For the maintenance of pigeons of meat breeds, special nurseries, outbuildings or attic rooms are used. There are no special requirements for the design of the dovecote. The main thing is that in winter there should be no sub-zero temperature and the room should be equipped with ventilation and electric lighting. During construction, it should be noted that no more than 3 pairs of rare individuals can be settled per 1 m 2.
Pigeons are clean birds, so you should take care of the litter. For these purposes, straw, sawdust or shavings are used. They need to be changed depending on the degree of contamination. General cleaning of the premises is carried out twice a year.
It is obligatory to have an aviary with feeders and drinkers installed in it.
It is desirable that there is enough space in the room to accommodate boxes for mating pigeons. There should be more of them than the pairs themselves, so that each of them can independently find the nest they like and remember it. After the mating process is completed, the boxes can be used for nesting birds.
Feeding
Although the maintenance and care of pigeons of meat breeds do not cause much trouble, they still have their own preferences in the diet. In order for the birds to bring the maximum amount of valuable product, they need to provide constant feeding and adjust the correct balance. Basically, pigeons feed on oats, millet, peas, corn, barley, and potatoes should be added to the feed, since it contains the necessary substances that are useful for birds. To insure pigeons against obesity, food should be constantly enriched with vitamin E. For 1 kg of the bulk of the feed, it is enough to include only 10 mg of the supplement.
slaughter
Poultry farmers who raise pigeons for meat are always interested in quickly sending birds to slaughter. Undoubtedly, the meat of young animals has a delicate structure and excellent taste. Meat breeds of pigeons, in this respect, the most profitable individuals. They can please the poultry farmer with a return after their first flights. Subject to proper maintenance and care at the age of one month, the bird will be ready for slaughter.
To simplify the evisceration process, feeding must be stopped 24 hours before slaughter. It will also improve the taste of the meat. Experienced pigeon breeders recommend feeding pigeons with herbs for several days to give the product a piquant flavor.
The total period of keeping birds, in particular, depends on their variety. Elite individuals grow differently and have an individual size and weight. So, let's start our review of meat breeds with giant pigeons.
Roman giant
The giant bird reaches from 1.3 to 1.5 kg in weight. Individuals are inactive, do not seek to fly. The body is powerful, large, oblong (total length up to 50 cm). Impressive variety of colors. Giants are white, black, gray-blue, red, fawn and with a brownish coating. According to their size and habits, birds need a low aviary and large nests. Due to their inherent sluggishness, they have a predisposition to obesity. Birds are distinguished by strong immunity to infections. By their nature, they are too trusting, for this reason they should be protected from predators.
king
Representatives of chicken breeds bred in America. The advantage of king pigeons is their productivity and impressive mass. Unlike other meat pigeons, they grow more slowly. The time of keeping these individuals is at least 45 days. By this period, the birds weigh almost 800 g. Kings love freedom, so they must be periodically released from the cage, and the room for their maintenance should be built more spaciously. The speed of their weight gain will depend on the walking of the birds.
A female individual is able to reproduce up to 17 chicks per year. Since pigeons love to roam free and live in large buildings, they are more suitable for large farms. However, if the birds create optimal conditions, it will be possible to receive a considerable income from the sale of valuable dietary meat.
Carnot
The breeding of meat pigeons of this species began during the progress of mechanized pigeon breeding. Breeding the Carnot breed involved keeping the birds in an aviary. For this reason, pigeons are not adapted to forage on their own. Karno is easier to keep in automated facilities. They do not need to be spacious, as pigeons respond well to crowding. Individuals are small, but productive and very rapidly gaining a certain mass (no more than 600 g). Plumage is different: black, yellow, white. There are no feathers on the legs.
The downside of the breed is that pigeons have an unprepossessing appearance and a disproportionate structure. They have an overly convex chest and a thickened neck. Against the background of a rounded body, the head looks too small. At the same time, it should be noted that these characteristics do not affect the value of the dietary product. Their meat is juicy and quite tender.
Modena
A distinctive feature of this breed is the rich plumage. The general background of the entire body of the bird casts in a variety of colors, and the wings may have a different color. Each individual feather on the wing is edged with a contrasting outline. There are two varieties: German and English modena. The first is medium-sized, it is not grown for culinary purposes. English is famous for its large size and bred for meat. The maximum weight of an adult pigeon reaches up to 900 g. The article provides photos of pigeons of meat breeds. On them you can see the exterior differences of birds.
texans
Pretty foldable birds of a powerful build, with a broad back and a vertically located neck. Tightly pressed wings fold in the middle of the tail. The head is small, the chest is convex, the tail is slightly raised up. Reproductive ability is well developed. A female individual under good conditions is able to hatch more than 20 chicks. Texans have a calm disposition and are picky about food. They grow quickly, the average weight of an adult bird is 750 g. Since birds are not particularly demanding on the conditions of existence, they are suitable for busy people who cannot devote too much time to keeping birds.
Strassers
The bird has a solid appearance. She has a rounded, proudly protruding chest, a large head and forehead. Broad, short back, fully covered by wings. The color varies from white and gray to black and white. Legs set wide apart, without plumage, red. Pigeons are considered the most fleshy breed. The mass of a male can reach up to 900 g, and females - and females up to 700-800 g. Strassers are non-flying birds, violent and often fight. Indicators of fertility and productivity in them are manifested, to a greater extent, with purebred breeding.
Conclusion
As you can see, breeding, caring for and keeping pigeons of meat breed is not such a complicated process. The choice of birds is not limited to the above list. In fact, there are many more. Poultry farmers distinguish a few more of the best varieties. These include: the Kuborg lark, the Hungarian giants, the Polish lynx and some of the chicken-like individuals. If you like this kind of activity, choose the right breed and get a useful product.
In addition to the breeds of domestic pigeons described above, there are those that have economically useful qualities. These are meat pigeons. They provide tender, juicy and nutritious gourmet meat. It contains about 22% protein and 9 - 20% fat. Pigeon meat is easily digestible and is recommended by doctors as a dietary product. The carcass has 00% meat on the chest, 20 - on the back and wings, 15 - on the legs and 5% falls on the internal organs.
In some countries - France, the USA, Italy, etc. meat pigeon breeding is transferred to an industrial basis; on large farms, feeding and watering pigeons are mechanized. In the socialist countries of Europe, meat pigeon breeding is also developing noticeably. It is built on a scientific basis and an appropriate production base. For example, in Hungary, meat pigeons are grown on cooperative farms and in subsidiary plots. For many years, Hungary has been exporting pigeon meat. Birds are kept mostly in aviaries. With industrial breeding, this method is more cost-effective than free foraging. On farms using this method, 80 - 100 thousand pigeons are grown. Along with industrial farms, there are specialized breeding farms for breeding purebred poultry.
In our country meat pigeon breeding is still poorly developed. However, in some regions of Ukraine and in the south of the European part of the country, there is still some experience in using pigeons for meat. Thus, the collective farm "Bolshevik" of the Belgorod-Dnestrovsky district of the Odessa region keeps more than 1000 pigeons of the parent flock on the farm. The farm brings a significant income to the collective farm through the sale of meat and the sale of meat pigeons to the population of breeding birds, which are in great demand.
In our country, the following meat breeds of birds are bred: Kings, Strassers and Romans.
king- large pigeons with high fecundity. Live weight of adult birds - on average 850 - 910 G, the mass of individual individuals reaches 1300 - 1400 G, young animals aged 30 - 40 days - 690 - 720 G. Pigeons of this breed have a dense plumage, a short and massive body with a deep rounded keel and a very wide chest. From a pair of pigeons, 12 - 15 chicks are obtained per year with a total live weight of 8 - 10 kg.
Pigeons of the Strasser breed are somewhat inferior to books of one hundred live weight, but surpass them in fertility and therefore are considered one of the best meat breeds. They are well fattened, their meat is of excellent quality. Live weight of adult birds - an average of about 800 G, young at 4 weeks of age - 670 - 700 G.
Roman pigeons are not very fertile. One pair breeds up to 6 - 8 chicks per year. When incubating, the female sometimes crushes eggs, so they are often placed under pigeons of other breeds. Live weight of adult birds - an average of 700 - 750 G, the mass of individual males reaches 1200, females - 900 - 1000 G. Weight of young animals at 4 weeks of age - 620 - 650 G. The color of the plumage is gray, brown, fawn; there are also red, black and motley birds. Used for crossing with other breeds.
The meat breeds of pigeons are early maturing: the young, bred in March, in September - October, are already giving offspring. On average, one pair of pigeons can make 9 clutches and feed up to 18 chicks per year with a total weight of 8.5 kg commodity products. In the first years of life, the reproductive abilities of pigeons grow, then gradually decrease, and in the 5th year they fall sharply.
The period of development of the embryo of meat breeds of pigeons is 18 - 19 days, in a cold room - 20 - 22 days. When the chicks reach 2 - 3 weeks of age, the female begins the next cycle of oviposition. A second nest is hung in a cage for this purpose, where she lays her eggs and begins to incubate them. The male continues to feed the chicks during this time. At the age of 5 weeks, the chicks already peck the grain mixture on their own, but the parents feed them for some time. At 6 - 7 weeks of age, replacement young are separated from their parents, as it prevents them from feeding the next brood.
Pigeons intended for breeding for meat should have the highest productivity, therefore, when forming a breeding herd, special attention is paid to the intensity of growth and the ability to reproduce. In addition, when growing meat breeds, high digestibility of feed, unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention, calm behavior, peacefulness, as well as the quality of plumage are of great importance, since feathers are also commercial products.
The main feature that determines productivity is the intensity of reproduction of meat pigeons. It is associated not only with the heredity of birds, but also with many other factors (conditions of keeping, feeding, care) and is estimated according to the following indicators: the number of clutches, the percentage of hatching of chicks, the total mass of reared and slaughtered birds.
The fertility of eggs and the hatching of chicks depend on the time of year - in winter, up to 80% of eggs in pigeons can be unfertilized. Therefore, the output of products during the year is distributed as follows: in spring and summer - 65%, in autumn - 25% and in winter - no more than 18%. Production will be profitable if the percentage of hatching of chicks is at least 75, and the death of young animals is not more than 5%.
The growth rate of chicks largely depends on the intensity of their feeding by their parents. By the time of slaughter, the young must have a mass of at least 600 G. The body weight of males and females is approximately the same and the yield of marketable meat should be at least 70%.
Feed consumption per 1 kg The mass of a bird varies depending on the reproductive abilities of a pair of pigeons and the way they are kept. In industrial foraging, one pair has an average of 6 - 7 kg grain, provided that they raise 12 to 15 chicks per year. Therefore, the more chicks are grown, the lower the cost of feed per unit of growth. Since feed costs account for approximately 80% of all costs, feed savings significantly reduce the cost of production and increase farm income.
With the industrial method of growing pigeons of meat breeds, they are kept on special farms, where the interior is divided by brick partitions into boxes, the number of which depends on the size of the broodstock. Each box, in turn, is divided by a metal mesh in width into two sections, in which 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-tier cell batteries are installed, 24 - 40 cells each. One pair of pigeons, as a rule, accounts for 0.3 - 0.4 m 2 floors. Near each section, outside the premises, enclosures are attached, covered with fine mesh, so that sparrows and other small birds do not penetrate into them, which eat food and can infect the broodstock of pigeons. Pigeons enter the aviary through manholes. The cage mesh is fixed on a metal frame installed on a concrete base with a height of at least 10 - 12 cm so that rodents or predatory animals do not penetrate there.
Such farms were built on the Bolshevik collective farm in the Odessa region, where they study the suitability of various types of cage batteries for keeping meat pigeon breeds, determine the optimal cage sizes, nest shape, location and parameters of other equipment.
There is also a method of "free" foraging, when pigeons are kept free and they themselves get their own food in the meadows and fields. Throughout almost the entire summer, birds collect weed seeds, and then cultivated plants that have fallen to the ground, freeing the owner from the main type of cost - buying feed. This method of feeding is especially beneficial after the harvest of bread, since the pigeons collect the grains of cereals remaining in the fields and thereby clear them of carrion. With this method of keeping, it is also very profitable to grow outbred pigeons for meat, which are more adapted to independently obtaining food than meat pigeons. However, gray and outbred domestic pigeons are relatively small in size; (weight of their carcass is 280 - 300 G). If outbred pigeons are crossed with pigeons of meat breeds, then you can get crossbreeds with a live weight of 500 - 600 G. These hybrids are well adapted to local conditions, feed actively in fields and meadows, and are viable.
Fattening pigeons. It is possible to feed for meat not only chicks of pigeons of meat breeds, but also others culled during breeding work. Special fattening methods allow you to get more meat and improve its quality. Pigeon meat in terms of the content of digestible protein in it surpasses the meat of other poultry: pigeon meat contains 22.1% protein, turkeys - 21.5, chickens - 19.3, geese - 16.1 and ducks - 17.8%.
It is best to fatten the chicks at the age of 19 - 20 days, but you can use the young, and at a later age. The meat of old pigeons is tough and unsuitable for food. Pigeons intended for fattening are placed in a cage or basket and kept in twilight. Soft bedding (hay, straw) is placed in the basket, which needs to be changed more often in order to maintain constant cleanliness. They need to be fed 3-5 times a day for 10-14 days. After each feeding, warm water should be given, after adding a little milk or skim milk to it. Millet, rice, corn, bread or peas are used as feed, which are pre-soaked in water. Fattening results are better if corn, rice and peas are boiled. Before slaughter, dill, anise or cumin seeds are added to the feed, which improve the taste of meat.
The feeding procedure is as follows: carefully opening the pigeon's beak, boiled food is put into it; it is even better to inject food with a large syringe with an extended rubber tube directly into the crop, slowly pressing the syringe plunger. If fed with soaked grain, then it is injected directly into the open beak of the chick until the mouth is completely filled. When he swallows a portion of food, he is given another in the same way, and so fed until the goiter is completely filled. The degree of filling of the goiter can be determined by touch. The next feeding should be carried out only when the goiter is empty. Pigeons are weighed periodically to determine the efficiency of fattening.
The quality of pigeon meat depends not only on the correct fattening of the bird, but also on the way it is slaughtered, cleaned, gutted, and also on the method of preparation.
Slaughter of fattened pigeons. The day before slaughter, pigeons are not fed, since carcasses with an empty stomach are easier to gut and the meat is of better quality. Slaughter can be done in the same way as other poultry.
Pigeon carcasses are plucked in any of two ways: dry or by scalding. It is best to pluck the carcasses dry, as in this case the meat is tastier, and feathers can be used to stuff pillows. The carcass is placed on a large sheet of paper so that the fluff and feathers do not scatter. First, large feathers are removed from the tail and wings, pulling them in the direction of growth. Smaller feathers are plucked in the direction opposite to their growth. They begin to pluck from the neck, then from the chest, back and legs. The carcass must be plucked while it is still warm, holding and pulling the skin with the fingers of the left hand. If the carcass has cooled down, then it will be easier to pluck it, after immersing it in hot water for 1-2 minutes. After plucking, it must be singeed over a fire that does not give soot. Before singeing, the surface of the plucked carcass is rubbed with bran or low-grade flour: in this case, the remaining fluff burns better and the skin is less smoked. Then the carcass is washed first with warm water, then with cold water, dried and the feather stumps are removed.
Before gutting, the carcasses are cut off the head, legs to the lower leg and wings to the first fold. Then they make an incision from the throat to the cloaca, take out the goiter, larynx, esophagus and other inedible entrails. The gallbladder must be removed immediately, otherwise the meat will be unfit for food.
If pigeons are served uncut, they are gutted through the neck without cutting the abdomen. The skin of the neck is cut lengthwise from the side of the back, the cervical part of the vertebra is pulled out and cut off with a knife, and then the insides are taken out through the neck.
The eviscerated carcass is washed 2 times in cold water, but the washing should not be too long, as this will wash out nutrients and minerals.