CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC PIGEON (COLUMBA LIVIA DOMESTICA) IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

The study characterized the carcass traits of domestic pigeons in the northern region of Ghana. Data were collected on 30, 4-week-old domestic pigeon squabs consisting of 15 males and 15 females from five plumage colour varieties. These birds were intensively managed and fed with broiler mash containing 20% CP and 2776.43 ME (Kcal/kg). The pigeons were slaughtered according to standard abattoir procedures and parameters such as pre-slaughter weight, dressed weight, deplumed weight, breast weight, thigh weight, back weight, wing weight, drumstick weight and giblets (whole heart weight, liver and gizzard) weight were measured. Carcass data were analyzed using the GLM of SPSS to investigate the effect of sex and plumage colour variety on carcass measurements. Pigeon lost 11.6% of live body weight after bleeding. The effect of sex was found to be a significant (p<0.05) source of variation for pre-slaughter weight, dressed weight and heart weight. Except for back, lung and gizzard weights on which plumage colour varieties had a significant effect (p < 0.05), all other carcass parameters were not influenced (p>0.05) by plumage colour variety. In conclusion, male pigeons generally had significantly higher carcass characteristics (pre-slaughter weight, dressed weight and heart weight) than their female counterparts irrespective of their colour varieties in the northern region.