Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth

Summary: The current study investigated the effects of two different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of squabs (White King pigeon). A total of 108, 21-day-old squabs were randomly divided into three artificial crop milk treatments with different crude protein (CP) levels (14%,...

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Main Authors: T.W. Liu, J.Y. Chen, J.G. Zhu, L.X. Wang, X.M. Meng, H.X. Huan, Y. Liu, P. Xie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Journal of Applied Poultry Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000455
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author T.W. Liu
J.Y. Chen
J.G. Zhu
L.X. Wang
X.M. Meng
H.X. Huan
Y. Liu
P. Xie
author_facet T.W. Liu
J.Y. Chen
J.G. Zhu
L.X. Wang
X.M. Meng
H.X. Huan
Y. Liu
P. Xie
author_sort T.W. Liu
collection DOAJ
description Summary: The current study investigated the effects of two different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of squabs (White King pigeon). A total of 108, 21-day-old squabs were randomly divided into three artificial crop milk treatments with different crude protein (CP) levels (14%, 15%, 16%). The parent-fed squab control treatment consisted of 36 pairs of pigeons caring for 2 squabs. Results showed that the 28-day body weight, average body weight gain, index of abdominal fat and breast muscle, muscle shearing force, and fiber cross-sectional area and diameter of squabs in group 1 (16% CP) were the highest. In addition, the low dripping and freezing losses and the minimum malondialdehyde content of muscles in group 1 (16 % CP) were observed. Meanwhile, the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the muscle of the control group was the lowest. The values of redness and yellowness of muscles were higher in the control group than those in the artificial feeding treatments. In conclusion, although the muscle color of artificially fed pigeons is not as good as that of naturally fed ones, the 16% CP artificial diet significantly promoted the growth performance and muscle antioxidant capacity of squabs. Therefore, using 16% CP level of diet for artificially feeding squabs during the late stage of growth is recommended.
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spelling doaj-art-1b4a009f1f274b2cb3177723985fe48d2025-08-20T05:04:38ZengElsevierJournal of Applied Poultry Research1056-61712025-09-0134310056110.1016/j.japr.2025.100561Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growthT.W. Liu0J.Y. Chen1J.G. Zhu2L.X. Wang3X.M. Meng4H.X. Huan5Y. Liu6P. Xie7Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, ChinaJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China; Corresponding author at: Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China.Summary: The current study investigated the effects of two different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of squabs (White King pigeon). A total of 108, 21-day-old squabs were randomly divided into three artificial crop milk treatments with different crude protein (CP) levels (14%, 15%, 16%). The parent-fed squab control treatment consisted of 36 pairs of pigeons caring for 2 squabs. Results showed that the 28-day body weight, average body weight gain, index of abdominal fat and breast muscle, muscle shearing force, and fiber cross-sectional area and diameter of squabs in group 1 (16% CP) were the highest. In addition, the low dripping and freezing losses and the minimum malondialdehyde content of muscles in group 1 (16 % CP) were observed. Meanwhile, the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the muscle of the control group was the lowest. The values of redness and yellowness of muscles were higher in the control group than those in the artificial feeding treatments. In conclusion, although the muscle color of artificially fed pigeons is not as good as that of naturally fed ones, the 16% CP artificial diet significantly promoted the growth performance and muscle antioxidant capacity of squabs. Therefore, using 16% CP level of diet for artificially feeding squabs during the late stage of growth is recommended.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000455Crude proteinPerformanceMeat qualityArtificial crop milk
spellingShingle T.W. Liu
J.Y. Chen
J.G. Zhu
L.X. Wang
X.M. Meng
H.X. Huan
Y. Liu
P. Xie
Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Crude protein
Performance
Meat quality
Artificial crop milk
title Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
title_full Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
title_fullStr Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
title_full_unstemmed Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
title_short Effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs (Columba livia) in the late stage of growth
title_sort effects of different feeding strategies on the performance and meat quality of pigeon squabs columba livia in the late stage of growth
topic Crude protein
Performance
Meat quality
Artificial crop milk
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056617125000455
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