Open AccessCarcass Characteristics of Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) in the Northern Region of Ghana
Author(s) -
A. A. Agbolosu
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2343-6727
DOI - 10.47881/273.967x
Subject(s) - plumage , gizzard , biology , zoology , body weight , carcass weight , veterinary medicine , medicine , endocrinology
This study was conducted to characterise carcass traits of domestic pigeons in the northern region of Ghana. Data was collected on 30 matured domestic pigeons consisting of 15 males and 15 females from six plumage colour varieties. These birds were intensively managed and fed with broiler mash. The pigeons were slaughtered according to standard abattoir procedures and carcass parameters recorded were preslaughter weight, dressed weight, deplumed weight, breast weight, thigh weight, back weight, wing weight, drumstick weight and giblets (whole heart weight, liver and gizzard) weight. 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) 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 the colour varieties in various parts of the northern region.