Meat pigeon farming: mastering breed selection and daily feeding management

Meat pigeon farming is a specialized livestock sector whose main purpose is producing squabs, and it is a branch of poultry rearing. Meat pigeons have a relatively large body size and grow quickly; after hatching, young pigeons are fed by their parent pigeons and can reach market standard within a relatively short cycle. Because squab meat is tender and nutritious, market demand is relatively stable, and in some areas meat pigeon farming has become one of the ways for farming households to increase income.

Common meat pigeon breeds include the King pigeon, Shiqi pigeon, Carneau, and Homer pigeon. Among them, the King pigeon has a relatively large body size and good meat production performance, and is relatively commonly raised; the Shiqi pigeon originated in the Guangdong area and shows good adaptability and disease resistance. Different breeds differ in body size, reproductive performance, and adaptability, and farmers can choose suitable breeds according to local climate conditions and market demand.

There are two common methods of raising meat pigeons: cage rearing and group rearing. The pigeon house should preferably be built in a location with higher terrain, dry and well-ventilated conditions, and ample light. The feed is mainly grains and legumes such as corn, peas, wheat, and sorghum, and health grit also needs to be supplemented to help the pigeons digest and to supplement minerals. In daily management, the pigeon house should be kept clean, manure should be removed regularly, bedding should be replaced, and the site should be disinfected to reduce the breeding of pathogens.

Pigeons have an obvious monogamous pairing habit. After breeding pigeons pair up, they take turns incubating eggs and jointly feed the squabs, making reproductive management relatively labor-saving. During the rearing process, attention should be paid to disease prevention and control. Common diseases such as Newcastle disease should be vaccinated against according to the schedule, and sick pigeons should be isolated and handled promptly when found. In summer, pay attention to heat prevention and cooling, and in winter, do a good job of keeping warm; maintaining a quiet and stable environment helps improve the reproductive capacity of breeding pigeons and the survival rate of squabs.