CURRENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS OF MEAT PIGEON BREEDING IN UKRAINE
The article highlights the meat pigeon breeding prospects determination as a new agribusiness sector. A literature and patent search was conducted for the state of the meat pigeon breeding industry in Ukraine established. The foreign experience in the field of meat poultry was studied. In many countries of the world the pigeon meat breeding industrial is very developed. On large pigeon farms in the United States and on state farms in Hungary the feeding, watering and housekeeping processes are mechanized, the nestling artificial feeding has been mastered. First of all, for breeding work, the Hungarian pigeon breeders' society purchased the breeding stock in France, and also used its national large pigeon’s breeds. Then, authentic Texan birds had been purchased in the United States, and a systematic work on high bodyweight hybrids creation carry out now for high productivity, unpretentious and disease-resistant breeds obtaining. The some elements of the technology of pigeon production were considered. A certain features of the industry were marked. Mating pigeons starts from five months of age. The young meat pigeons were born in March and have been left for breeding, in September-October already give offspring. An average of one pair of meat pigeons at intensive technology during the year can be obtained 9-10 clutches (18 nestlings). So, the expected yield of marketable products will be 8.5-9 kg during the year. The production of marketable products, as a rule, is uneven: 60-65 % of meat is produced in the spring-summer period, 20-30 % - in autumn and 10-15 % - in the winter. Production can be profitable if the output in young stock on the farm is not less than 75%. In the first years of life, reproductive ability in pigeons gradually increased, then evenly reduced and 6-7-year drops sharply. In general, pigeons live an average of 15-20 years, and give offspring for 10-12 years. Pigeons are monogamous, keep in flocks and lead a daily life. Both birds hatch eggs: the male is usually from 10 to 16 hours, the female - the rest of the time. The mass of eggs in pigeons ranges from 17 to 27 g. The egg incubation temperature is 36.1-40.7 ° C. The duration of hatching of the domestic pigeon is on average 17-19 days, but in a cold room it increases to 20-22 days.