Effects of dietary supplementation on growth performance of pigeon squabs (Aves: Columbidae)

A one-way ANOVA examined the effects of feed additives (control, broiler feed, broiler feed + grit) on the growth of the squab from 21 to 30 days old with equal cell sizes (n=10 per cell; N=30). Assumption checks indicated no serious violations: residuals were approximately normal (Shapiro-Wilk p=0.1257) and variances were homogenous (median-based Levene’s test), F (2,27) = 0.3073, p= 0.738. The analysis showed a large effect among control, treatment 1 (broiler feed) and treatment 2 (broiler feed + grit) group, F (2,27) = 390.8, p˂0.001. Control produced lower weights (M=206.00 g ± 0.149) than broiler feed (M=207.00 ± 0.179 g) and broiler feed + grit (M=208.00 ± 0.165 g). Tukey-adjusted simple effects aligned with these patterns: within control, broiler feed, and broiler feed + grit (all ps˂0.001). Differences among groups were found in treatment 1—control (1.01), treatment 2—control (2.06), and treatment 2—treatment 1 (1.05) respectively. Null hypothesis was rejected, so it was mentionable that there were significant differences among control (as usual commercial feed without no broiler feed and grit), treatment 1 (common feed + broiler feed), and treatment 2 (common feed + broiler feed + grit) groups on the growth of the squabs. For the proper marketable growth of squabs, it is recommended to apply broiler feed and grit with the commercial feed of pigeons.