GENETIC AND POSTHATCH PARENTAL INFLUENCES ON GROWTH IN PIGEON SQUABS

Four hundred fifty-six squabs from 72 pairs of Silver King x White Kin g crosses were reared by either their genotypic parents or foster pare nts to study the effects of posthatch nest environment on squab growth . Posthatch parental performance in terms of feeding and caring for th e young accounted for 6.28%, 10.27%, 5.72%, and 0.00% of the total var iance in 7-day, 14-day, 21-day, and 28-day weight, respectively. Paren tal performance accounted for 8.41 %, 0.00%, 10.81%, and 8.39% of the total variance in 0-7-day, 8-14-day, 15-21-day, and 22-28-day gain per iods, respectively. The combined weight of the two nest mates at 14 da ys maximizes the percentage of the posthatch component included in the total variance and thus can be taken as a measure of parental perform ance. Selection for increased egg production in one line and parental performance in another line so that squabs from the egg line can be fo stered by the parental performance line is suggested as a breeding str ategy to increase the annual rate of squab production.