Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
1st International Congress of Alternative Poultry and Ornamental Birds, Antalya, Türkiye, 8 - 10 Kasım 2019, ss.39-40
Natural selection gives shape to individuals and therefore to populations which results in the most
appropriate combination of traits in nature. This combination gives animals the selective advantage
they need to survive thereby enhancing their chances of reproductive success, under natural
conditions. Domestic pigeons originating from rock pigeons also differ from their ancestral
characteristics because of artificial selection. There is a significant variation between domestic pigeons
in terms of head and beak structure like other morphological and flight characteristics. When we look
at the contents of the Animal Protection Laws in the worldwide, it is stated that they have the freedom
of life under the conditions of life specific to the type of domestic animals and that the necessary
precautions should be taken to protect, care and keep the animals from maltreatment. The most
important and basic necessity of the animal is nutrition, but the necessity of feeding does not only
mean abdominal saturation'. Our studies are showed that short beak affects feed consumption
negatively because of the key role the beak plays in food intake, short beak pigeons often struggle to
feed themselves. Both the amount of feed consumed per unit amount and the amount of feed
consumed per unit time indicate that the short-beaked breed is disadvantageous and problematic.
Additionally, the retarded growth of short beak pigeons’ squabs revealed that the species-specific
reproductive pattern was disturbed in the short beak pigeon. The short beak, which is a side-effect of
artificial selection for aesthetic purposes, can cause serious welfare problems under restricted
environmental conditions. The aim of this study is to examine the results of the short beak created by
artificial selection in pigeons in the context of animal welfare and to discuss how to reduce the
possible negative effects.