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Utility pigeons are domesticated pigeons bred to be a source of meat called
Utility pigeons are domesticated pigeons bred to be a source of meat called squab
In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old, or its meat. The meat is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word ''skvabb'' mean ...
. Squabs have been used as a food in many nations for centuries. They were bred to breed and grow quickly.Seymour, Rev. Colin (Ed)(2006) ''Australian Fancy Pigeons National Book of Standards''. Because they are bred for squab production, conformation to a show standard Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object th ...
is usually deemed unimportant.
Utility pigeons are one of three main breed groupings used by pigeon fanciers. The other two are Flying/Sporting and Fancy
Fancy may refer to:
Places
* Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement
* Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Music Albums
* ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970
* ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997
* ''Fancy'' (video ...
.
The characteristics of utility pigeons of most importance to the businessperson
A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
who is keeping them are rapid growth and high fecundity
Fecundity is defined in two ways; in human demography, it is the potential for reproduction of a recorded population as opposed to a sole organism, while in population biology, it is considered similar to fertility, the natural capability to pr ...
.
There are breeds of pigeons which at one time were raised for utility purposes but which are now raised for show purposes. Fanciers usually distinguish between the two sub-breeds by appending the word "show" or "utility" to the name of the breed. For example, there are show King pigeon
The King pigeon is a breed of pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding primarily as a utility breed. Kings along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons are all descendants from the rock pigeon (''Columba livia'').
The breed ...
s and Utility Kings and they are two different breeds of pigeon. The show breeds can still be used for squabbing purposes.
See also
*American Giant Runt
The Giant Runt is a breed of pigeon developed by selective breeding primarily as a utility and exhibition breed.Seymour, Rev. Colin (Ed)(2006) ''Australian Fancy Pigeons National Book of Standards''. American Giant Runts, along with other variet ...
* Carneau
* French Mondain
The French Mondain is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. French Mondains, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the rock pigeon (''Columba livia''). The breed was orig ...
* King pigeon
The King pigeon is a breed of pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding primarily as a utility breed. Kings along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons are all descendants from the rock pigeon (''Columba livia'').
The breed ...
* Strasser pigeon
* List of pigeon breeds
This is an alphabetical list of pigeon breeds. Pigeons and doves are members of the bird family Columbidae. Doves tend to be smaller and pigeons larger, although this distinction is not consistently applied.
The birds listed here are breeds of th ...
References
Pigeon breeds Domestic pigeons {{poultry-stub