Maternally Derived Transferrin in Pigeon Squabs

With the use of genetically marked transferrin, a major portion of circulating transferrin from a newly hatched squab was found to be derived from the mother through the egg. The transfer is not through the parental crop milk. The squab does not accumulate enough transferrin of its own making to be detectable until it is about 8 days old. The maternally derived protein remains detectable until 14 days after hatching. The squab actively synthesizes a portion its own transferrin from hatching onward.