![]() DUE TO SOME HEALTH ISSUES IN MY FAMILY, I NEED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BIRDS IN MY LOFT. I HAVE LISTED SOME OF THE BIRDS ON AMERICAN PIGEON AUCTIONS FOR BOTTOM LINE PRICES!! http://www.sklauctions.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.pl ![]() USE OF PROBIOTICS IN RACING PIGEONS By Dr Colin Walker BSc, BVSc, MRCVS, MACVSc (Avian health) The bacteria-host relationship Through evolution, bacteria and warm-blooded animals have closely associated themselves to form a closed system for mutual benefit. Through trial and error, over millennia, populations of bacteria have evolved that are indigenous to their animal host. The animal host receives the benefits of aid in the digestive process, manufacture of essential nutrients, protection against other undesirable bacteria, assistance in control of water in the body and other metabolic advantages. The bacteria in return receive temperatures favourable for their growth, a constant supply of nutrients and essential substances in the form of the body’s secretions. Because of the exact nature of this relationship, there are bacterial populations that are the most favourable for the host animal. Changes Each member of this mutually beneficial relationship is profoundly influenced by the other. When certain changes occur in the host, corresponding changes are reflected in bacterial populations in the bowel. Bacterial changes may occur as a result of stress, diet change, antibiotic therapy and other factors. Conversely, as the resident bacterial population changes, there are subsequent changes in the animal’s activity. These include alterations in the host’s ability to digest its food and its ability to protect itself from bowel disease. The animal host then has the problem of getting back to an ideal relationship with its normal resident population of bacteria. Hopefully it can accomplish such a relationship before subsequent challenges again upset the ideal state. Where animals are not stressed, have an appropriate diet, are not crowded, are not given drugs, do not contract infection or metabolic diseases and live in a clean environment, an ideal level of intestinal bacterial population may be maintained on a rather steady basis. In fact, no differences are generally reported in numerous trials under these ideal conditions. Imbalance The conditions described above, however, do not fit the environment under which our pigeons race. Even in the best lofts, under the best managers, birds are subjected to various stresses. This means that disruption of the normal balance of intestinal bacteria can be a common event. If an ideal state is maintained, there is optimal utilization of nutrients and a resistance to harmful organisms. This has been shown in numerous experiments. ![]() How to breed good pigeons? By Ad Schaerlaeckens With the publisher of this paper I was discussing the contents of a pigeon magazine. I write in many of them and I can assure you that that is far from easy as far as foreign countries are concerned. In my own country it is not such a problem as I know what fanciers like to read about. But writing for countries on the other side of the world where the sport is so much different is another story. 'David', I said, 'you must help me. Tell me what people in the Far East want to read about. If I would know that would make it a lot easier for me to write.' 'Could you write how to breed good pigeons' was his reaction. My mouth fell open. For a moment I thought 'what a stupid question' but that was just for a moment. When I was a student my teacher used to say: 'There are no stupid questions, there are only stupid answers'. 'How to breed good pigeons?' The more I thought about this question the more sense it made. It proved that he realised how important quality is. Many fanciers (not the champions though) seek successes where they should not seek them. They believe too much in medicine, secrets or 'the magic bottle'. And I think it is the same everywhere in the world, my country included. Whereas many of my fellow sportsmen have been searching for better medicine, better vitamins and better vets throughout the years I have always been after better birds. Of course you need luck now and then. But how important luck may be, there must be more than that. Because 'why ', one might wonder, 'is it so often the same people that breed good pigeons again and again whereas others do not even breed one decent bird in a lifetime?' |
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