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?'

Garlic, whose scientific name is Allium sativum, is a common plant, used 
worldwide for food. Since ancient times, garlic has been used for a variety of 
human ailments and problems, and even magical properties to ward of evil spirits
  have been attributed to garlic. In fact, it was once considered to be
absolutely  essential in warding off vampires. In more modern times, the use of
garlic has  been a topic of research, especially in human medicine. Garlic has
been reported  to have insecticidal, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-tumor
properties, as  well as those of lowering blood sugar and fat levels, and
reducing the dangerous  plagues that bring about the plugging of blood vessels
that lead to heart  attacks and strokes in humans. It seems that popular
interest is greatest in  Germany where garlic preparations for humans account
for the largest sales of  all over-the-counter drugs. How garlic affects racing
  pigeons is speculative, but here are some general facts gleaned
about this  plant from a few medical and nutritional publications.