Feed for the Need What should a pigeon eat before it goes to a race? Carbohydrate based grains? Fat based grains ? Its normal mix? Does it matter? For a pigeon to perform optimally it must have the right fuel on board to produce the energy it needs for fast and sustained flight. The process of muscle contraction that powers the pigeon through the air requires large amounts of energy. So where does this energy come from as the race basket opens, the pigeon lifts into the sky and the race starts? Most importantly, where does the energy come from as the hours on the wing pass by? There are several sources of energy available in the pigeon’s body and although it is increasingly believed that it is a pigeon’s genetics that determine how it accesses and uses these energy sources, in a fit pigeon they are all either carbohydrate ( sugar ) or fat based. No matter what the source of energy, they are all broken down into a substance called ATP and it is the breakdown of this ATP that provides the necessary energy to fly and race. It is the continuous supply of ATP that is pivotal for success. Different energy reserves supply this ATP as the race progresses :-
1/ In the first 10 seconds as the bird exits the race basket - In the initial flurry of activity where the muscles contract , pushing the wings down and lifting the bird into the air the small amount of ATP that is already in the bloodstream is broken down. This ATP lasts just 10 seconds, releasing its energy, and getting the bird into the sky.
2/In the next 20 minutes – After the initial burst of activity and once the small amount of available ATP is used up , glucose that is already in the blood stream starts to be used. This glucose is broken down to ATP, in turn producing the energy that continues to push the bird through the air. This glucose lasts about 20 minutes.
3/Over the next half a day ie in a 300 to 400 km race— Once the bird has been flying for about 20 minutes the glucose in the bloodstream has been used up. The pigeon’s body then shifts to using glycogen as an energy source. Glycogen is the way that glucose is stored in the body. It is a complex substance made up of many connected glucose molecules. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and when further energy is required it is broken down releasing the glucose it contains. This glucose is in turn broken down to release the further energy required for the pigeon to keep going. The glycogen lasts 300 to 400km , half a day at the most.
4/After about 6 hours – As the glycogen runs out, provided the pigeon is still flying within its fitness capability and flying easily, it starts to use its body fat as a source of energy. The fat is broken down into free fatty acids which are transported via the bloodstream and diffuse into the muscles. The ability to use this body fat as an energy source is something that develops with training . As the season progresses and fitness develops this leads to decreased muscle glycogen utilization and increased reliance on fats as energy sources. This is shown by increased levels of enzymes involved in fat metabolism developing in the muscles. It therefore becomes obvious that, to be competitive in the longer races, birds need periods of sustained exercise. It is also likely that the ability to efficiently release energy that has been locked away in body fat is genetically linked and is likely to be one of the characteristics that successful distance birds inherit. Fanciers often report that sprint birds are good in races up to about 6 hours . After this, fanciers report that the birds “hit the wall “ or “drop out of the sky”. After 6 hours of racing when sprinters do reach the loft they often look tired. Compare this to distance birds who can land after 12 hours, don’t look distressed and, more often than not, look quite well and capable of flying on. Distance birds seem to find their pace and just keep flying the line. A significant part of these observed differences is very likely to be a genetic predisposition to access different energy sources . Sprinters probably primarily use sugars and have been genetically selected to access these energy sources efficiently while long distance birds utilise fats. Indeed as mentioned above it has been shown that distance birds have increased levels of the enzymes involved in fat metabolism in their muscles. These energy release mechanisms , in both sprint and distance birds ,develop to meet the increasing demand for energy as the pigeons workload gradually increases in response to the fanciers training. Training also develops the muscles and respiratory system as fitness builds. Through regular tossing and training, the birds respiratory system develops, so that it is increasingly able to deliver oxygen to the pigeons system and access energy . Similarly, the muscles become fitter and their circulation develops to deliver this energy and remove wastes.
5/ With exhaustion – if through sheer fatigue, the pigeon becomes short of breath and can no longer deliver sufficient oxygen to the system, glycogen will be broken down in the absence of oxygen leading to lactic acid production. This lactic acid accumulates in the muscle leading to “Blue Muscle Syndrome” ie muscle inflammation and cramping. The lactic acid also accumulates in the bloodstream leading to what is called a metabolic acidosis. With continued exertion as the body’s fat reserve is depleted, the pigeon starts to simply “run out of fuel” . If the pigeon has failed to reach home the pigeons system will then start to break down its own protein , in the process loosing muscle bulk. Beyond this , the situation is starting to get desperate and if the bird fails to reach home it may die.
Making Nutritional Choices to Optimise Performance Knowing what the pigeons use as energy sources during racing gives us an understanding of what we should give them before they go to a race to optimise performance and also what we should give them after the race for a speedy recovery.
Before the Race What to drink Of prime importance is that the birds drink well during the day. Often, clean, plain water is the best. Many medications are bitter and these are best avoided. Anything added to the water should be familiar to the birds and very palatable. Benefit can be obtained in some birds by giving probiotics or multivitamins. Do be careful, however, as sugar-based or electrolyte preparations put in the water at too concentrated a level can actually dehydrate the birds. What to feed Carbohydrates and fats are the energy sources during flight. This does not, however, mean that the birds should be gorged with these types of seed at every meal. This only leads to the accumulation of body fat, which is a hindrance. The diet should be based on these grains but should be fed at a level matching the birds’ exercise to allow them to become full and buoyant but not heavy in the hand. A grain mix based on peas, corn, safflower, milo, wheat is good. Grain that is commonly used that is high in fat is hemp, hulled sunflower seed and peanuts. Vetch is a good high protein replacement for at least part of the pea ration because being smaller it is digested more quickly. Small seeds such as canary seed, millet, linseed, hulled oats and canola are good to include as sources of carbohydrates and fats. They are palatable and add variety to the mix. Some fanciers feed as much as 50 % of the final one or two feeds a blend of hemp, peeled sunflower and peanuts. It makes no sense to feed more than approximately 25% legumes (peas and beans) now. Although the supply of adequate fats and carbohydrates for the job ahead is important it is vital that the total protein level of the ration does not fall below 12%. Once the protein level drops below 12% muscle bulk is lost. To some extent fanciers need to individually figure out what exact blend will match their training methods and genetics with success. Any grits, pick stones or other supplements that contain excessive (more than 2%) salt should be removed one to two days before basketing but returned to the loft before the birds return.
After the Race Physical recovery When a bird returns, it is hungry and thirsty, its body energy and electrolyte ( body salt ) reserves have been depleted, and it is tired. Poorly managed, this means prolonged recovery, decreased opportunity to race the bird and decreased motivation on subsequent races. Correct management means the race can be a positive experience, adding to the bird’s fitness capability and also its keenness in subsequent races. For physical recovery to occur, the bird must be provided with several basics: food, water and electrolytes and rest.
Food Obviously food must be available to the returning birds, and so much the better if it is the right type. The aim here is to quickly restore blood sugar levels and start to replace organ glycogen reserves. Basically, the birds initially need a mix that is high in energy and calories and low in protein, a mix that is often described as a ’light’ mix. The mix needs to contain carbohydrate- and oil-based grains that are readily digestible, such as milo, safflower, wheat, and corn. In addition, there is advantage if small seeds with similar composition, such as white millet, canary, canola, hulled oats, hemp, crushed peanuts, peeled sunflower seed and linseed are included in the mix. These have a larger surface area compared to their volume on which digestive enzymes can act and so their nutrients are released more quickly to the birds. Also for this reason vetch or small green peas are good choices to keep the total protein level in the diet above 12% .There is also advantage in adding a small amount of blended conditioning oils, such as canola or hempseed oil to the seed. Several hours after return or early or late the next day after the birds have rested, depending on the type of race, a more substantial mix with peas and beans should be offered. These are protein-based foods. Proteins are the building blocks for healing and tissue repair. For distance racing, the practice of feeding a high-carbohydrate mix, often called a ‘depurative’ mix, for several days after the race, should be discouraged. A person working physically hard all day does not want to sit down to a piece of cake but is looking for a steak, and pigeons are no different. Essentially, we need a quick replacement of lost calories and energy, followed by access to foods that will rebuild the body’s energy reserves. Water, probiotics and electrolytes During exertion, both water and electrolytes are lost from the bird’s system. These need to be correctly replaced to restore the bird’s sense of wellbeing and to speed recovery. With short or easy races, plain water and access to grit and a pink mineral (e.g. "PVM powder") will be sufficient. However, with extreme exertion, significant levels of electrolytes will be lost. Recovery is therefore speeded by the use of electrolytes in the water. I recommend an electrolyte/glucose preparation such as "Electrolyte P180", made for this purpose, be placed in the water on long races and in particular on hot days when the birds arrive at the loft distressed. Simple sugars do not need to be digested and in pigeons are passively absorbed through the bowel wall. This means a quick replacement of lost energy. In most races I suggest that probiotics be provided on the food. Probiotics (beneficial bacteria from the bowel) are necessary for digestion and absorption of nutrients. These organisms are essential for health but are the first to be lost with any stress. Quick replacement enables bowel function to return more quickly, meaning the droppings in the post-race bird return to normal more quickly and that feather down drop resumes more promptly. In Europe, where widowers are often sent to a 300km race each weekend, the use of such medications has particular advantages. Quick recovery means a quick return to race form. Recovery products In a race of less than 400km it is unlikely that the birds have used any body fat but their blood sugar levels will be low. So the provision of simple sugars preferably with added electrolytes should suffice. A number of products are on the market but if you wanted to use an APC product then Electrolyte P180 is ideal. In longer races the birds will have started to use some of their fat reserves. The quicker these are replaced then the quicker the birds feel well, are happy to resume useful exercise and the sooner they can race again. In addition to a product like Electrolyte P180, oils should be added to the grain . Again there are a number of products , APC products that are available for this purpose are Polyboost Oil and Hemp seed oil .
Calculating the nutrition levels in the mix you use. It is known that for optimal racing, diets need to contain 12–14% protein. For high performance sprint racing, this should be 12%. Racing diets also need to contain 5 to 11% fat and over 3000kcal per kg of energy (in the form of fat and carbohydrate). The balance of the energy, not met by the fat, is provided by the carbohydrates that are readily available in the grains fed to pigeons.
Protein - Calculating the protein level of a grain blend This is fairly straightforward using the following figures. The approximate levels of protein in some of the commonly used grains are maize 10%, wheat 9.5% sorghum 10.5%, safflower 14%, peas 25%, vetch 27%, popcorn 10.5% , rice 6% and linseed 17%. These levels fluctuate a small amount depending on the variety of the grain, on the growing season and other factors. These grains can be added in various proportions to a grain blend and, using these figures, it is comparatively easy to calculate the total level of protein and protein percentage of the blend. Fanciers tend to use a scoop, such as an old tin, as a measure. In this example, let’s say the scoop contains about 100g. An adjustment can made for a scoop of any size. An example of a grain mix is given below.
4 scoops of peas = 400g which is 25% protein = 100g of protein 2 scoops of corn = 200g which is 10% protein = 20g of protein 1 scoop of wheat = 100g which is 9.5% protein = 9.5g of protein 1 scoop of sorghum = 100g which is 10.5% protein = 10.5g of protein 1.5 scoops of safflower = 150g which is 14% protein = 21g of protein 0.5 scoops of rice = 50g which is 6% protein = 3g of protein Total weight of mix = 1kg with a total protein of 164g
The mix is therefore, 16.4% protein If one is aiming for 12–14% protein, this is obviously a little too high for racing. So, an informed decision (rather than a guess) to improve racing would be that to lower the level of protein would be likely to lift the performance of the team generally. One way of doing this would be by reducing the amount of (high protein) peas and increasing the amount of (low protein) corn and safflower. A skilled informed fancier with this technique can make informed alterations to his grain mix to deliver the protein percentage that he wants. In the same way he can calculate the level of fat and carbohydrate in his grain mix . The levels of fat and carbohydrates in all of the common grains and seeds are readily available on the internet and using the same method as that above, a fancier can calculate the percentage of protein as well as the percentage of fat and carbohydrate in his seed mix . He can then make informed decisions about altering his grain mix.
When I started racing in the late 1960s, many fanciers just fed peas and grit. This now seems incredible to us, but there are still fanciers who feed just peas and wheat, or just peas, corn and wheat. One has to ask oneself why, when presumably their aim is to win races and get birds home. For racing, and particularly long distance racing, the birds do not need peas or protein, but carbohydrates and fats to provide energy for the long hours on the wing during the journey home. Proteins are made up of substances called amino acids. Various amino acids bond chemically to make proteins. Proteins are necessary for tissue building. The body has increased requirements for these tissue-building substances fairly obviously through times of growth and reproduction. Pigeons therefore, need high protein levels in their diet when they are breeding, growing and moulting. During racing, however, although they still need proteins for tissue repair (for example, to heal tired muscles) and for various base metabolic processes, it is the carbohydrates and fats that provide the energy for exertion during racing that are important.
Avian Influenza and Domestic Pigeons Avian Influenza has been diagnosed at 5 locations ( as of mid- June ) in western Victoria recently. Avian Influenza (AI ) is caused by a virus that primarily causes a respiratory infection in birds. The virus has an affinity for salt water and is typically associated with coastal and sea birds. The virus is thought to enter Australia with these birds as they migrate south from South East Asia along Australia coasts. Different species of birds vary in their susceptibility to the virus. Commercial poultry are very susceptible. Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva , tears and droppings. Sometimes the virus is transmitted or “spills over” from wild birds into domestic poultry. When this happens, in Australia, the disease is controlled by isolating the outbreak in restricted exclusion zones. In an inner zone ( with a 5km radius ) some birds are killed while in a wider surrounding outer zone ( with a 15 km radius ) bird movement is restricted and the disease is monitored through testing. Domestic pigeons are relatively resistant to AI and when they do become infected show mild signs. They clear the virus quickly from their system. The persistent carrier state does not occur. Pigeons are regarded as a “dead end” host of the virus because in most pigeons that become infected with AI the virus does not build up in them to infective levels . This means that the virus cannot be passed by the majority of infected pigeons on to further birds. In previous outbreaks, fanciers within exclusion zones have been required to confine their birds to their lofts. Confined domestic pigeons have not been killed. During an outbreak, racing organisations have been asked not to release birds where the anticipated line of flight home is over a restricted protective zone. Because of the mild transient nature of the disease caused by Avian Influenza virus and the low viral loads that develop in them, domestic pigeons are not regarded as a significant AI risk to humans. Fanciers will only be directly impacted by AI if an outbreak occurs within 15 km of their loft and they are therefore included in an exclusion zone. If this happens they will need to confine their birds to the loft until the outbreak is controlled. If an outbreak occurs within 15 km of a race basketing centre , show or sale alternate venues will need to be found or events cancelled.
Dr Chris Morrow Ketseven Award The importance of appropriate antibiotic use was recently reinforced when a friend of mine and veterinary colleague, Dr Chris Morrow, who was in residence with me, was awarded the Kesteven Award by the Australian Veterinary Association. Chris is a world expert on Mycoplasmas and was integral in developing a Mycoplasma vaccine now used widely around the world in chickens. Use of the vaccine has dramatically reduced the amount of antibiotics used to control respiratory disease in these birds. Unfortunately the vaccine is not suitable for pigeons as pigeon chicks are raised by their parents rather than in an incubator like chickens. The vaccine needs to be given before the chicks come in contact with adult birds.
Belgian Enquiry – PMV import anomaly ? A Belgian vet emailed me recently with an interesting enquiry. He asked why it is that pigeons imported into this country must not be vaccinated against PPMV although PPMV is now present here. The answer is the difficulty in differentiating between PPMV ( which only affects domestic pigeons) and PMV ( which affects all birds ) diagnostically. One of the aims of the current import restrictions is to ensure that the virus that causes Newcastle disease does not get into Australia. Newcastle Disease is caused by a PMV that is very similar to PPMV but not the same. Whereas PPMV only causes clinical disease in domestic pigeons , PMV can potentially affect any bird (including pigeons). Different birds vary in their susceptibility to PMV but domestic poultry are very vulnerable. In the past, testing of import pigeons was done that looked for exposure to the virus. With advancing technology , tests, such as PCRs, that test for the actual virus, have become economical, accurate and available. Both groups of tests have their advantages and disadvantages. Tests that check for exposure to PMV can be positive with active infection but can also be positive due to an earlier exposure or vaccination. Tests like PCRs can be negative in the presence of active infection if the virus is not actually located at the site where the sample was collected. For example PMV might only be in the liver or pancreas in a particular bird. Testing of the droppings, saliva or blood , in theory , might all be negative despite this. It is obviously not routine to swab an internal organ like a liver or pancreas in a live bird being imported. Currently the potential import bird’s clinical appearance is monitored over an extended time ( during quarantine ) and a combination of tests are used to determine if PMV is present. If a birds has evidence of an earlier PMV exposure through the detection of antibodies, even if these are as a result of vaccination this confounds the diagnostic process. Even if PCRs or other tests are negative there would always be some doubt that the bird could be carrying PMV. Diagnostics not only in the field of molecular biology but in other diagnostic modalities have advanced rapidly in recent years. So, it maybe that with time, as testing becomes more sophisticated , that things will change. But don’t expect matters to change quckly. Several years ago I had a meeting in Canberra with several veterinarians from the federal chief veterinary officer’s department. At that time I was concerned, that birds that tested positive for wet canker (ie had visible canker organisms when the fluid from a crop flush was examined microscopically), were still allowed entry into Australia. The argument being that as canker was already present in Australia these birds should not be excluded. With the advance of molecular biology it was found that some of these canker strains were exotic to Australia. When I drew this to the attention of the government veterinarians I was advised that to change import regulations two officers would need to assigned and work on this for at least six months and that was simply to prepare the recommendation for any proposed regulatory change!
Supplement Half and Half experiment A number of supplements have become entrenched in pigeon folklore for being of use in promoting health. I had an interesting discussion with a very successful fancier recently who asked the simple question – what do they do? On paper many benefits are claimed but in reality do they really do anything. The affect and benefits of veterinary supplements like multivitamins, minerals, amino acids and certain fatty acids can be directly quantified and replicated experimentally. Their benefit is beyond doubt. By contrast, the benefits of non- veterinary supplements, for example, apple cider vinegar, garlic, oregano oil and condies crystals, although routinely used by many fanciers, are vague and anecdotal. One has to ask, do the pigeons race better if they are used? Are the returns better? Do the birds win more prizes? If not , then why use them? It would be interesting to randomly divide a team into two and, keeping everything else the same and just supplement one group . It might just be found that the results are the same.
ANRPB Victorian Metro position Some Melbourne fanciers were surprised to learn by reading in the ARPJ that the new ANRPB Victorian metro rep is Tony Price. More than half of all metropolitan fanciers belong to either the VHA or GMPF. Neither the president , secy or members of the VHA or the president , secy or members of the GMPF were aware. It had earlier been decided that the ANRPB rep should be a member of the VRPB. However VRPB reps were also not notified. As stated in the ARPJ resigning ANRPB rep Mark Tenaglia “ was able to recruit his replacement with the new Victorian delegate being Tony Price “. There had been not notification that the position had become vacant. There had been no invitation for expressions of interest. There was no election. There was no endorsement. The issue was discussed at length at the VHA delegates meeting and was also raised at the GMPF. It was good of Tony to offer to fill the position and many fanciers were happy for Tony to fill the position. Some said however it was a bit like “jobs for the boys”. The principle concern was the way the position had been filled . Metropolitan organisations should be given the chance to nominate their VRPB reps for the ANRPB position. If there are no other nominations then naturally Tony Price can assume the position but it is important that the correct process be followed. The position should be filled by someone who has been elected and endorsed . I feel that if this is the case, rather than fanciers simply being told “this is your rep”, then fanciers are more likely to generally support the ANRPB .
Vet Questions 1/ I have been told that if one of my lost pigeons is injured and taken to a vet and the vet issues an invoice I must pay or the RSPCA will prosecute me. Is this true? No, it is not . You have not given the vet permission or entered into a contract with him to treat your bird. Vets are obligated to alleviate suffering and so most vets in this situation would treat the bird . Some would issue an invoice – often at a reduced rate. If the vet didn’t issue an invoice many would offer to reimburse him, at least for his costs, as a sign of appreciation. You are however not obligated to pay. You are however obligated to seek veterinary attention. This means that if the first vet did not treat the bird, you are obligated to take it to another vet. Having one of your pigeons injured and knowing that it is injured and likely to be in pain and not seeking veterinary attention is an offence. It is then that the RSPCA might become involved. It is important that we all become familiar with the new Victorian Animal Welfare Act.
2/ As you would be aware there are antigen test kits for Salmonella . Apparently they test for all Salmonella species . Are they suitable for pigeons? If the test is positive would we then need to test for the Copenhagen variant? Would these antigen tests be of any benefit to us? Salmonella species have significant genetic overlap so the antigen test kits (RATS) should be fine to detect any Salmonella in the pigeons. To test specifically for the phage types that infect pigeons would be difficult and involve genome sequencing. There will be some Salmonellas that the pigeons might be carrying as transients and therefore of no significance . You may have to make a final diagnosis based on the RAT result and what the birds are doing clinically.
3/ I am a vet in the UK. I have a client who races pigeons. Several of his birds have developed abnormal feathers at the back of their neck between the bases of the 2 wings. The feathers are stalky with bits of the vane missing. Have you seen this before? What could be causing it ? Yes I have seen this before . There has got to be something either :- 1/interfering with the feather follicles ability to grow a structurally normal feather -- look for some affected follicles, gently roll the feather out of several and look for scurf against the part of the feather that was below the skin. If there is disease in the follicle there will often be a cuff of debris there. This can be scrapped off and examined under the microscope. If there is nothing then take a full skin biopsy that includes some affected follicles and send for histopathology . 2/or alternatively something damaging the feather after it has grown - The abnormal feathers can be cultured for bacteria and fungi – usually nothing grows so anything that appears is probably significant. The birds general health could also be explored by screening for disease and running a blood profile. Usually however with a general health problem all of the feathers would be of poor quality. Because the area that is affected is localised this is less likely.
4/ My birds are just “not right”. I race pigeons in the UK and had my birds droppings tested at the local veterinary lab. we seem to keep getting health issues around this time of the year and it’s always a high E. coli infection and a high Streptococcus and a high fungal infection. The lab has done a good job for you in that they have identified what organisms are present in your birds droppings but lab technicians are not veterinary clinicians. Just because these organisms are found in the droppings does not mean that they are causing an infection. In fact , many perfectly healthy pigeons that are racing well, have them. In a healthy pigeon’s dropping there should be a blend of many different types of bacteria and this often includes E.coli, Streptococcus and sometimes fungi. So , just finding some in the droppings doesn’t mean much. If the bird becomes stressed then more “ aggressive” types of bacteria can start to dominate. Often this is not an indication for treatment but rather warrants an investigation into why the birds are “ not right”. It is a mistake of fanciers to fall into the trap of repetitively using antibiotics rather than identifying the root cause of why the antibiotics were suggested in the first place. Often the real cause of the problem goes undetected while fanciers think they are treating the problem by giving antibiotics. Disruption to the normal bacterial bowel population is usually an indication for further veterinary tests or a review of management practices to find the cause of the disruption. But simply finding E, coli, Streptococcus or some fungi in the droppings is not an indication for treatment.
5/ I have a valuable imported pigeon that keeps prolapsing after laying eggs. I am able to push the prolapse back inside but what can be done to stop this happening? The bird needs to have a reproductive rest and also have the primary causes of a cloacal/ oviduct prolapse corrected. Shortening the day length and removing the hen from the presence of a cock or anything associated with breeding like a nestbox or nestbowl will make it less likely for her to ovulate but the most reliable way is to have veterinary pellet called a GNRH blocker injected under the skin. The common brand name is “Supraloerin”. They are about twice the size of a grain of rice and once injected under the skin, slowly dissolve in the process gradually releasing a drug that stops ovulation. Individual bird responses are variable but in most birds there will be no eggs produced for 3 to 6 months – plenty long enough for the reproductive tract to rest and heal. The 2 most common causes of a prolapse ( apart from laying a lot of eggs ) are a calcium deficiency and an oviduct infection. These can be addressed by giving the hen a lengthy course of antibiotics as directed by your veterinarian and providing ongoing calcium supplementation in the form of grit and pink minerals. Once she stops laying the calcium reserve in her skeleton should re- establish. With these issues addressed ,hopefully by the time the ovulation suppression pellet wears off she should be fine and normal egg laying will resume
6/ It is now only 4 weeks before racing and I am still getting the odd bird with canker. They have a yellow scum in their mouth. I treat affected birds for canker but then another one gets it. What is going on ? I would be very suspicious that a virus , particularly Circo virus is involved here. The control of canker is all about priming the immune system as the bird matures so that the immune system can react appropriately to canker. To be primed the young pigeon essentially needs two things , one – an on- going low grade exposure to canker organisms as it grows up and two, it needs to be well so that the immune system can function properly. If these things happen then most birds by the time they are old enough to race have a natural resistance to canker. This resistance is tested through racing . For this reason most fanciers will monitor their birds for wet canker through the season and treat if necessary. Although treating where necessary is important to maintain race form the main thing that keeps the canker under control through racing is the birds own natural immunity. However in this case I think that more than just canker is going on. A number of common pigeon viruses can ulcerate, at a microscopic level, the lining of the mouth. Herpes, PMV, Rota and particularly Circo can all ulcerate the mouth lining. Once the lining of the mouth is ulcerated canker organisms , and also bacteria ,quickly invade the damaged tissue , in the process, causing the formation of a yellow scum. With racing starting soon I would give a flock treatment of Emtril or Turbosole for 5 days to really knock the canker back but also get the birds checked for concurrent viral disease. If one of these viruses is active in the birds, it is best to know it is there so that any issues with it can be dealt with.
7/ Is it Ok to use Emtril during the racing season or just Turbosole? Yes, it is Ok to use Emtril during racing but you need to be very accurate with dosing – one level teaspoon ( 3g) to 4.5 L of water unless it is hot and the birds are likely to drink more than 50 mls of water over 24 hours . We have 5 different readily available canker medications – all with different active ingredients- to choose from in Australia. Unless testing is done, it is good to rotate between these to help head off the development of any resistance.