Golden Age of Antibiotic Use The period from the 1950’s until now is being described as the “Golden Age” of antibiotic use. Bacteria had not encountered these chemicals before the 1940s and so were very susceptible to them . With ongoing use over the last 70 years the genetics of bacterial populations have shifted with only the bacteria that were not killed by the antibiotics surviving and then passing these characteristics on . Antibiotic use since 1950 has saved countless animal and human lives but with the rise of resistant strains of bacteria and antibiotics decreasing effectiveness other forms of disease control are being developed. It is important to remember that antibiotics only work if the animal is already infected – they are not a preventative. Very much the focus is now shifting to prevent disease through vaccination rather than wait for animals to get sick and give antibiotics. It has also been increasingly realised that even if giving antibiotics does kill the target organism that they cause massive disruption to all the other bacteria that are in our system – on the skin , lungs and gut that make up the microbiome and that these are essential to general health. In the past, in the poultry industry , in some areas it was considered standard to give antibiotics one week out of every four to growing chickens. This practice continues in some countries, particularly in Asia today. The idea was that because the birds did not have to fight infections they were able to grow more quickly. Now the push is to use vaccine preventatively. One interesting fact is that there are more microorganisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth. As the golden age of antibiotic use ends we now understand that the way to maintain health is not so much to kill all micro-organisms, and indeed the impossibility of this task, but rather to live with them in a natural way and reserve the use of antibiotics for when other methods have failed.
Thiosulphate to neutralise chlorine. Although not the best way some fanciers with very large numbers of birds and some managers of OLRs elect to give the Salmonella vaccine in the drinking water. This saves a lot of time and labour and causes less disruption to the birds. The main disadvantage is that the birds must drink the water containing the vaccine within 2 hours. To increase the chance of this happening some fanciers withdraw the water for 24 hours and then feed the birds so as to encourage a thirst. Although all birds are not guaranteed to drink a sufficient amount of water to get an adequate amount of vaccine the majority may and so given the ease of the technique any shortcomings are accepted . When using this method , if connected to mains water it can be advantageous to add thiosulphate to the drinking water to block the disinfecting effect of the chlorine and fluoride that mains water contains. A common brand of thiosulphate used is PPS Vaccshield. This product has the advantage that it also contains a blue dye. This temporarily stains the beak of a bird blue that has had a drink enabling the fancier to monitor vaccine uptake and if he wishes subsequently vaccinate individually the birds that have not drunk. Details are below The Salmonella vaccine used to protect our birds can be given in 1 of 3 ways: 1/ A 0.1ml injection under the skin at the back of the neck. The vaccine is dissolved into 100ml of sterile water for injection to create 1000 doses. This is done by repeatedly rinsing the vial with sterile water (available through your vet) using a needle and syringe until all of the vaccine is dissolved in the 100ml bottle of sterile water. 2/ 0.1ml of vaccine can be given orally. The vaccine is equally well absorbed from the lining of the bowel as from an injection under the skin. When giving the vaccine orally you need to be clean but not sterile. 100ml of water can be used to dissolve the pellet. If smaller numbers of birds are to be vaccinated the pellet can be divided using a Stanley knife or similar and then dissolved into an appropriate amount of water. For example a quarter of a pellet is dissolved in 25ml of water to provide 250 x 0.1ml doses. Half the pellet is dissolved into 50ml to make 500 doses. The rest of the pellet is returned to the freezer ready to prepare the second dose 2 to 4 weeks later. This is the method I recommend and use on my own birds. Using this method requires very little effort to protect your birds. 3/ The vaccine can be prepared as above but then added to the drinking water at the rate of 10mls in 5 litres of water to vaccinate 100 pigeons. All of this water must be drunk within 2 hours for the vaccine to be effective. Because this is difficult to achieve, this is regarded as a less optimal method. Fanciers can expect some vaccinated birds to be a bit quiet and ‘fluffed up’ on the day of vaccination. If using this method the addition of PPS Vacc-shield is recommended PPS Vacc-shield contains highly water soluble ingredients to neutralize the chlorine/iodine present in water and increases the viability of the vaccine. It also contains a unique water soluble food grade dye which temporary stains the beak, tongue and feather of birds to help evaluate the number of birds that have consumed water. This helps in evaluating the correctness of the vaccination procedure. It also contains a unique component which binds the heavy metal ions and free radicals present in the water thereby increasing the efficacy for live vaccines . It also special ingredients which stabilize the pH of water and thus counteracts the influence of detrimental pH values on the vaccine virus. 30gms of the Vacc-Shield is added to 100 liters of water and then after ten minutes the vaccine is added.
Respiratory Vaccine ? Vaccinations and vaccination programs at times can be a bit hard for some fanciers to navigate. In one disturbing email this month however I learnt that a vet was selling pigeon fanciers a poultry respiratory vaccine to use on their pigeons. The vaccine immunises poultry against a particular type of Mycoplasma called Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Fanciers were advised to treat their birds with Tylosin ( an anti- Mycoplasma drug ) and then vaccinate their birds. Mycoplasmas are implicated in respiratory infections in both chickens and pigeons. The vaccine works well on poultry but is ineffective in pigeons. The reason is that birds have to be vaccinated before they come in contact with Mycoplasmas. In pigeons this does not happen. Mycoplasmas pass to the chicks on hatching when the parents feed them. Once infected with Mycoplasmas , infection is for life. With chickens, chicks hatch in incubators and so are not exposed to their parents and flocks of Mycoplasma free flocks are maintained. Laboratory testing is done to ensure their Mycoplasma free status. Also , although the taxonomy of Mycoplasmas is ongoing it is likely that the Mycoplasmas that infect chickens are different from those that infect pigeons. The vaccine in question is prepared against a single type of poultry Mycoplasma and so , even given the restrictions of previous Mycoplasma exposure it is questionable that it would work. I contacted the manufacturer of the vaccine. Their representative’s reply was that using the vaccine in pigeons was a“waste of money”. Interestingly the way that poultry Mycoplasma vaccines work is through a process called competitive exclusion. The vaccine is a live strain of Mycoplasma that does not cause disease. When inoculated into a Mycoplasma free bird ( usually as a droplet into the eye ) the vaccine strain of Mycoplasma, colonises the lining of the respiratory tract , in the process preventing colonisation by other, potentially disease causing Mycoplasmas.
Lasalocid toxicity I was involved in an unusual case of poisoning in pigeons this month. A fancier reported that some of his birds had become poorly co-ordinated. They walked with a wobble and when forced to fly crashed into objects. Some birds recovered but several had died. He thought they might have Salmonella. He had several pet sheep that grazed in a paddock adjacent to the loft. Given the current drought conditions he was supplementing their diet with sheep pellets. As it turned out the pigeons , when at liberty, were flying across to the nearby sheep feed trough and eating some of these pellets. The sheep pellets contained an ionophore coccidiostat used to treat coccidiosis in sheep called lasalocid. Lasalocid in birds ( and also other animals including dogs) causes loss of balance and, if eaten in sufficient quantities, death. Poisoning is managed simply by preventing further ingestion. Affected pigeons recover over 24 hours with no long term damage.
Incorrect Vaccination Advice I have been told that fanciers in Queensland have been advised that pigeons only need one PMV shot. We have been over this ground many times since 2013 when the PMV trials were done. One PMV vaccination confers full immunity in 70% of birds. The remaining 30% may have enough immunity to stop them looking sick but they do not have enough immunity to prevent the PMV virus damaging their kidneys, pancreas and other organs. These birds although they may look OK are damaged internally and are therefore less likely to race competitively and are more likely to be lost. Racing partially immune PMV birds is likely to be a contributing cause of significant losses. For 100% of birds to be fully protected from PMV they need to have 2 shots about 4 weeks apart . It is really important that accurate , correct information is provided to fanciers. The inadequate spread of information creates a void where misinformation proliferates.
PRV Donation Pigeon Racing Victoria (PRV) headed by Tas Gazis has donated $1,500 to support a combined 500 mile race open to all Melbourne metropolitan feds in November 2025. Given the decline in fancier numbers and increasing transport costs the combining of distance events seems the logical way to go for many fanciers but in the past has proved elusive to organise. It is hoped that this will be the first of further such events. This year’s event will be transported by the Western Pigeon Federation (WPF ). The PRV’s support and donation is appreciated in encouraging inter- federation co-operation.
Birds reluctant to fly. I received an interesting email from a fancier It read. “If you have a spare moment, would you be able to give me some advice? (My birds are fully vaccinated for PMV and Rota, and last week had a 5 day Triple-Vet treatment. Approx 120 pigeons in the team).I'm really struggling to get my birds moving this year, and I'm not sure if it is purely a lack of fitness that can be fixed with more work in the air, or if there are bigger issues at play. About half my team are flying quite well for 1-1.5hrs each afternoon, but the other half are really struggling. If I don't force them to fly with a flag they'll land after no more than 15-20 minutes, puffing hard, and going straight to water and taking a huge drink when I let them in. They look like they've flown a hard 5hr race, when they've really only had 15-20 mins fluttering around the loft. If I flag them I've been able to force the strugglers to do 1hr this week, but after 1hr they start landing on neighbour's roofs etc where I can't get them back in the air. Today I handled a few that looked like they were struggling after flying and they all had blue tongues, which tells me they're not getting enough oxygen. It has been unseasonably hot where I am, and due to work I'm forced to train them in the afternoon heat, which is what I initially put the issues down to, but we are only 5 weeks from racing now and I'm not seeing much improvement. I know it is difficult to say without seeing the birds yourself, but do you think this is just a fitness issue that'll improve with more work, or does it seem like there is something else going on? Thanks so much for taking the time to read, and good luck with your 2025 season!” Unfortunately this situation seems common amongst fanciers at this time of year. There is no simple answer. The big question is – are the birds healthy but just unfit or do they have poor exercise tolerance due to an underlying health problem. Frustratingly without being able to examine the birds or have access to test results ( usually a microscopic examination of a crop flush and a faecal smear as well as a blood profile ) it is virtually impossible to say. When birds pant, fanciers often think they may have a respiratory infection. This is reasonable because panting is a respiratory function . However, in birds of this age, in the absence of sneezing , I think a respiratory infection is unlikely. What we do know is that one has to be very careful forcing unfit birds to fly as this can lead to myoscitis ( muscle inflammation ) , kidney damage and exertional polycythaemia ( excessive production of red blood cells making the blood more viscous and placing an increased work load on the heart). My thought is though that in experienced hands ( such as yours ) if there was a health problem , you would have noticed it. If the birds are simply unfit I can advise what has worked for my own birds in the past. In the years that I don’t race I often travel. This means that my birds are locked up sometimes for weeks at a time. When I get back from a trip and first let them out they behave like your birds are now. What I do is let them out about half an hour after sunrise and open loft them for 3 to 5 hours per day. I let them fly if they want to fly but don’t force them. During this time, I hand feed them a basic mix of 40% dunn peas and the rest equal parts of wheat , milo, safflower and maize when I call them in and again in the evening. All birds eat as much as they want at each feed but I make sure there is none left over when they are finished. My loft is double story and is of fairly standard design. I think the birds feel safe in it and therefore sleep well at night. The loft is not heated but is dry, draught free and well ventilated. The birds have access to a bath outside the loft every two or three days. I find that they become very active around the loft, foraging around and repeatedly taking off and landing. It has been my experience that young pigeons - 3 to 5 months of age inherently want to fly, they want to spend time in the air and travel around the countryside exploring the area around their loft . It’s in their makeup. As the days go by , they fly for longer and longer periods. Almost invariably within 10 to 14 days the pigeons are flying an hour and a half. I hope these notes are helpful but if the problem persists I think it will be necessary to get the testing done. Any avian vet should be able to do this . I can help you find the closest to you if this becomes necessary
Pigeon deaths following vaccine use A fancier vaccinated a friend’s birds against PMV. After a few days some of the birds got sick and a few died. Although the birds had been well at the time of vaccination both fanciers wondered if the vaccine had caused the health problem . Both however put the problem down to coincidence. Four weeks later the fancier gave his friend’s birds their booster for PMV. The same thing happened - several birds got sick and a few died. The owner of the birds thought that this was too much to be just due to coincidence and said that it was the vaccine that was making the birds sick. The fancier who was vaccinating the birds said that this was just nonsense , the vaccine could not be making the birds sick. Several weeks later after a few late- breds had been given a vaccine booster and they too had become unwell with several dying both fanciers agreed that it was the vaccine causing the problem. How can this be ? The PMV vaccine is a killed vaccine and is sterile and so cannot make pigeons become unwell or indeed make them die. The problem here was not with the vaccine per se but was rather due to the fact that the vaccine had become contaminated and then been re-reused. A different needle must be used to draw vaccine from the vaccine bottle than the needles that are used to vaccinate the birds. A needle that is used to inject a pigeon can easily pick up bacteria , fungi or viruses from the birds skin surface or the crop ( if injected too deeply ) .These infectious agents can then be transferred into the vaccine bottle if the same needle is used to draw further vaccine from the bottle. The problem is the exacerbated if the vaccine is then stored. So you have a situation where the vaccine is contaminated and then stored for a period of time ( maybe even until the next years youngsters are due to be vaccinated ). During storage the introduced contaminant infectious organisms can multiply. The result is that the next time the vaccine is used this infectious “soup” is injected. The potential for vaccine contamination is further exacerbated if the same vaccine bottle is used from one loft to another. So take care , it only takes one “dirty” needle to contaminate the vaccine and risk infecting all birds vaccinated after that with bacteria.
The Cost of Pigeon Racing A common refrain of some pigeon fanciers is that pigeon racing is “no longer a cheap hobby” or “no longer a working man’s sport” but is this really the case. About 30 years ago in Sydney, prominent pigeon fancier George Kypreos prepared some interesting figures that helped us decide whether pigeon racing was becoming more expensive. He compared the cost of a new Holden car, the prize won by the Melbourne Cup winner, the basic wage, and the cost of sending a single pigeon to a race in 1965 and in 1995. The cost of the new Holden had increased ten times. The basic wage had increased 13 times. The winner of the Melbourne Cup received a prize 11 times higher. Meanwhile, the cost of sending a pigeon to a race in Australia had increased three times. A less quantitative measure, but also of value for comparison, was that the average cost of goods and services had increased ten times. So from 1965 to 1995 the actual cost of sending pigeons to a race became relatively cheaper . So has a similar trend continued since 1995 until today? During this time the average cost of a car has increased 17 times ( from $2,200 to $37,000 ). The prize for winning the Melbourne Cup has increased 14 times ( from $1 million to $14 million ). The average wage has increased 3 times ( $653 to $1975 ). The cost of a loaf of bread has increased 10 times ( from 54c to $5 ) and the cost of a veterinary consultation has increased 3 times ( from $30 to $100 ). So, even though the average salary has increased three times the cost of most items that would be purchased by this salary has increased more than 3 times. During this time the cost of sending a single pigeon to a race, using a VHA 300 mile race as an example has risen from $1 in $3.50. So the buying power of our salaries has decreased but pigeon racing has become no more expensive relative to the average wage. Indeed pigeon racing has become cheaper when compared to the cost of many other items. One could argue that even though the cost of sending a pigeon to a race has increased proportionately with the average wage that it is other unrelated costs that have made the sport more expensive. This is not the case. Certainly the cost of birds at sales and for electronic clocks have increased but these are discretionary items. The cost of petrol – for race transport and private tossing was 68c/L in 1995 and is about $1.70 to $2.00 now . Again a rise of about three times. In real terms the buying power of the average salary has declined however this is not true where pigeon racing is concerned. Although the cost of pigeon racing has also increased in cost about 3 times this is proportionate to and matches the average salary which has also increased three times. This means that you actually get better value spending your money on pigeon racing than other things. So sit back and enjoy your pigeons knowing that you are spending your money wisely when you choose to spend it on pigeons.
Facebook Facebook and other social media outlets give a voice to every pigeon fancier that has a computer or iphone. Although generally good an issue is that comments are not filtered. Some comments are outrageous while others are ill informed , wrong , silly or just crazy. I have reproduced exactly one such post. “Some one knows nothing about the current PMV vaccine it is after much stupidity should be administered at 0.025 ml and then again at 4 weeks the vaccine is carried by engine oil and as such is both to high at 0.5 and if administered at 265 days the birds level of immunity in a scale of 1- 10 is at 6 so the vaccine is to high a dose and effects long term bird Fertility because of the caring oil” Most fanciers would read this and discount it as coming from someone who is probably developing dementia but at times the misinformation can be more insidious. I recently placed a post on a pigeon Facebook site that read ‘ Now is the time to vaccinate against Pigeon Pox. We have plenty of vaccine in stock. $137.50 for a vial that does several hundred birds. To place an order or organize collection please call 0450400034. Regards Colin Walker , Australian Pigeon Company. A fairly innocuous post I thought. Shortly after this a post appeared from a fancier stating that the product was overpriced and that he had been able to buy the vaccine at half the price from a vaccine retailer. The inference was that the APC was “ripping off” fanciers. I replied that all pigeon pox vaccine in Australia is supplied by the APC and that the APC had , in fact, supplied the retailer that he had mentioned. If indeed , what he was saying was correct then the retailer was supplying the vaccine at a loss. The fancier’s response was to then take his post down. What made the matter worse was that the fancier in question is , in fact, the secretary of his federation. Next came a brief post from a second fancier – “Well over priced” . I replied “Pigeon pox vaccine is an APC product, we have been making it available to Australian fanciers for 40 years. As was explained in the ARPJ the product came up for review by the APVMA about 2 years ago . They requested further clinical data to maintain the registration . The old data was no longer considered adequate. We currently have enough in stock to supply Australia for 6 - 7 years . After this I will need to make the decision whether it is appropriate to make another batch. With the associated government regulatory charges this will cost about $100,000. I can assure you that the APC makes very little from the pox vaccine but rather maintains supply as a service to the pigeon sport . I would like to continue to keep the product available and feel that fanciers should have this as an option to protect their birds . However if fanciers agree with you then that will be financially impossible. All pigeon pox vaccine available in Australia is made by us and and I hope that we can continue to make it available. I can remember the days where I made the vaccine available for $ 25 and then later $45 and then $85 but unfortunately those days with their lower regulatory costs are passed. I will continue however to keep the cost as low as possible.” The second fancier then responded “ Many fanciers haven’t used this product for many many years like me , without any issues, at $137.50, even less will be using it, why is it being sold much cheaper overseas. Blenpox 1000 doses USA $33.68, big difference Colin”. I replied “ There are many things that affect cost. The US vaccine is a different vaccine sold in a different country with different regulations and different price structures. I imagine the cost of pox vaccine be it live modified ( like ours from an Australian isolate) or killed or sub-unit etc varies from country to country around the world. You and I are both in Australia, it is the cost here that apply to us.”. The second fancier then dropped out of the conversation and made no further posts. Over the next 48 hours 15 other fanciers then placed positive and what I thought were more informed comments about the vaccine. Some thanked me for making the vaccine available . One was directly critical of the posts by the second fancier pointing out that he left his birds vulnerable to catching pox during the race season while another said that if he really cared for his birds he should do what he could to keep them healthy. I must say that I was abit taken aback by the posts because it highlights one of the great problems we have in the pigeon sport particularly relating to social media. Remember when Covid struck – everyone became a virologist. In the same way many fanciers , rightly or wrongly think they are experts . Social media gives them a voice. Does the second fancier have any knowledge of the costs associated with vaccine manufacture –no. Does he have any understanding of the cost involved in regulatory compliance -- no . And yet he is prepared to make a definitive comment namely “ Well overpriced” . Presumably he made this comment based on what pox vaccine cost years ago in Australia and what it costs overseas . Fortunately, based on the comments of other fanciers , most saw the nonsense in his comments and probably just thought he was silly. The second fanciers comments also raise another issue. He was thinking of himself rather than what is best for the sport. Australia is not a third world country and fanciers should have access to pigeon pox vaccine if they want to protect their birds or control the disease in the face of an outbreak. If fanciers don’t buy the vaccine then it becomes financially non viable to make it and it will no longer be available. No one is forcing any one to buy the vaccine. Certainly it’s a free country and fanciers can state anything they like on social media but I cant see how placing ill informed comments such as the vaccine is overpriced, and cavalier comments that his birds haven’t caught the disease despite being not vaccinated help the sport in Australia in any way. It goes without saying that comparing vaccine costing here and overseas just make no sense. Any way for what it is worth – the Australian Pigeon Company holds enough pigeon pox vaccine to last Australia, based on current demand, to last for the next 6 to 7 years . After this I will need to make a decision based on demand and costs whether to make more. Although the cost of manufacture is comparatively not that high, with no possibility of importation of vaccine the decision will largely be influenced by the extremely high regulatory costs.
The Benefits of a PIC. A significant part of Australia’s GDP is contributed by agriculture. Many of Australia’s overseas markets exist because of Australia’s disease-free status. The Australian government is keen to maintain these markets and give overseas buyers confidence that Australia’s disease-free status is persistent. The Australian government does this in a number of ways: During an Emergency Animal Disease response, the government must undertake a sufficient level of testing to reassure potential overseas markets that if any diseases of concern were present they would be detected and therefore proving “Proof of Freedom”. This involves test screening of various susceptible animal populations and the investigation of disease outbreaks where the symptoms could be associated with a disease of concern. The faster the government can prove Proof of Freedom, the faster the Emergency Animal Disease response can be controlled and restrictions can be eased. Both during a response, and during ‘peace-time’, the government provides subsidised testing for Significant Disease Investigations (SDIs). In particular, if animals are experiencing high levels of sickness or death, this may warrant a Significant Disease Investigation (SDI). Once classified as requiring an SDI, the government will subsidise the cost of the veterinary testing to diagnose the cause of the problem. So, as an example, if in a pigeon loft several birds died and about a third of them had diarrhoea, the problem could be PMV, Rota, another virus, Salmonella or one of many other things. In this situation, the fancier could contact a veterinarian who would investigate the problem, undertake diagnostic tests subsidised by the SDI program, and make appropriate professional charges. Alternatively, the fancier could contact his local Agriculture Victoria (former DPI) officer and advise them of the problem. If the local officer deemed the problem to be significant and require a SDI, then the a government vet may investigate further. To streamline this process and allow for the more efficient tracking of animal locations and movements (and disease they may be carrying), livestock properties are identified by a Property Identification Code (PIC). I have previously discussed the benefits of having a PIC on two occasions in my monthly ARPJ articles, but, unfortunately most fanciers remain unaware of this potential significant disease investigation service offered by the government. I am not sure how long the PIC system has been in place but I obtained a PIC about 25 years ago and have used the SDI service three times during this time when I have had sheep die. With other animal groups, and particularly with sheep breeders, where I can speak from personal experience, the system is recognised and in familiar use. In this regard, the pigeon sport in Australia is decades behind. Quite apart from everything else, it is a legal requirement to obtain a PIC if you keep any of the following livestock:
more than 50 poultry (domesticated fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons, quail or pheasants)
more than 10 emus or ostriches.
To get a PIC is easy: just google Property Identification Code or something similar and follow the prompts from Agriculture Victoria . As the representative body, it falls to the VRPB to educate Victorian fanciers about the obligation to obtain a PIC and the potential financial savings to be had in the unfortunate event that there is a disease outbreak in their birds, should the disease outbreak be classified as significant and warrant an SDI. Having a PIC and the investigation of disease, and all the advantages that come with an accurate diagnosis, is not only of benefit to the fancier involved but is obviously of benefit to the sport, as well, enabling better control of disease generally and is something to be encouraged.
Avian Flu Update Information from Agriculture Victoria Confirmed HPAI H7 in Victorian poultry farms in 2025. High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H7N8 virus was confirmed as the cause of death of layer hens on a free-range commercial poultry property near Euroa on 8 February 2025. H7 avian influenza (bird flu) was confirmed at 4 poultry properties in northern Victoria near Euroa in February 2025. There have been no new disease detections since 24 February 2025 and good progress has been made on the depopulation of infected birds as well as disinfection and decontamination of affected properties. The affected farms have been quarantined, and movement controls are in place in surrounding areas to prohibit the movement of poultry and birds as well as poultry products and fomites to minimise the risk of disease spread. Poultry, other domestic birds and wild birds in the area will be closely monitored for any symptoms of Avian Influenza. A housing requirement has been introduced for bird owners with 50 birds or more in the restricted area to confine birds to prevent contact between wild birds and poultry. The business acted quickly to identify infection within the flock and put in place a voluntary quarantine before the confirmatory diagnosis. The business is now working closely with Agriculture Victoria officers to contain the outbreak. This incident highlights the importance of early reporting and the need to consider HPAI as a differential diagnosis whenever sudden onset and progression of illness with respiratory signs, or sudden death, occurs in a flock or group of birds. Avian influenza is a notifiable disease, and any suspect or confirmed cases must be reported to Agriculture Victoria on the all-hours Emergency Animal Disease hotline 1800 675 888
Avian Influenza, the disease in pigeons – an update The media department of Agriculture Victoria has been of great assistance in getting the following information together and ensuring that information presented to Australian fanciers is correct. Avian Influenza (AI) is caused by a virus that primarily causes a respiratory infection in birds. The virus is typically associated with coastal, sea birds, ducks and shorebirds, which are the global natural hosts of avian influenza. The virus is thought to enter Australia with these birds during their spring migrations. Different species of birds vary in their susceptibility to the virus. Commercial poultry are very susceptible. Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions 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. Domestic pigeons are relatively resistant to AI and when they do become infected may show mild signs. The ability of pigeons to efficiently transmit highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses to other birds is considered unlikely, but may change with the evolution of different strains of avian influenza over time. The persistent carrier state does not occur. In previous outbreaks, fanciers within exclusion zones have been required to confine their birds to their lofts and to adhere to legal housing restrictions placed on all domestic poultry, including pigeons, within the restricted area. Confined domestic pigeons have not been killed. At the same time racing organisations have not been allowed to release birds where the anticipated line of flight is over a restricted protective zone. While pigeons are unlikely to directly transmit avian influenza, they do play a role in disease transmission through dissemination of virus through the mechanical route (eg: contamination of their feet/feathers with environmental sources of virus or through predation or scavenging of dead pigeons). 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, however human infections can occur through close contact with infected birds. Avian influenza is a pathogen notorious for evolving to adapt to new hosts and transmission mechanisms and ongoing surveillance of pigeons should be included in surveillance programs. Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease, and any suspect cases of avian influenza must be reported to Agriculture Victoria on the all-hours Emergency Animal Disease hotline 1800 675 888. All of the avian influenza outbreaks that have occurred in Australia have been the evolution of domestic strains of low pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds, that have evolved to become high pathogenic. The risk of incursion directly of a globally circulating high pathogenic strain (such as an H5N1) is likely to come from long-distance migratory birds returning to Australia, with millions of birds migrating from Asia and Australia each year. The main reason why this virus has not yet reached Australia is likely because there are no migratory duck species, the main movers of influenza viruses, migrating between East Asia and Australia. However, we do know that shorebirds and seabirds are hosts for influenza, so if HPAI H5N1 were to arrive in Australia, it would most likely arrive with them. Pigeons are relatively resistant to Avian Influenza with the important word being “relatively”. Pre-2003 we thought there was total resistance in pigeons and concluded that pigeons play no role in transmission of HPAIV; however, recent studies have shown that might not be the case. From an epidemiological point of view “resistant” is not correct in that pigeons can and do become infected with AIVs, and infection can be induced using low titres of virus - showing they are indeed susceptible and the term ‘resistant” should be used with caution. However, there appears to be innate viral resistance mechanisms for the strains of AIV studied - and pigeons can be considered one of the least susceptible to highly pathogenic strains of virus, showing few or no clinical signs. AIV as a pathogen is notorious for evolving to adapt to new hosts and transmission mechanisms, and ongoing surveillance of pigeons should be included in surveillance programs. I recently spoke to Dr Nikkie Chadee, a senior veterinary officer with Agriculture Victoria. I asked her what would happen if Avian influenza was actually diagnosed in a pigeon loft. The answer was that pigeons are classed as commercial poultry and so usually a positive result would lead to killing all of the loft occupants. However risk assessments are done. So for example if there was a positive loft next door to a large poultry establishment these birds would be more likely to be killed than those in an isolated loft with a compliant owner with effective quarantine and responsible disposal of droppings and dead birds etc. Exemptions are also considered for certain birds including pets. Financial compensation is available with it being probable that representatives from the sport would be asked to place a financial value on the destroyed birds. The big danger for the sport is that something similar to what happened with Rota virus in Western Australia in 2017 might occur again , where an undiagnosed health problem was known to be in certain lofts but mob tossing and racing continued .A worst case scenario would be where a fancier knew that he had a respiratory problem in his birds but then sent them to a mob toss or race thus spreading the Avian Influenza virus to many other lofts. This could potentially lead to the destruction of all birds of a significant number of members – a catastrophe. It is important that Australian fanciers work with government authorities to control Avian influenza. The less well controlled the disease is then the more likely it is to negatively impact our sport. Unfortunately many fanciers are still either unaware or are resistant to the idea of getting a Property Identification Code or PIC. The department is fully aware of pigeon fanciers non -compliance. Dr Chadee said that on occasion it has driven the department crazy trying to declare an area free of AI – they do all the testing in an area and then find out that there is a pigeon loft that they don’t know about. This delays progress with control greatly and is a bad reputation for the sport to have, both of which damage the sport. It is up to fanciers to comply if they want to do what is best for the sport.
Avian vets and pigeon fanciers I retired from active practice at the end of 2013. At that time my clinic employed three full time avian vets. We saw about fifty clients with their birds each day of which about 15 were pigeon fanciers . Much of the pigeon work was not so much diagnosing and treating pigeons that were sick but rather monitoring the health of race birds. Often these birds looked well but we were keen to identify underlying health issues that might compromise performance. No point in checking the remnants of a team after a bad toss or race to find that there is problem and they should never have been sent. Fast forward eleven years and I still get about ten fanciers a day call me about pigeon health issues. I don’t mind but without a clinic there is sometimes not that much I can do apart from advise that they need to go to an avian vet and get some testing done. Here lies the problem. On the APC website we maintain a list of qualified avian vets in New Zealand and Australia. When testing is necessary I help direct the fancier to the closest avian vet. Some vets have now contacted me and said that they don’t want to see pigeon fanciers any more . The reason remains unclear but reluctance to pay standard veterinary charges and challenging the validity of veterinary advice with quasi –veterinary knowledge have been mentioned. This is unfortunate. As a pigeon orientated clinic we were well set up to do the necessary clinical work quickly and hopefully efficiently. The usual monitoring tests were a microscopic examination of a crop flush and a microscopic examination of a faecal smear .Blood profiles were often done and sometimes further tests for specific health issues as indicated. Fanciers would often leave birds in baskets at reception . We would do the necessary work and then if appropriate let the birds go in the carpark. Fanciers would phone later for results or the results could be emailed. Because we saw fanciers often we did not always charge a consultation fee, but rather just the costs of the tests, and because we did a lot of testing we got fairly quick . We could therefore get out a thorough set of results in a shorter period of time that helped keep costs down. At the moment it can be difficult for some fanciers to get the testing done that they would like. There is no straightforward answer to this. The fact that there are not many qualified avian vets does not help. This is exacerbated by the reluctance of some to see fanciers. From a veterinary point of view, I also feel that some practices could do more to accommodate the needs of fanciers. My advice to fanciers is that they ring the closest avian vets . Be prepared to drive. Find one that they are happy with and try and establish an ongoing relationship with them . Clubs or federations could also approach an avian practice to consider discounts for bulk testing. Some vets may be amenable to this.
Preventing PMV vaccination lumps The lumps that form in the necks of some pigeons in some lofts after PMV vaccination , in most cases, are the result of a bacterial infection at the vaccination site. The lumps are actually dried balls of avian pus. They are avian abscesses. Pigeon white blood cells lack the enzymes to produce liquid pus, instead bird pus is thick, yellow/white and cheesy and looks just like a canker abscess. Bacteria can get under the skin and cause an infection in a number of ways including :- 1/ the vaccination needle can penetrate the crop and introduce bacteria from inside the crop to under the skin 2/ the needle can come in contact with fixtures within the loft, operator clothing or droppings 3/ use of contaminated vaccine, vaccines can become contaminated with bacteria if the same needle is used to both vaccinate the birds and withdraw vaccine from the vaccine bottle 4/ the vaccine gun has not been cleaned and stored correctly so that vaccine is placed into a “dirty” gun Keep in mind that once a needle is contaminated all subsequent birds will be exposed to the bacteria and many , though not all, will develop an infection. Therefore regular changing of the vaccination needle , even if it is not thought to be contaminated, will decrease the chance of infections. Some fanciers express frustration that despite the best of care and the adoption of all precautions to prevent infections some of their birds still develop lumps. If this is the case in a significant number of birds then antibiotics can be given at the time of vaccination. The vaccine is killed and the disease it prevents is due to a virus and so the concurrent use of antibiotics will not decrease the effectiveness of the vaccine. Antibiotics can also be given if lumps form but they are much less effective then. They are likely to prevent any lumps present from getting bigger but will not get rid of the dried pus material that has already formed. This needs to be removed either naturally or manually. Some people have suggested spraying the skin at the vaccination site with disinfectant prior to inoculation. I do not recommend this. Although bacteria and other organisms can be isolated occasionally from avian skin, more often than not, the skin of individual birds is actually sterile. Moreover wetting can make it harder to maintain clean conditions when going from bird to bird. Vaccinating in the leg, rather than the nape of the neck, is also not recommended. Birds have a blood circulation quirk where a valve within a blood vessel of the leg can direct injected material directly to the kidneys where it is excreted from the body without exerting its affect. This is why antibiotic injections are not given in the legs in birds. The same applies to vaccines. So, be as clean as possible, frequently change the needle and if all else fails consult a vet and consider giving a short course ( 3 to 5 days ) of antibiotics at the time of vaccination.
Managing a PMV outbreak , some commonly asked questions 1/ Should I give the birds antibiotics? A lot of birds with PMV have now been autopsied and a pretty clear idea of the disease and its effects have been established . Evidence of secondary bacterial infection has been found in less than 10% of birds with PMV. This means that in an outbreak less than 10% have the potential to get benefit from antibiotics. As one of the things that helps birds fight disease is the normal population of bacteria in the bowel, this also means that antibiotics have the potential to compromise the recovery of greater than 90% of the birds. Many would argue that a lot are damaged for a few to get benefit. I am inclined to agree.. There may be an argument for isolating individual birds that are very sick and along with supportive treatment giving them antibiotics. However I feel that it is not appropriate to give all birds antibiotics during a PMV outbreak. 2/ Is it too late or should I vaccinate the birds if the disease is already in the loft? The birds , including freshly weaned youngsters , should be immediately vaccinated in the face of an outbreak. Time is of the essence. Each day that vaccination is delayed can make a difference. In the trial we ran in 2013 we were able to demonstrate some immunity in the blood as soon as three days after vaccination. After vaccination the race is on to see whether the rising levels of antibodies can match the increasing effects of the PMV virus as the disease takes hold. In an attempt to further hasten a rise in antibody levels ( and with that the development of immunity, ) in the face of an outbreak the booster vaccination, is given 2 weeks later ( rather than waiting the usual 4 weeks.) Birds that have been bred from vaccinated parents have the potential to have some immunity that has been passed to them by their parents. Unfortunately most young nestlings will die. They have not lived long enough to have acquired immunity levels that might protect them. However from about 4 weeks of age onwards passive immunity will have risen to a level where it will at least offer some protection. This immunity however lasts for only a short period and from 6 weeks of age will start to fall . This means that from 6 weeks of age onwards unvaccinated youngsters in the face of disease become progressively more and more vulnerable to disease. 3/ Should I give Rota or other vaccinations at the same time as PMV? Normally this is not a problem . However when vaccinating birds that are already sick with any disease, be it PMV or something else the immunity formed is not as strong. In the case of an outbreak of PMV, because of the advantage of having any immunity , by all means vaccinate against PMV but other vaccination are best delayed until the birds are well. 4/ Is it worth persisting with sick birds? Will they still be able to race competitively? PMV causes massive damage to the kidneys and pancreas as well as other parts of the body. Unfortunately in some birds this damage will be permanent. It is however very difficult at the time to tell which birds will make a good recovery . There are accurate records of severely ill birds that were near death making a full recovery and then going on and winning major races. Conversely sometimes the symptoms in mildly affected birds can persist and in the end fail to resolve. Best to give all birds a chance during the actual outbreak and only make decisions about a bird’s future well after the outbreak. They can surprise you.
Streptococcus and Mycoplasma diagnosed in droppings As racing approaches ,I am once again hearing that fanciers are being advised that their birds have Streptococcal and/or Mycoplasmal infections after having droppings from their birds “tested”. I remind fanciers that this is an impossible diagnosis. They are being taken advantage of. If anyone , including a vet, advises you of this , get a second opinion.
Vet Questions 1/ I have been told that Rota vaccination wears off and further vaccinations are required every 8 weeks to fully protect the birds. Is this correct? Yes and no –response to Rota vaccination appears variable from bird to bird. Also the antibodies produced in response to Rota vaccination appear more fragile (in these way it is very similar to the Covid vaccine) than those produced in response to PMV vaccination. The full results of the Rota vaccination trial were published in the ARPJ about 6 years ago. Final advice was to give the second vaccination within 8 weeks of racing that would then be naturally boostered through exposure in the race basket
2/How long should I use Emtril for? I’ve always used Turbosole but bought some Emtril from the APC to use separately and nail any resistant strains of Canker. The jar says how much but not for how long I should treat? That is a good idea to rotate between drugs to decrease the chance of resistance. Courses of 2 to 7 days are given with 3 to 4 days being the most common. It is really a matter of giving the shortest course that clears an infection. Ideally this can only be achieved through monitoring crop flushes. But, having said that, most trich infections in most lofts are cleared in 3 to 4 days.
3/ I am a pigeon fancier and poultry breeder in Southeast Queensland and met Dr Walker some years back when the Dr officiated at an ANPA show in Ipswich. Living on a rural property and no longer racing or showing my pigeons and poultry, I have been disease free for years, just the odd minor coccidiosis or canker infection, easily treated. This season with the wet I have noticed particularly in a couple of weaned squeakers, the tell-tale signs of infected eyes and snotty nostrils common to respiratory disease.I have segregated infected birds with most recovering with the use of OxyMav 100 from my local produce, but it seems to linger and manifest in fresh birds. Some birds don't seem to respond to this treatment so are culled and incinerated. I got prescribed a product called Doxycycline from my local vet to treat CRD in fowls which was very effective. I have read that Doxy T may be an effective treatment. Your advice would be very much appreciated. This does sound like a respiratory problem. One of the most common respiratory problems in pigeons is Mycoplasma based disease. The Mycoplasma are transmitted from parents to chicks as they hatch. Once infected the birds are infected for life. Often in a stress free environment infection does not lead to clinical disease but rather just the asymptomatic carrier state. With stress the Mycoplasma can flare up . Essentially they superficially inflame the linings of the respiratory tract opening the way for secondary Chlamydial or bacterial infections. Control is through strategic use of antibiotics and avoidance of stressors – which can be hard. Persistent dampness is a stressor. Other common ones are overcrowding, low hygiene , poor parasite control, poor diet etc. The doxycycline provides long effective blood levels (20 hours ) after a single drink compared to Oxymav ( 4 hours ) so usually gives a much better clinical response. Combining the doxycycline with tylosin , which is an anti mycoplasmal drug , in Doxy T makes it very effective for treating many respiratory infections. I would suggest that you get from your vet some Doxyvet tablets to treat individual birds ( when only small numbers are unwell ) and some Doxy T to treat the flock when necessary ie when more than 10% of birds are affected or if there are fresh cases every day or through times of anticipated stress.
4/ The word on the street is that Doxy T is not as strong as Triple X . Is that correct? The Australian Pigeon Company makes and supplies 3 antibiotic blends containing doxycycline. 1/ Doxyvet – 10% doxycycline used primarily to treat Chlamydia ( One eye cold) in young pigeons 2/ Doxy T – a blend of doxycycline 10% and tylosin 20% – used primarily to treat respiratory infections due to chlamydia and mycoplasma in race birds 3/ TripleVet -- a blend of doxycycline, tylosin and spiramycin - used to treat respiratory infection in race birds where there is a complicating bacterial infection
Literature accompanying Triple X describes it as a blend of doxycycline 10% and tylosin 10%. The level of tylosin in TripleX is therefore half that found in Doxy T. Interestingly Doxy T costs about $40 while Triple X costs about $90 ie half the strength for twice the price.