John McCooke –wins 700 mile and 800 mile races One of the great fascinations with pigeons is their ability to return from great distances to their lofts. This was demonstrated in great fashion this year in the 700 mile and 800 mile races conducted by the Central Highlands Pigeon Federation in Victoria . The 197 birds entered to compete in the 700 mile ( 1162 km ) race were released from Nocundra on the morning of Thursday 18th September. The race was won by John McCooke who lives in Narre Warren , a south eastern suburb of Melbourne. John clocked in the dark just before midnight at 11.21 pm on the day. What a thrill. John had thought that , in particular, 3 of his 6 entrants were in with a chance to make it on the day. He had sat out in the back yard until 10 pm. It had been a long day and so at that time he decided it was best to get some sleep in preparation for an early start the next day. The excitement of the race however meant that sleep did not come easily and at 11.45 pm he got up to have another check of the loft. In the half- light he could see a shadow in the fly-in. A quick glance at Benzing live revealed that a pigeon had scanned at 11.21 pm to be the only bird on the day. What a fly - from a central desert area of Australia into a Melbourne suburb recording a velocity of 1149mpm after just under 17 hours on the wing. The 800 mile birds had been released on the same morning and so presumably were coming 100 miles behind the 700 mile birds. 79 birds had been released at Thylungra station , 800 miles ( 1340 km) also on the morning of the 18th September. This race was also won by John McCooke. John was sitting out in his backyard when just after lunch he spotted 2 birds coming from the north. They were racing to the loft and in seconds, as John watched on, they dived into the fly-in to scan less than a second apart. They scanned at 12.53 pm to both record a velocity of 1113.8 mpm and gain first and second places.
Some fanciers struggle to get pigeons home from 500 or 600 miles but a pigeon in an 800 mile race after flying 500 miles still has 300 miles to go. Certainly pigeons have got to have the right genetics to fly these distances but it is still not possible for them to do this unless they have been prepared by a skilled fancier. I have personally known John McCooke for 50 years, since he first started to bring pigeons to my clinic, and he is just such a fancier. In the last few years John has finished second in the 700, has won a 400 mile fed has gained a number of 500 mile fed positions with the birds flying into the dark and, in fact, in the last 52 VHA fed races that he has flown over the last 4 years he has only not been placed in the top 30 on just 2 occasions . Although his pigeons fly very successfully in the long ones they are very versatile . As an example one hen this year has been 3rd VHA Fed 300 miles doing 1700mpm, 8th VHA Fed 300 miles doing 1600mpm and 25th VHA fed 350 miles doing 1500mpm . They are not the latest “flavor of the month” sprint pigeons but rather a loft that has been moulded by the basket over decades in John’s backyard. As exhibited by the results they are competitive in a large city fed, such as the VHA, at all distances. When needed they can be fast.
John exercises his pigeons around the loft once daily. The actual exercise time is varied. Cocks and hens run together until about half way through the season. The stage they are separated varies from season to season depending on how flirtatious the sexes are becoming . Once separated the sexes are loft flown separately but are allowed to run together for about an hour after a toss or race. When separating them , John guides them to their sections with a cane. The birds quickly learn what the cane means and run into their sections when it appears . All race sections are divided by wire except the wall that separates the cocks and hens. This means that the sexes cannot see each other once in the loft. John feels that the motivation of being with their partners on return from a toss or race is important. John feeds a high carbohydrate mix . He alters the protein level by adjusting the proportion of peas in the diet . Typically peas make up 10 to 15 % of the mix. John starts the season with 150 to 160 birds. He feels that tossing is over-rated and is just one option in getting birds race-fit. He uses a commercial trainer , David Gray, and will toss the birds one ,two or three times per week from 80 km or 130 km but believes that racing them with sufficient frequency is the secret ingredient to getting the birds fit. They need to be raced sufficiently to gain fitness without “flattening them” . He feels that “ hurting” the birds in a race that pushes them can bring them into real fitness and will send them to several 300 and 350 mile races over a few weeks with sometimes the birds flying back to back races.. He does encourage the birds to exercise around the loft in fading light and will toss them at times to encourage this . He wants them to learn that even though the world may be dark that the loft and the yard will be lit up and waiting for them. John believes that the ability to fly in the dark is genetic and heritable but is something that must be brought out through appropriate training.
John believes that pigeon observation is a skill that comes with practice. It enables fanciers to see important things in their birds that may go unnoticed to less experienced eyes. Fit birds develop a buoyancy , have silky feathers and look bright. But knowing that they have had the right preparation and their behavior in the loft are key to detecting when they are right to go. Handling simply verifies what you already feel about a birds fitness.
John posted videos on facebook of both the 700 and 800 mile winners minutes after they arrived . This is something he has done with his winners for several years. These videos have become a valuable record of just what fit pigeons can achieve. Although the videoed pigeons have obviously flown they essentially look pretty well and I think that if they were in an even longer race they could have flown on.
I don’t know how many readers have been to Nocundra or indeed Thylungra station but I have been lucky enough to have been to both sites. They are dry , they are flat, to me they are in the middle of nowhere . Both sites are north of Brisbane. It is incredible to think that pigeons know which way to go and can actually get home let alone fly at competitive race velocities from so far. Congratulations to all fanciers who clocked in these races. One of the two winning 800 mile birds was bred by John’s friend Matt Whitechurch from Traralgon. John is most grateful for the opportunity to race the bird. Also a big congratulations to Aaron McKay for initiating and continuing to run these events. The 700 mile race is increasing in popularity primarily through his efforts. The 800 mile race has been dedicated to Godfrey Stevens, a fantastic and popular fancier who himself won many 700s. A most fitting tribute. The full race results can be found by googling Central Highland Pigeon Federation results.
Fat Eye, Rota virus and losses Many federations around the country have experienced extraordinary losses in the early races this season. Fanciers question wheher Fat Eye and Rota virus may be partly to blame. Initial investigations appear to indicate that this is indeed the case. Despite being retired for 11 years I still get about 10 fanciers per day ring me with veterinary queries. Once combined tossing and racing started this year I had about half a dozen fanciers call to say specifically that their birds just did not want to fly. Not having a clinic any more I was unable to do any testing for them but I was able to recommend what tests should be done to figure out the problem and direct them to an avian vet who could do the testing. In every case the results were the same . The birds had damage to the liver which had caused death of liver cells and compromised liver function. Pigeons are very tough. They can come home from races with their crop or abdomen torn open and yet behave almost normally. Having an active problem in the liver is comparatively minor compared to such injuries. So, it is only reasonable that a fancier could be lulled into a false sense of security and feel that there is not much wrong with such birds and be tempted to toss or race them. Similarly fanciers who had not had testing may in fact believe that there is not much wrong with their birds. And yet experience is increasingly showing us that birds that are tossed or raced in this situation are much more likely to be lost. Fanciers can mistakenly believe that after a Rota virus exposure, for example at the start of the season , when birds from different lofts start to mix, that the birds recover in one or two weeks. Testing shows us otherwise. Fanciers may recall some blood test results that were published in this magazine several years ago that showed that , in particular, some birds that had not been vaccinated against Rota took over a month to recover. The birds themselves looked perfectly well but the blood test results showed that inside they were fighting ongoing liver problems due to the earlier damage caused by Rota. Usually the only symptoms were that the birds were reluctant to fly the roof and if tossed or raced then were more likely to be lost. So, what to do? Exposure to Rota virus early in the season is inevitable. It is important to minimize its impact by ensuring that the birds are as immune as possible. One way of helping to achieve this is by giving a Rota booster within 4 weeks of racing. Many fanciers who vaccinate against Rota give two shots soon after weaning and before tossing starts. Testing has shown that the immunity formed after Rota vaccination is variable from one bird to another and can be quite short term . (In this way the response to Rota vaccine is very similar to the response to the Covid Vaccine ). This means that the pigeons may not be at their most immune at the time they need to be ie the time that they are exposed to the virus. It therefore makes sense to give the second shot within 4 weeks of the start of combined tossing or racing. If the chance of exposure to Rota in the post weaning time is low then the first shot can also be postponed and given 8 weeks before the season ( and then followed 4 weeks later by the second shot 4 weeks before likely viral exposure ). If the likelihood of exposure to Rota is high in the post weaning time then a shot can also be given then.
Despite all of this , because the Rota vaccine does not generate enough immunity to be fully protective , fanciers should monitor their birds for a reluctance to fly and do the best they can to avoid sending birds to races that might be affected. Fanciers can be caught between the need to get birds away for training and experience and not wanting to lose them by sending them before they have fully recovered. For fanciers wishing to use a veterinarian there are blood tests available ( GLDH and Bile acids ) that measure the level of inflammation in the liver and how well the liver is working. The results can be available in hours. If in doubt these tests can be an option.
Having said all of that, the control of Rota virus at the start of the season remains a problem and is likely to be a contributing factor to losses during this time indefinitely. Pigeons are flock birds. In the early races there are many inexperienced pigeons. Past a certain point, if a significant number of birds that are sent should not have been then they will compromise the performance of even the healthy birds leading to overall poor returns. However, the more fanciers that vaccinate, the more fanciers that vaccinate close to racing and the more that keep doubtful birds at home until fully recovered then the lower will be the percentage of less healthy birds in the release. This should lead to better racing.
Rota vaccine is not cheap and subsidised Rota vaccine , particularly in the light of Rota’s effect on racing, I believe should be considered. Federations or the ANRPB may wish to approach Treidlia Biovet to investigate possible savings as a result of placing larger orders or organising distribution to members themselves.
Fat eye also contributes to losses and poor racing. Fat Eye is a Mycoplasmal infection of the sinuses. It runs a natural course of several days with most birds fixing themselves with no treatment. Blood and other tests have shown that Fat Eye only affects the sinuses and apart from these being inflamed the birds are well otherwise . The difficulty is that the cells that enable pigeons to orientate magnetically are affected by Fat eye. Pigeons of course navigate by sun orientation and by sensing the earth’s magnetic field. Pigeons have forms of iron oxide in their beak that are sensitive to the earth’s magnetic field and affect the cells around them, These initiate a spread of information that help the pigeons to measure magnetic intensity. Interestingly putting local anaesthetic into the beak blocks this response and makes it harder for pigeons to navigate. Sinus infections such as Fat eye are likely to have a similar effect. Pigeons also have special proteins in the eyes called cryptochromes . When certain light wavelengths hit these a nerve impulse is initiated that is affected by the polarity of the earth’s magnetic field . This nerve impulse travels along the optic nerve to the brain. Incredibly, in this way a pigeon is able to “see” the earth’s magnetic field. Conditions that affect the eye and sinuses around the eye such as Fat eye are likely to adversely affect this ability.
Fat eye’s management during racing is another great challenge for our sport. Particularly as it is a likely a contributing factor to losses and early racing. Two years ago I had an outbreak of Fat eye in my race loft about 4 weeks into the season. I notified my basketing supervisor as I was concerned that perhaps I should not race. He gave me the advice that is currently regarded as appropriate. He said that I could race but that I should ensure that none of the birds I presented should have a visible Fat eye infection. I followed his advice. The big difficulty though is that even though all of my birds that I sent looked fine , they came from a loft that contained clinically affected birds . Some of the birds I sent would have been infectious. With Thursday night basketing for a Saturday release , this 36 hour time period gives plenty of time for the Mycoplasma to spread . It also gives time for some of my own birds that I had sent to develop symptoms. I have no easy answer to this dilemma. Some have suggested putting the birds of different fancier in separate baskets . Fat eye however is spread through the air and also on the hands of fanciers race marking the birds. This means that infection can spread from one basket to another and that fanciers would need to wash their hands between race marking teams from different lofts. The answer is also not drugs. Once infected with a Mycoplasma birds are infected for life. No drug clears a Mycoplasmal infection. Drugs will improve the birds symptoms but on clinical recovery the Mycoplasma stays in the birds system .
The link between Fat eye and Rota virus. As mentioned above Fat eye is caused by a Mycoplasma and once infected with a Mycoplasma , birds, (including pigeons ) are infected for life ( despite medication). Most Mycoplasma’s need a trigger for them to flare up and cause clinical disease .lf the trigger for that particular type of Mycoplasma is persistent or re-occurring then repeat flare ups of Mycoplasmal disease will occur. For example, the Mycoplasma disease that most fanciers will be familiar with is the one that causes a respiratory infection particularly in young pigeons. It leads to the development of dirty ceres , swollen sinuses and watery eyes . Its triggers include overcrowding, poor hygiene and high humidity. Anecdotally, there appears to be a correlation between Rota virus infection and Fat eye and it may well be that the trigger for Fat eye is, in fact, Rota virus . It is interesting to note that in the EU and UK this correlation appears to extend to the use of live Rota vaccines. Fanciers have observed that after using a live Rota virus vaccine that there is a flare up of Fat eye in their birds. Fortunately in Australia this is not a concern as the Rota virus vaccine available to us is a much more sophisticated type of vaccine called a sub-unit vaccine and contains nothing alive.
Pigeon Contraception A drug called nicarbazin has been developed that is being used as a pigeon contraceptive. The drug is used primarily to control feral flocks of pigeons. The drug works by interfering with cholesterol metabolism in the process preventing the normal development of the membrane in the egg ( called the vitelline membrane ) that separates the yolk and white part of the egg. This means that an embryo cannot develop and hatching does not occur. The drug is marketed under the brand name “Ovocontrol”. It is mixed into a pellet which is then fed to feral pigeons. As the birds are not able to reproduce the population gradually declines through natural attrition. In many areas this is preferred as a humane alternative to culling and other forms of control. The drug also acts as a coccidiostat and is used to treat and control coccidiosis in poultry . Whether the drug has an application in the management of a racing loft is hard to say. For those who fly the natural system and want the hens to sit for longer than 18 days it may useful. There have however been no trials done on racing pigeons to see whether it’s use effects race form.
NPO Funding Investigation The National Pigeon Organization (NPO ) in Holland is spending an incredible 100,000 Euro to investigate pigeon losses during races. Fanciers have made many suggestions as to possible causes but studies based on hard evidence are scant on the ground with most suggestions being anecdotal at best. The effect of birds of prey , health issues and the changing technological environment through which the birds must navigate will be investigated. The large amount of money designated for this investigation is itself an indication of the severity of te problem. The results will be most interesting
Genetic drift--- a potential loss of winning genes in the stock loft I see on the internet that various fanciers offer birds for sale of a particular family or strain that have been kept as a closed flock for generations. It is easy to think that such a flock with no introductions represents a persistent pool of this older genetic resource. This however is not the case. The selection for winning genes in a breeding loft needs to be an active process. Each time a pigeon reproduces itself it passes on half of its genes to the next generation. Which half is totally random. It’s a bit like flipping a coin, you might get more heads than tails in just a few flips just by chance. Because of this the genes in the next generation are not those exactly of the previous generation. Although the genes in the next generation all come from the previous generation they won’t perfectly reflect them . This is a process called genetic drift and means that the genetics in a loft will steadily change with each generation. It is the job of a skilled breeder to counteract this random process by actively selecting birds with winning genes to be used as breeders. As you cannot see winning genes the only way to tell reliably whether particular birds contain them is to actually race the birds. Poor choices regarding the introduction of new birds or invalid selection processes can lead to winning genes being diluted and the overall performance of a loft declining. The most common situation where this occurs is where birds are bred from that have not been raced or where birds are bred from simply because they belong to a particular strain. Actively selecting breeding birds on race merit is the most reliable way to maintain winning genes in a stock loft. Remember that each time a bird reproduces itself half of each gene is randomly passed to the next generation. The chance of the winning combination of genes to randomly line up declines with every generation that is not tested in the basket . The same principles apply when introducing new genes into a loft. Outcrossing drives genetic change but this can either be advantageous or harmful for subsequent race performance. A bad choice with an introduction can do the loft harm by “diluting” winning genes that are already present. However this “gene flow” can be of great advantage if the right birds are sourced.
Genetic drift also poses a great problem for those who wish to maintain a strain. If birds are bred from simply because they belong to a particular strain rather than through active selection then the genetic makeup of the population can change due to genetic drift. The smaller the population then the greater the impact of the random chance events associated with genetic drift are likely to be. For example if a population has only a few individuals with a certain gene then that gene is more likely to be lost through a random event than if there were many copies. As most stock lofts certain statistically low number of birds (ie less than 50 pairs) this effect is particularly relevant to pigeons.
Most successful lofts provide performance based pedigrees rather than family or strain based pedigrees. This is probably why they are winning lofts. High placed fed birds at particular velocities and distances are mated to together. This type of breeding will more reliably produce birds that will do the same as their parents. What family or stain the pigeons belongs to is of secondary importance.
Buyer beware Recently at an avian veterinary conference the results of a retail bird supplement survey were published. In the survey the level of Vitamin A found in supplements available in pets shops and supermarkets for birds was measured. These levels were then compared with the level listed in the table of contents on the label. In every instance the level in the product was not that on the label. Although pharmaceuticals or registered supplements are strictly regulated in Australia the situation with non- pharmaceutical health supplement type products is however totally different. These products are very poorly regulated in Australia and indeed many parts of the world. Pretty much, people can write anything on a label, put something in a bottle and sell it. A good example is pink minerals. Fanciers tend to base their choice of a brand on price. This is a big mistake. In one brand of pink mineral available to Australian fanciers, the supplier buys bags of calcium carbonate. He then adds some iron oxide to make it a pink colour . At this stage he has a powder containing two minerals – calcium and iron. He then gets a couple of human vitamin pills , crushes them and sprinkles them into the powder. This is his vitamin / mineral powder. He then produces a label which seems to almost be a “cut and paste” of the label from my Australian Pigeon Company’s brand of pink minerals , PVM powder, sticks it on his product and markets this as a product comparable to our registered PVM powder. By comparison when the Australian Pigeon Company brought out PVM powder about 30 years ago we engaged a nutritionist to formulate the ideal level of multiple minerals and vitamins when provided in a pink mineral format to pigeons. This formula is then blended at a facility registered to formulate products to a human standard. The product is registered and so has passed the rigorous quality control measures required by the government . The product contains exactly what is listed on the label. There is no comparison between our product and that produced by the “back yarder”. When one considers the time , effort and money fanciers put into their birds and the potential problems associated with mineral and vitamin deficiency or excess it is frustrating when fanciers reject a far superior product for a grossly inferior one to save a few dollars . Our product represents incredibly better value. Of course it can all come down to lack of awareness but it is important to realise that what I am describing does not just apply to pink minerals but to every supplement on the market. In another crazy situation I saw pink minerals being sold with added probiotics. This is a nonsense. Probiotics are fragile living organisms. The idea that they could survive any length of time in the dry salty environment of a pink mineral powder is very ignorant. The fancier is simply paying for nothing. So , I guess my message is just think about the background of the product you are buying and be discerning about the products you buy and use on your birds.
Cryptosporidia in racing pigeons I had an interesting enquiry from an American avian vet this month. He writes “A fancier contacted me regarding positive fecal results showing cryptosporidium and low performance with heavy losses. I've never heard of this in pigeons, any ideas of clinical significance and possible treatment?” I have only ever seem a couple of Cryptosporidia cases in pigeons. The findings were incidental on histopathology. Some veterinarians think that they don’t account for significant clinical disease in pigeons that are well cared for and, I think this may be the case in non- racing pigeons. I think , however, that in a competitive athletic animal like a racing pigeon that there is the potential for them to compromise performance.
Cryptosporidia Infection in birds Cryptosporidium is a genus of parasitic protozoa that commonly infects birds, causing respiratory, enteric, and sometimes renal diseases, with symptoms including watery diarrhoea, lethargy, weight loss, and respiratory signs like coughing. The disease is transmitted when birds ingest or inhale oocysts shed in the droppings of infected individuals, and transmission can occur between different bird species. They persist in the environment for variable periods depending on temperature and humidity Diagnosis is typically made by fecal float or microscopic examination . Treatment is difficult and focuses on supportive care and good hygiene to minimize transmission, as Cryptosporidium oocysts are resistant in the environment. No known effective treatments for cryptosporidiosis exist; good biosecurity and sanitation are the most important steps to minimize transmission. Causes and Transmission Parasitic Organism: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that infects birds. Transmission: Birds become infected by inhaling or ingesting oocysts, which are shed in the droppings of infected birds. Host Specificity: While some species have a narrow host range, others like C. baileyi can infect a wide variety of wild birds, making transmission a significant concern. Environmental Resistance: Cryptosporidium oocysts are very resistant in the environment and can persist in cool, moist conditions for long periods. Clinical Signs Clinical signs :vary depending on the specific Cryptosporidium species and the host, but commonly include: watery diarrhoea, weight loss and reduced growth ,lethargy ,respiratory signs such as coughing, sneezing, and dyspnea. In some cases, vomiting, dehydration, and renal disease may also occur. Diagnosis :Diagnosis is typically done by fecal floatation or microscopic examination of fecal samples or affected tissues. Treatment and Management : No Specific Treatment, there is no known effective drug treatment for cryptosporidiosis in birds. Supportive Care: The focus is on maintaining a healthy immune system through optimal housing, feeding, and minimizing stress. Biosecurity: Strict sanitation and biosecurity measures are the most important steps to prevent the spread of the parasite. Environmental Control: Cleaning contaminated areas and providing clean water sources can help reduce environmental contamination.
Falcons This year’s crop of young Peregrine falcons has already hatched. In southern Australia, Peregrine falcons build their nest and lay their eggs in August and September. These eggs hatch mostly in October with the resultant young falcons fledging about 40 days later around Christmas. These young Peregrines start to hunt around 70 days of age and as they mature disperse to establish their own territories. Very predictably by late January/ early February these young falcons start attacking race teams in Melbourne. Peregrine falcons start to breed at 2 to 3 years of age and live in the wild for about 10 years. With good conditions a breeding pair will produce 2 or 3 chicks per year. This means each pair can potentially raise about 25 chicks during their breeding life. In an evolutionary sense, all breeding animals have to do is replace themselves. This means that Peregrines only need 2 of these 25 chicks to survive to breeding age for the species to be successful. The world is a dangerous place with lots of hazards if you are a Peregrine falcon .There is a lot to learn to become a skilled avian hunter. The mortality rate is high for young Peregrines with estimates of as many as 90% dying in the first year of life. Through February, March and April clumsy young Peregrines attack race teams in Melbourne, often prepared to take extreme risks coming close to lofts and people . Scientific studies list the main causes of death as being hit by a vehicle, hitting overhead wires, being shot, hitting a window, disease ( usually canker caught by eating pigeons), drowning, secondary poisoning ( by eating feral pigeons that have themselves been deliberately poisoned around buildings), predation ( taken by foxes on a kill , rats and snakes ) and injured during rock falls on roosting ledges or during storms. As the year progresses the number of attacks on race teams exercising at their home lofts declines and by August become uncommon. Most persistent attacks don’t come from juveniles but rather resident breeding adults hunting within their home territories . These resident adults pair up again in August and the whole process repeats itself.
IVPA The next International Veterinary Pigeon Association ( IVPA ) conference will be held in Dortmund in February next year. I have been invited to attend by Dr Elizabeth Peus. Dr Peus is a German pigeon vet based in Leipzig and is president of the IVPA . The main agenda is to formulate veterinary protocols to advise the Federation Columbophile International (FCI ) and governments generally. I will not be going but have a link to the proceedings so will have access to the various papers that are presented and will include relevant information in subsequent ARPJ articles
VRPB It is pleasing to see that the VRPB has completely reversed its advice to Victorian fanciers about the requirement of getting a PIC. In earlier advice the VRPB stated that obtaining a PIC (which has been a legal requirement for 31 years) , should be optional. The back flip occurred in response to concerns raised by various Victorian fanciers. I have written much about this in the last few Journals . The scheme applies not only to Victorian fanciers but to all Australian fanciers and is summarised below.
PIC and SDI programs -- summary Agriculture related industry makes up about 10% of Australia’s GDP and represents about $72 billion dollars. To maintain export markets Australia is keen to show overseas trading partners that its disease free status is being maintained. As part of this a scheme has been in place for the last 31 years enabling rapid identification of the location of properties holding more than 50 animals ( including pigeons ) giving each property a Property Identification Code (PIC ). At the same time a response program ( called the Significant Disease Investigation or SDI program ) has been set in place to investigate outbreaks of disease where the symptoms displayed by affected animals could possibly be due to an exotic disease . These programs have great advantages to the pigeon sport including :- 1/ the rapid identification and control of diseases that could impact our sport ( in particular Avian Influenza ) 2/ subsidized veterinary testing for disease outbreaks . For example if a fancier is having significant numbers of birds die or birds become unwell with symptoms that could be due to a disease of concern then the government may cover the diagnostic cost ( often fully ) Fanciers need to be aware of these programs. As a sport we need to work with the government in programs that affect our sport.
Notifiable Diseases Notifiable diseases are quite simply those diseases that the government would like to be made aware of if they are diagnosed. The aim is to control the spread of these diseases and protect public health and animal welfare. Notifiable diseases are highly contagious, exotic, or severe diseases that pose a significant threat to animal health, public health, or international trade. Reporting is mandatory to enable swift action to prevent widespread outbreaks.
It is standard for diagnostic labs and veterinarians to notify the appropriate government department if they diagnose a disease that is notifiable and indeed they have a legal obligation to do so. Sometimes though farmers or the breeders of animals will also notify the department if concerned that their animals may have a notifiable disease. Diseases may be notified to the office of the Chief Veterinary Officer in the department of agriculture in that state or territory. There is also an Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. The response by the department is dependent on which disease is involved and can change with time.. In pigeons for example , Chlamydia and PMV are notifiable diseases . These diseases are however endemic and so the government’s focus is on controlling spread and providing effectively treatment. A common response is that a record of the diagnosis will be made for statistical purposes and the department may speak to the attending veterinarian to provide guidance if necessary and ensure that they are comfortable managing the case. On the other hand if a diagnosis of Avian Influenza or Newcastle disease virus (NDV ) was made then quite dramatic measures would immediately come into place to eliminate the disease. The PIC and SDI programs are not directly related to the requirement to notify certain diseases but all are part of the co- ordinated effort to protect Australian animals from disease. In some circles in the Australian pigeon community there seems to be confusion about these various government endeavors. . When a notifiable disease is detected, the disease has usually already been diagnosed, the government is informed and the government then decides how best to deal with that information. The SDI scheme is symptom based. Here a diagnosis has not been made but the symptoms displayed by affected animals could be caused by a disease of concern. In this situation the government is keen to support the diagnostic process so that the condition can be accurately diagnosed and ensure that a disease of concern is not overlooked.
Victorian Animal Health Surveillance figures The Victorian Animal Health Surveillance figures were released in early October for the year ending 30th June 2025. There were 1,895 disease events in livestock investigated in Victoria between 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 . Victorian animal health data is collected from a number of sources, including targeted surveillance activities, monitoring programs, disease control programs, diagnostic laboratories, livestock producers and field investigations conducted by Agriculture Victoria (AgVic) staff and private veterinary practitioners. This disease events involved 1037 investigations in cattle, 289 in sheep, 56 in goats, 121 in horses, 53 in pigs and 320 in birds. In addition many further investigations were conducted where a definitive diagnosis was not made. The 320 in birds were made up of 298 investigations in chickens, 10 in ducks, 4 in geese, 12 in pigeons and 2 in other birds ( such as emus, pheasants etc). In addition there were 636 suspect Emergency Animal Disease (EAD ) Investigations to exclude suspect emergency or exotic diseases undertaken between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. The investigations in poultry included 60 cases of suspect Newcastle disease which were all negative and one case of Mycobacterium avium ( avian tuberculosis) in emus which was positive. Suspect avian influenza investigations were conducted in 137 companion birds all of which were negative and 5 investigations for Newcastle disease were done on companion birds all of which were also negative
When Salmonella is not Salmonella Fanciers around the world have had decades to familiarise themselves with the effects of PMV. By comparison Australian fanciers have only had to deal with the disease for just over a decade. We are all still coming to terms with exactly just what the disease can do. Many of the symptoms caused by PMV are similar to those caused by Salmonella. Many Australian fanciers if they saw a bird that was “giddy” or had a “twisted neck” or if a group of birds were failing to thrive and some of them died, would suggest the birds had Salmonella . More recently , veterinary investigation have shown that many of these cases of Salmonella are , in fact, cases of PMV. In one instance , a Sydney fancier, took two of his birds to a veterinarian . They had developed “twisted necks” . They appeared bright and alert , were in good condition and had good appetites. No testing was done but a provisional diagnosis of Salmonella was made . The fancier wanted to know for sure what the problem was and sort a second opinion. Subsequent testing showed that the birds had PMV. In the later stages of PMV the virus can replicate in the brain. This can cause the affected bird to develop a “twisted neck “ or be giddy”. The birds can recover from the infection and clear the virus from their system but the residual damage caused by the virus can cause persistent symptoms. In another instance a Sydney stud sent a bird down to a Melbourne breeder. About 2 weeks after arrival the bird started to lose weight to the point where it was too weak to be bred from. Subsequent testing showed that the bird had previously been infected with PMV and had suffered severe damage to its pancreas making it impossible for it to digest its food properly. In a third instance a South Australian fancier had noticed that one of his stock birds had developed a “wing wobble”. When the birds failed to recover he euthanised it. After a period of time the same thing happened to a second bird. He also killed this one. As time rolled by a further 3 birds developed the same problem and he euthanised all of them. In the end when yet another bird became unwell, thinking that he had a severe Salmonella problem in his birds , he took the bird to a vet . Testing showed that the problem was due to PMV. In the later stages of PMV the virus can not only replicate in the brain but can also replicate in the nerves. As mentioned above the birds can recover from the infection and clear the virus from their system but the residual damage caused by the virus can cause persistent symptoms. In this case, normal nerve transmission could not occur and the birds could not move their wings normally.
PMV is an insidious disease and it is becoming more and more apparent that its affects can be far reaching and not always what one would expect. In an interesting case , a fancier had been flying well all season when suddenly with just a few races to go, over just a few days 5 birds from the race team died. One was taken to the vet for testing and the problem was found to be PMV. On questioning the fancier had given the team just one PMV vaccination before racing. It is known from vaccine trials that giving only one vaccination confers protection from clinical disease in approximately 70% of birds. Presumably 30% of the team had been vulnerable from the start of the season but had been able to avoid exposure to the disease until late in the season. When the team did get exposed the birds with the lowest immunity died. This case highlights another problem with PMV ( and other diseases controlled through vaccination ). It Is easy to think that birds after vaccination are either immune or not. This is not the case . In the units that we use with PMV to measure immunity we know that to be protected from disease the birds must develop an immunity level of 3. After one vaccination 70% of birds have an immunity level of 3 or higher and so are Ok. After 2 shots 100% of birds have an immunity over 3 and so all birds are Ok. But the thing is that after just one shot even though 70% have a level of 3 or more the other 30% don’t have no immunity. Their reading might be one or two. That means that they might have enough immunity to stop them from dying but not enough to stop them getting sick or the virus damaging them. Exposure to PMV in partially immune birds is an emerging problem whose significance is becoming increasingly apparent. All birds, including those with only partial immunity are most likely to be exposed to PMV in the early mob tosses or races. The effect the virus has on them is dependent on the level of immunity they have and can range from simply a reluctance to fly to unexplained wet droppings. Often infection goes undetected. When these birds continue to be sent racing their ability is compromised and as such they contribute to losses in the early races. It is vital that fanciers do as much as they can to ensure that their birds have levels of immunity levels sufficient to fully protect them .
Eye Injuries It is not uncommon to hear a pigeon fancier say that once a pigeon has been injured that it is “never going to be any good” for subsequent racing. As a blanket statement this is obviously wrong but one of the reasons that some fanciers may draw this conclusion is that eye injuries, that are not visible to the fancier, occurred at the same time as the other more obvious injuries . Even though the other injuries may heal, the internal structures of the eye can heal poorly. The injury to the eye may be persistent and compromise sight . Eyes are fragile and the sudden jolt than may occur at the time of injury can damage them internally. We all know that it is hard enough to win a race with a perfect pigeon let alone one with impaired vision. Injuries may include detachment of the retina ( sight membrane ) at the back of the eye (this causes areas in the field of vision to be black) , bleeding into the eye (blocking vision ), dislocation of the lens (causing an inability to focus), generalised inflammation of the iris and its support structures (causing an inability to adjust focus,) and inflammatory fluid leakage into the eye (causing cloudy vision etc.) So, if a pigeon is struggling after recovering from injury it may have a legitimate excuse – it may not be able to see properly . If a fancier is concerned, an avian vet can do an internal eye examination using a hand held instrument called an opthalmascope (which takes just a few minutes) to examine the eye internally.
Good post mortem samples It can be very hard to help pigeon fanciers at times. Occasionally it become necessary to kill and autopsy a pigeon to investigate disease. The value of the autopsy is only as good as the quality of the samples collected and so it is important that they are collected correctly. To do an autopsy, not only has a pigeon been killed (that we might have preferred to keep) but the vet and the lab ( which processes the samples that the vet collects ) quite reasonably will charge for their time and efforts. It is therefore very important that fanciers work with veterinarians to get good results. It can be very frustrating to forfeit a bird and get a significant veterinary bill to receive a “non diagnostic “ result. The usual and best process is that a bird that is to be autopsied should be taken to the vet alive. The vet can euthanise the bird without damaging tissues and compromising results. The bird should then be autopsied with 4 hours of death. Because birds are wrapped in very effective thermo-regulators ( feathers ) and have a high body temperature (41.8C ) decomposition starts early . As decomposition occurs tissues break down making subsequent microscopic interpretation difficult , impossible or inaccurate. With decomposition bacterial overgrowth also starts to occur . Bacteria leak and invade from the bowel and other sites into tissues further damaging them and making the presence of bacteria difficult to interpret. Errors are again introduced as the pathologists struggle to determine if there was an active infection prior to death or the bacteria present are simply a post mortem decomposition change . If the autopsy is not done within 4 hours expect compromised results. On the other hand an autopsy should not be done within 2 hours of death. Autopsy involves cutting tissues. If done within 2 hours this can cause significant oozing of blood onto surrounding tissues which confounds interpretation. So, autopsies should be done between 2 and 4 hours of death. The big no- no however is to freeze the bird. Before a frozen bird can be autopsied it has to thaw. These processes virtually totally destroys all tissues for microscopic examination and makes the identification of bacterial involvement virtually impossible. Freezing should only be done if testing for viral disease is to be done. As far as using an autopsy as a thorough diagnostic effort – after freezing forget it. Samples for viral testing can always be collected from a fresh autopsy and frozen later if needed.
Getting back to my opening line. I had a rural fancier contact me. He was having significant problems with his pigeons. I spent some time on the phone with him advising on how to address the problem. An appointment was made with the local vet to perform an autopsy. The local vet provided a quote for the work which included a cost for euthanasia . To save money the fancier “pulled the bird’s head off” and then drove the bird to the vet later in the day in a hot car. This method of euthanasia meant the head and neck were severely damaged for subsequent microscopic examination, during the act blood had flooded into the crop, windpipe, lungs and to some extent the airsacs, this blood had carried micro- organisms from the throat into these areas and pre death examination and testing opportunities were lost. As a result of this a thorough complete autopsy could not be done which meant that relevant things could “slip through the cracks”
I remember one autopsy I did years ago. The fancier was having all sorts of trouble. I did an autopsy and collected a swag of 30 plus samples for laboratory testing. At the end of that autopsy I noticed a small piece of unusual tissue in the lining of the oesophagus and almost as an afterthought collected and included a small piece with the samples to go to the lab for testing. After the full autopsy and all the samples I had collected the cause of the problem was identified just in that last small piece of tissue – the bird had Herpes. It reinforced to me that autopsies need to be thorough.
In another instance a fancier bought in a dead bird with suspect pox lesions around the mouth. I told him that I thought the problem was pox but that a tissue sample could be sent to the lab for confirmation. He asked that this be done. The lab report came back as inconclusive. I queried the pathologist saying that I could see , at the time of collection, a large vesicle that looked very much like pox. His reply was that he couldn’t even tell if the submitted sample was skin. When I later questioned the fancier he has frozen the bird and then thawed it before coming in. The whole process had been a waste of time. So, work with you vet. Help them do a good job for you. If an autopsy has to be done , take the bird alive or within 2 hours of death and ideally ensure that the autopsy is done between 2 and 4 hours of death.
Challenging Veterinary Queries I am sometimes amazed by the queries we get at the Australian Pigeon Company. Many of the fanciers that contact us have been clients and successful fanciers for years and sometimes decades. They are very familiar with the common diseases and the products that we manufacture and supply to help them maintain their birds health. They often have a clear idea of what they need and simply place an order. If unsure though they are always welcome to call me. Some fanciers however don’t seem to really know what they want and yet ring and tell us exactly what they need without perhaps considering that they could ask an avian veterinarian for advice. An example of this occurred recently in an email we received. It read “ Hi my name's John ,this is my first racing season and I have a couple of canker cases in my older breeding stock, which as I'm struggling to breed racing birds fast enough to race next year, I cannot risk spreading. Can I buy some medication to treat this?” I replied “ Thank you for your email. It is unusual to get canker abscesses in mature birds. There are a number of conditions that can look very similar. Certainly we can supply medication to treat canker but it might be worth checking that this is the problem in your birds. Could you possibly send some photos of the suspect canker lumps so that I can see them. You are welcome to call me if you have any queries. My mobile is 0412481239”. The fancier then replied “Never-mind, whatever it was has killed the two old birds, and doesn't seem to have spread. Is it possible to get a general antibiotic to have on hand?” I would have thought someone in his situation might have asked something like “ What would be your recommendations to ensure my birds are healthy before and during breeding? Anyway, he is off to a rocky start and we will do what we can to assist him with his birds.
Marking eggs – be safe It is sometimes helpful particularly when fostering eggs to write on them. It is important to remember however that egg shells are porous. Anything that you put on an egg can end up in the egg. This is particularly so if an egg gets a bit cool. This creates a negative gradient sucking material into the egg. Also during incubation a pigeon egg should ideally lose 13% of its weight. This fluid loss through the shell enables the air cell to form. The chick internally pips into this air cell ( to get its first oxygen) and then cracks the external shell as it hatches . Without this fluid ( and weight ) loss a healthy chick cannot hatch. This normal fluid exchange through the shell through a normal incubation further opens the way for material on the shell surface to soak into the egg. So, it is always best to not write on the egg with a pen ink or a marker pen ( such as a Texta.) These may contain toxins or irritants that can compromise the development or even kill the growing chick. A pure graphite pencil is the preferred and safer option
Streptococcus--- again I continue to have fanciers tell me that their birds have been diagnosed with Streptococcus. They have paid for the diagnosis and paid for drugs to treat the condition when in fact there birds don’t have the problem. I don’t know whether this occurs because of ignorance, malpractice , a desire to sell products including antibiotics or for some other reason. What happens is that fanciers mail in droppings or take droppings to a vet and are then told that there birds are infected with Streptococcus bacteria and need to be treated with antibiotics . Streptococcus is everywhere – in the air , loft surfaces , on skin, in the respiratory tract and in the bowel . Perfectly healthy pigeons , even birds that will win next week’s federation race have Streptococcus in their bowels. Finding Streptococcus in the droppings means nothing. Telling a fancier that his birds have Streptococcus in their dropping is about as worrying as a human doctor telling a healthy fancier that he has bacteria in his own poo. It’s a nonsense. Exceptionally rarely, Streptococcus can penetrate the bowel wall and travel in the blood to other parts of the body. The only way to diagnose the problem is to demonstrate the organism inside the body usually by culturing organs during autopsy. Swabs for culture are usually taken from the heart, brain, liver or a visible lesion. Before I retired and still had my clinic I was doing several autopsies every day, so about 1000 a year. On average we diagnosed Streptococcus once a year in that 1000 cases. Not only saying that the birds have a Streptococcus infection after examining the droppings is not only silly but potentially harmful. While the bogus problem is being treated any real problem goes undiagnosed and unchecked. At the same time the antibiotics prescribed and given to treat the imaginary infection disrupt the normal bacterial gut microbiome that helps maintain health and protect from disease. If I heard that a veterinarian had told a fancier that his birds were infected with Streptococcus after a dropping examination then for me that would cast doubt that anything else that was said was accurate. My advice is if this happens to you – get a second opinion. For those wanting more information on Streptococcus infection please refer to pages 127 to 129 of my book “The Pigeon”
Ask The Vet 1/Are there any disadvantages in using electrolytes prior to race day.I currently use P180 post race to ensure the birds are properly hydrated post race, But not sure if it is advantageous prior to race day. There is no advantage in giving electrolytes ( body salts ) prior to racing. Body salts are found in food and also the grits and minerals that are routinely provided in most lofts. It is safe to assume that a bird has normal levels of body salts in its body when it is sent to a race. With exertion and inconsistent availability to water during the race electrolyte imbalances can occur which is why there is benefit in providing electrolytes after return. Electrolytes though should always be given with care. Although low body salts can be a problem so can high body salts. The body has elaborate mechanisms to keep body salts in a particular range. If an electrolyte supplement is ingested at a too concentrated level then fluid will move out of the body into the bowel to dilute it so that the concentration of electrolytes becomes the same on both sides of the bowel wall. This means the bird will produce very watery droppings and become dehydrated. It is therefore very important when using electrolyte supplements for pigeons to follow the manufacturers dosage instructions very carefully and use a product made for pigeons. So – no need or benefit is using electrolytes before a race but there is a benefit is using them after a race but to get that benefit they must be used correctly.
2/Mybirds are not flying well. What tests should I ask to local vet to do to investigate this ? To screen for conditions that might compromise race performance the usual tests done are a microscopic examination of a crop flush, a microscopic examination of a faecal smear and a blood profile ( including GLDH and cholesterol ). The results are very comprehensive and provide extremely useful information . Having all of these tests can however be expensive. If you did not want to spend too much initially you could have the crop flush and faecal smear done and then the blood profile later if these tests were not conclusive.
3/ It has been suggested to me that there is benefit in microwaving the food for the birds. Is this true? Microwaving grain will kill bacteria and fungal moulds . Microwaves work by generating heat and it is this heat that kills the bacteria and fungi not the microwaves themselves. Microwaving will therefore only kill these organisms if the food is heated to a sufficient and uniform internal temperature , typically 74c. Essentially the food is being cooked. To be effective the grain would need to be stirred during heating to check that it has reached the proper temperature throughout the mix . It is important to remember that though the heat from the microwave will kill any active mould, the toxins already produced by the mould will remain and can cause illness. If grain is visibly mouldy it is better just to discard it . Microwaving does not significantly affect the nutrient quality of food. The difference in nutrient quality caused by microwaving is minimal. In fact because microwaves penetrate and heat food more quickly than conventional cooking there is less time for vitamins to break down. The standard of grain in Australia is high, so , although microwaving grain does no harm, one would have to question whether the time and effort is worthwhile. If grain however is suspect it it is an option.
4/ What is the correct dose of Baytril? The dose of Baytril is 20 mg/kg. The liquid strength is 25 mg/ml. With each pigeon drinking 45 mls of water per day you therefore need to add 5 to 10 mls per litre of drinking water to provide a therapeutic dose. Treatment time is usually 3 to 10 days. Baytril is a high side effect antibiotic that is very expensive. Price varies but a 100ml bottle is often about $120 . This means it costs $100 a day to effectively treat 250 pigeons .Other antibiotics often do the job just as well so as with any antibiotic be guided by your veterinarian.