Moulting
Moulting, I think one of the most important periods of the year. For many breeders, it is a moment they tend to get away from their pigeons and focus more time on family and other matters that deserve necessary attention. A well deserved vacation for example. That's understandable, of course, especially as the performance during the racing season is disappointing, that it is often a difficult time to raise even the motivation to give the pigeons they attention they deserve during this period. Yet this is more than important. Underestimation of the importance of the moult is the prelude to disappointment in the following year. The quality of the spring work also depends on the care devoted to the pigeons during the moulting period. Good nutrition, regular bath and plenty of air and light (aviary) in this period are of great importance. Additionally, one can regularly provide a mineral mix. There are several good mixes available. The pigeons can then search and find what they instinctively need. It is important to provide sufficient minerals for the pigeons, especially in the moulting season. The moulting period is a period of high to very high metabolic activity. The liver is working at high voltage, to which the building materials are needed to create the new springs available in sufficient quantities to have them at the location where they are needed. In this period, the liver must therefore be well supported. Stress should be avoided. It is a time when peace should prevail. Only in this way we can lay a good foundation for the coming racing season.
For years, I recommend an old fashioned tea cure with moulting seed at the beginning of the molt to help the body get rid of old snails. It does take some effort to attract fresh tea every day, but they also get something back. For the cost one should not, not do it. It is often the motivation that, as mentioned, is missing in order to do this. Also, supportive for the cleansing of the liver are the various Chol (ine) products, such as Sedochol, Bonichol, Biochol and so on. These products also typically contain additional methionine and lysine and sometimes Artichokes Extract. During the moulting period, we recommend more often to give the BMT in the basic package. In addition to the fibers that help to clean the intestine, it also contains proteins with, inter alia, sulfur-containing amino acids and vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and finally probiotics. All substances which may have a increased need during this period.
In this period, it is also important to keep your hands of the medication (as much as possible). Medications are, in principle, foreign substances which must be detoxified and removed from the body. This alone is a good reason to abandon them t this time unless there is no alternative. Are there any clinical disease outbreaks than they have to. After all sick pigeons moult badly. Subject to the individual animals, treat the animals that suffer from it, individual to prevent pigeons that do not need it, are needlessly cured. Routine cures are unacceptable. If one handled correctly, one should have gone to the vet to have to pigeons checked if they do not have any diseases (Trichomonads, Coccidiosis, worms and ectoparasites) present. If necessary, you can address this in a timely manner.
Youngsters should be treated against canker when a infection is adopted, after the last races. After all the youngsters are getting in a heavy moult after the last flight. Medication during the moult is indeed undesirable. Several medications do provide some drawing in the pins. This may indicate that the pins are not formed optimal at those places. Notorious in this is the anthelmintic mebendazole which can even cause misshapen pins. But back in the day dimetridazole could do bad aswel. If during this period is an unexpected coccidiosis infection that must be dealt with, one should consider using Toltrazuril for a days, if they wish to use medication.
Sulfa drugs have certainly some exceptions, only a limited effect against coccidia but they better cannot be provide during the moult because of their influence on the springs. The places where the drawing occurs in the spring are usually weak spots in the strength of the springs and predisposing spots for spring break. Incidentally, it's not just medicines that can give drawing in the pens. It can also occur in disease and an undersized power supply.
The mitres of prebiotics and probiotics during the moult is a wise choice. This supports the intestines, what makes them work better, and the device is immune, more or less, spared. Through the gift of probiotics and prebiotics it is more difficult for pathogenic bacteria to gain the upper hand. The body can quickly deal with this ever-present threats. Because during this period the body will not help in the fight against the various pathogens that are always lurking in pigeons, the defense system remains alert. This training of the defense system is not a luxury. For this reason, I try not to provide young pigeons with medication as much as possible. What is important is to offer the possibility to be boss over to the pathogens. A maximum support of the immune system in a natural way is the best way to go.
Over the years I have developed a variety of products that are often coordinated. If there are breeders throughout the season with the announcement that they want to try our system, I usually refer it to the end of the season. Beginning with a natural approach is not like tearing open a packet of instant pudding. The natural approach is also another way of thinking, that one needs to acquire. One must be aware of the needs of animals and above all the needs that exist to ensure that the animals do not get sick. Too much assumes that it is a process that runs automatically. For showpigeons, in large extent, that is true. The body itself is its best healer. If it gets the right opportunities offered dissolves the body itself or on its problems.
But elite sport, which the sport has become in recent decades, more and more gaps in the possibilities that the body of the pigeon to create problems to remain in charge. Those possibilities we want to give the pigeon a natural means of support. If we do not, then we are doomed to continue walking behind the pigeons with the drug jars, as in recent decades has become commonplace. More and more breeders and more and more doctors are starting to realize that we have to act more preventively to avoid the pigeons are sick. I call this now again a good thirty years. But at a time when it was customary to use the antibiotic jar as a solution for every trifle, of course you call mostly on deaf ears. Meanwhile, many physicians are forced therefore also changed our position, simply because the government's excessive use of antibiotics considered as totally undesirable and acts accordingly.
Whatever the reason may be the reversal that is now also post barrel at other doctors, the sport is ultimately served by it. We must get rid of the situations in the lofts that only the pigeons can be kept seemingly healthy by frequent antibiotic use. Nonetheless, these are usually only weak brothers when they come under different circumstances on a loft, where a more natural approach has been created to a healthier and stronger pigeon strain, are shown to be weaker. Often these birds disappear again after a few months, with the simple reason that they just can not manage it.
The purpose of the natural approach is that the pigeons in periods of reduced immunity (and the additional energy required for the production of the new plumage is shedding par excellence such period) to provide sufficient strength so that you do not have to draw the medicine jar. To make a good start with a more natural approach, we have merged a number of coordinated products in the so-called Bonyfarma Basic system.
This is, in principle, and it should be possible to optimally support the pigeons in a natural way. This package can be optimised if desired and needed, so that an optimal guidance system can be set up, of course, for their own loft. No two lofts are the same.
For each loft the conditions can be just a little different so that the emphasis should lie just somewhere else. Customization that is the motto for the establishment of a health guidance system. But luckily there are more and more companies that offer the opportunity for those who wish to choose the natural way. There is a variety of natural features and resources discussed that can be used in favor of maintaining the health of the pigeons. But with a little effort, one can also create natural guidance.
If we go back to the story about the moulting it is now obvious that the next step is rest and avoiding stress, support the liver as the organ for detoxification, in general, but also as a producer of building materials for the feathers is of great importance. It will also be clear, if we consider that for the production of springs especially sulfur amino acids are important, they should be widely available. That goes for basically all amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that are required in the production of the feathers. It is therefore sensible to provide proteins with a high biological value. That is to say that the amino acids in these proteins are readily available in the degradation. Proteins with a lower biological value require much more energy from the liver to digest. If one carries too much protein during the season with low biological value and can often recognize this by the blue are the breast meat. The liver then asks for too much blood, and takes all the oxygen as it were from the blood to use indigestion.
In addition to amino acids is also the supply of sufficient nucleotides desired in this period. Nucleotides are the building blocks of the genetic material. Be created during growth and shedding a lot of new cells. If these substances are sufficiently present will make it easier for the body because it gets the job off your hands. Critics would ever say this is not necessary, because the body can produce these chemicals all itself. That's right. But here talks about how to act as well as possible to get a moulting, which optimize the athletes who pigeons have become so slowly on.
What can we do if the pigeons are healthy, to get them through the moult as much as possible?
In addition to adequate supply of sulfur amino acids, and amino acids with a high biological value is an additional gift of Biotin (Vitamin H) is in place. Along with the vitamins in the B group vitamins that perform an important function in the formation of the new plumage. Brewer's yeast, baker's yeast and products such as BMT contain largely vitamins from the B group. Brewer's yeast can be considered as one of the best suppliers of the B group. In addition, vitamin A and D and E also of interest.
When the rich supply of minerals and trace elements, it is especially important that sufficient zinc is provided. It is also wise to ensure the inclusion of sufficient unsaturated fatty acids in the moulting period. Many moulting mixture contains enough seeds contain unsaturated fatty acids such as flaxseed, rapeseed and canola. If in doubt, you can always administrate some omega 3 and 6 oil over the food. One can also use some extra wheat germ oil in order to add as natural vitamin E. Many artificial vitamin E often contains only one type of tocopherol. As a result, there may be a shortage of the other tocopherols. By using a natural source of vitamin E has been the problem, because these usually contain the whole range of different forms of vitamin E.
Although the ruling. that if one healthy and good food provided enough nutrients will get in, I would not be too much confidence at this statement in the moulting period.
Good Luck!
Peter Boskamp
