Fiber for racing pigeons

Who hasn’t dreamed of living on a deserted island for a while? Far from home and all our daily cares. The only thing you have to worry about is that coconuts don’t fall on your head. That would hurt, even though the coconuts contents are very soft. The outside is hard and we can’t eat it. Many other fruits, grains and seeds also have a hard skin. Although parrots have no problem getting rid of these peels, for racing pigeons these skins are very useful. These rough outer peels and coverings are called fiber. They have no caloric value, that is to say: they do not contain energy.

Intestinal function:
What is the purpose of these fibers? They provide for a properly functioning intestinal tract. Especially during the time of year that the pigeons are at rest it is important to foster the use of fibers. After the moult is finished the pigeons look splendid. The time of year such as breeding, racing and moulting are behind them. Now it’s time for them to catch their breath, a period of recovery. The pigeon no longer requires a lot of building blocks (amino acids), there is not much to rebuild. We certainly have to keep this in mind during the winter (rest) months. The pigeon does require energy to keep itself warm. This can be provided for by feeding some fat rich seeds such as sunflower and safflower. Naturally we shouldn’t overdo it. Carbohydrates such as corn also provide for the required warmth. Again don’t overdo it; the pigeons shouldn’t become too fat. The excess nutrient residue (race and moulting seasons) have attached themselves to the intestinal walls and flora.

Fasting
The parasites like to nestle in amongst the waste. The nutrients, through the intestinal flora and the peristaltic action of the intestine, should be taken up by the blood, but now are often eliminated directly from the intestinal tract, without being absorbed by the blood. The time has come for fasting. We humans used to do it to. The body has to be cleansed, after which the entire system becomes more efficient. Fasting has the same effect on our pigeons. By feeding a large variety of fibers we produce a “scrubbing” effect. The shorter and softer fiber from milo has a different action then the fiber of barley, sunflower, safflower or debearded oats. Debearded oats have a hard fiber which is ideal at this time of year.

Fiber can make up a maximum of 10% of the mix. The hard and the soft fibers work together to give the scrubbing effect. The caked on residue and the old intestinal flora disappear after about 3 weeks and new intestinal flora develop. Nutrients can now more easily pass from the intestinal flora through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream. It’s like the sun is shining again. The first days of this process the droppings can look slimy and smell. But that usually disappears after a few days to a week. Then the droppings improve and you will know what you have built and what has been eliminated. Naturally you could have used antibiotics to clean out the old intestinal flora, but there are no new ones to take their place. If the pigeon happens to ingest fungi or toxic products and they attach themselves to the intestinal wall where the flora should have been, the pigeons can get seriously ill.

Warmth from food
The mix can be lower in protein, but must be made up of at least 6% fat. This causes the red muscle fibers to be regularly filled and emptied. The muscles learn to store fatty acids and this has an advantage, the muscles stay active. Research in America has shown that pigeons that remain active in both the summer and winter had an advantage the following season over those that were inactive for a long period of time. If pigeons fly for extended periods in the winter many fanciers are afraid of “winter form”. I don’t believe that this phenomenon exits.

Athletes such as speed skaters train in the summer in order to remain in good condition so that they can perform at their peak in the winter. Pigeons are also athletes and need good care during all periods of the year. Again it is advisable to put some lecithin on the feed. This will emulsify the fat and the water in the intestine which ensures that the liver can process the fat efficiently. The natural choline which is found in the lecithin, in combination with the lecithin relieves the liver and is an aid in cleaning out toxins etc. This is discussed in more detail in Fatty Acids part 1 and part 2.

Breeding
Many of you have already started breeding and will likely say: well Willem, you’re a little late with this advice. I already have a loft full of nice youngsters. The racing season is almost here. Don’t worry! This can also be done in the period between breeding and the racing season. The racers that have a youngster in the nest or have already raised a youngster are often fed a breeding mix.

These mixes contain a lot of legumes. The parents also eat this mix till they have satisfied their appetite and the result can often be seen on the breeders by the second week. They no longer look super fit. The burdensome proteins out of the legumes have already done their work. The racing pigeons feel heavy in the hand and usually the breast flesh is blue. This is not a sign of optimal condition.

Preparing for the Racing Season
It would be better to give the old birds just enough breeding mix so that they can feed their youngsters, after which we could give them a lighter mix for themselves, for example, a cleansing mix. You should see how the stay in condition. Of course, it is a bit more work, but the results are well worth it. So, it you have sufficient time…

The Racing Season
Fiber is also important throughout the race season. Especially after a long or hard race the intestinal tract may be considerable upset. In order to get it back in order, fiber will provide for a return to good intestinal action. When the weather is hot it is not advisable to feed a lot of fiber, which contain a lot of non-digestible carbohydrate. Fiber must also be partially digested. This requires a lot of moisture and moisture is necessary while racing. The fiber of fat rich seeds, such as sunflower and safflower, at least has the advantage of delivering a lot of energy, which is contained in the seed.

One of the by-products of the conversion of fat within the system while racing is moisture. I don’t think it is sensible to feed to much paddy rice on shipping day. The high amount of fiber absorbs moisture from the bird and returns relatively few calories to the bird. Rice can be fed on shipping day. But, it should be white rice. What’s the difference you ask? Put a handful of white rice in a glass of water. Do the same with paddy rice. After a while look to see what has happened. The paddy will still be floating on top of the water but, the white rice will have swollen due to the absorption of water. All this moisture can provide an advantage for the birds while racing home the following day.

Well look now, I’m already talking about beautiful tropical days. I’m beginning to imagine an uninhabited island. I can pick a delicious coconut, but one without the fiber please!