Evaluation
The season is coming to an end. For many fans it's been great fun, for others disappointing, even though one used the same tactics as last year and that worked perfectly back then. There can be several factors that throw spanner in the works.
One comment I hear often made sighing, is that it is as if there are only new diseases appearing. That will not be the case, but as simple as 25 years ago, it is indeed no more. Back then we had everything pretty well under control, like coccidiosis, worms and cancer. Occasionally a cure for respiratory and ready we were. But not today. At least for many enthusiasts. What has changed in that time?
First, the number of pigeons increased greatly in the lofts. Lofts of more than 100 or 200 birds are no exception. To see that in these lofts, the infection pressure can greatly increase, one does not have to be clairvoyant. The fact is that if multiple people or animals, whether or not under stress conditions, get together the change on spreading infections increases. Especially towards beings who have a reduced resistance.
Secondly, throughout the years it has become so common that we treated our pigeons with drugs that even the weaker ones survived. Lots of natural selection that was common in the more distant past is discarded. The reverse thing you see happening to fans who made selection their most important 'medicine'. On those lofts we usually see the infection pressure decrease. This population pigeons on these lofts are less susceptible to infection, on a course of time. On these lofts, when there are new or purchased pigeons, they often do not make it do to the more "Spartan" conditions.
Third, indeed over the years we see that it seems like that there are more diseases and existing illnesses seem harder to beat. Partly this I think is a result of the weakening of the pigeons by the permanent gift of antibiotics. I recently read an article that this is confirmed in part. Giving antibiotics at a young age in humans show for many years after working in the intestinal flora of these children and thus their overall resistance.
Finally, round the year 2000 the Circovirus introduced himself in the pigeon sport. Possible that this infection was playing longer. We note that there are more infections are not (yet) have been previously established. As is known, this virus undermines the overall resistance of the pigeons which the power of the pigeons to body to infections are clearly declining. Various infections where, especially, the youngsters did not suffer from (hardly) are now possible to be a problem. To curb these problems drugs are often prescribed again and given to prevent worse and make continuing participation in the game season possible. So it is clear that this approach leads to survival of the weaker ones, what brings us back to the second reason for weakening the pigeon population as a whole.
In short, we are the ones who can do something about it. Indeed we cause many of the problems ourselves. That brings that the good ones have to suffer under the bad ones. And as so often are the ones who understand how to break the pattern often accused of "secret agents" because they begin to increasingly play better. What is the secret then? Selection, selection and selection. It helps to bring the general resistance to a level, so that the infection pressure is not that high. So, not the choose to give the pigeons medicine all the time but to choose for a more natural approach.
As a veterinarian, I can, of course, like most of my colleagues limit myself to prescribing medications. Make sick animals better. That's what we veterinarians trained to do. Recently I was interviewed for the National Veterinarian Magazine. I then used the opportunity to show that we, as veterinarians in totality sometime fall short if we leave it at that. Nobody takes us a little blame. Indeed, it has always been accepted that vets only have to make animals better. But I believe that it is also a task of veterinarians to give advice and to wear or take measures to ensure that the animals not get sick. Prevention is always better than cure.
That is the starting point of our clinic for years and years. As lovers come to us with sick pigeons then we will try to do everything to make them better. But we do not see that as the final stage, but rather as a starting point. It is our goal to act preventative from that point where we both with preventive inoculations, where possible, to keep diseases. We also provide advice and recommendations to make to prevent the pigeons unnecessarily quickly fall prey again to a (next) disease. As a natural approach to the resistance to a higher level. An additional advantage is that the pigeons can stabbing in the build-up of the shape their energy. Energy they otherwise were stabbing in the recovery of the body after weathered diseases.
If both previous cases are met, then we get to the opportunity to give sport medical support that we have developed over the last 7 years. It has been found that with natural resources the condition and the form of the pigeons can be supported so that they are capable of higher performance. The practice shows us that.
As so often in the sport world it goes around that we have special sports mixes. Many fanciers who themselves say all knowing look in vain then accompanied on our websites or call for it. It is not that we want to be mean, and are not wanting to deliver these. But what matters is that the pigeons first have to be brought into optimal health situations to get maximum results. And I want to be the one who has seen it with my own eyes if it is useful.
As so often, there are also, what concerns this, lovers who think they have everything under control and find a check up of pigeon crap.
If such additional preparations do not work then this is up to the preparations and not to their own loft blindness. This may sound like a bold statement. But after walking around in the sport for over thirty years, you know how things work.
In a previous newsletter I wrote that the prices for the coming year are now being made. This includes selecting and ensure that the pigeons are not only healthy but also optimal moult through. Neglecting supporting moulting asks his price over the next year. Again, this is something that the 'good' breeders see, but probably do not talk about it because it is so logical. But how many fans, focus their gaze on something the next months other than the pigeon sport and put the best care at a low point. Force of habit.
Two small advices for the coming period: make sure you get the best pigeons through the moult. Many fans have already used the moult special offer what was in last month’s newsletter. We are extending this offer also for this month. The second advice is to collect droppings as the doves are at the end of the molting. For a period of five days and let this mixed sample be checked for the presence of shedders of Salmonella bacteria, before you cure for paratyphoid. That for many is considered as normal, but maybe not the right one.
Another advice for the upcoming breeding season. Consider to support the breeding and combine breeding support and breeding oil together. I lost count of the number of people who did this and told me that they had to ring there youngster 1 -2 days earlier. And from personal experience, I see that the youngsters stand up beautifully. Ourselves we give Basic T with that. Sprayers we haven’t seen ever since.
Finally, a note to exit. We saw this year yet again pigeons who had subclinical paramyxovirus. These birds were all vaccinated once. Double vaccination is therefore our advice. And once you are busy combine it with Herpes. You and your pigeons are riding the wave, usually with fewer losses and fewer respiratory problems. To have the breeders at least 3 weeks prior to breeding vaccinated the youngsters will have the best protection with the launch of their lives.
Good Luck!
Peter Boskamp
