RACING PIGEON POST
Each unit of our 125gr Improver or AntiFungal costs about £20 and will treat up to 100 pigeons for 6 months against diseases and give great flying results.
Read our all our health & performance articles at Pigeon Vitality Contact our veterinarian & nutritionist team by letter or email for any query: mail@pigeonvitality.com Pigeon Vitality, Lundekroken 10, 3940 Porsgrunn Norway
Contact our resellers if you want to use these patent protected products:
H. Beattie & Son 028 3884 0486; Derek Rooney 019 25 72 13 28; Taylors Choice 01270252530; Richard Sanderson 07795161546; Abbeyton Lofts 07799640711; B.Leefe & Sons Ltd 01653691411; BJF Feeds 01909770065; MedicAnimal LTD 02030580500; Gem Supplements LTD 01243531259; Cosworth Studs Feeds 01215561497; Boddy & Ridewood 01723585858; Andrew Hitchcock 07595394444; Graham Tysom South Ltd 01797227999; Graham Tysom North Ltd 01933317444; R.E. & E Smith 01915843773; P&J Lofts Friskney 01754820027.
Pigeon Vitality is looking for more distributors, please contact us
The content (content being images, text, sound and video files, programmes and scripts) of this website is copyright of Racing Pigeon Post and this article is Copyright © 2009 Pigeon Vitality. All rights expressly reserved.
Read our all our health & performance articles at Pigeon Vitality Contact our veterinarian & nutritionist team by letter or email for any query: mail@pigeonvitality.com Pigeon Vitality, Lundekroken 10, 3940 Porsgrunn Norway
Contact our resellers if you want to use these patent protected products:
H. Beattie & Son 028 3884 0486; Derek Rooney 019 25 72 13 28; Taylors Choice 01270252530; Richard Sanderson 07795161546; Abbeyton Lofts 07799640711; B.Leefe & Sons Ltd 01653691411; BJF Feeds 01909770065; MedicAnimal LTD 02030580500; Gem Supplements LTD 01243531259; Cosworth Studs Feeds 01215561497; Boddy & Ridewood 01723585858; Andrew Hitchcock 07595394444; Graham Tysom South Ltd 01797227999; Graham Tysom North Ltd 01933317444; R.E. & E Smith 01915843773; P&J Lofts Friskney 01754820027.
Pigeon Vitality is looking for more distributors, please contact us
The content (content being images, text, sound and video files, programmes and scripts) of this website is copyright of Racing Pigeon Post and this article is Copyright © 2009 Pigeon Vitality. All rights expressly reserved.
All about the mites, lice & the racing pigeons
Mites & Lice
The two most common external parasites of pigeons are lice and mites. Lice live their entire life cycle on the bird, dying quickly once they are off the bird. They live off feather debris and bloom. Mites drink blood and other body fluids and not only live on the pigeon but also live in cracks and crevices throughout the loft. Not all mites that infect the pigeon are on the bird at any one time. Many live in the loft environment, hiding in cracks and crevices, and, in particular during the breeding season, below nest bowls and within nesting material, only moving onto the birds and nestlings at night to feed.
Treatment
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid used to treat lice and mites. Pyrethroids are plant-origin insecticides, which are very effective but very safe for use in pigeons. Permethrin Solution is used in the following three situations:
1. To dip birds to eradicate lice - Fill a bucket, diluting 10 ml Permethrin to 1 liter of water. Use warm water and treat the birds in the morning of a warm day. Add half a teaspoon of soap flakes to act as a wetting agent. Immerse birds up to their neck, fanning their wings and tail through the solution. Momentarily dip their heads below the surface. Addition of the wetting agent enables complete penetration by the Permethrin. The birds look normal 2 hours after dipping. Permethrin does not remove the birds' bloom and has a residual effect for up to 4 months.
2. To spray the loft - This is done in conjunction with Prazivet treatment to kill any insects in the loft that might be carrying any tapeworm and also to eradicate mites in conjunction with a Moxidectin treatment. It is also done before breeding to eliminate mosquitoes, flies and, in particular, red mite. Birds are removed from the section, which is then scraped clean. Permethrin is diluted 10 ml to 1 liter and sprayed onto the clean scraped surfaces and into any nooks and crannies. The loft will dry in 1 - 2 hours and the birds allowed re-entering.
3. To treat individual birds - It is a good idea to have some diluted Permethrin mixed and ready to use in a spray bottle. Any introduced birds can be quickly sprayed before being placed in the loft as can any late returning race birds. The usual dilution used is also 10 ml to 1 liter.
Coccidia
Coccidia are fascinating organisms. They can infect not only pigeons, and in fact all birds, but also dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, cows and a range of other animals. They are, however, very species-specific so that it is only pigeon Coccidia that can infect pigeons and, for example, only sparrow Coccidia that infect sparrows. There are however, several types that can infect each animal. The most common Coccidia type in pigeons is called Eimeria spp.
Animals become infected by swallowing the organism's eggs. All Coccidia once swallowed replicate in the cells of the host, in the process causing extensive damage. In pigeons, this occurs in the lining of the bowel. After multiplying here, the newly produced eggs are passed in the droppings. When initially passed, the eggs (oocysts) are thin-shelled and contain a spherical body, which looks granular, called a sporoblast. The sporoblast is an amorphous blob of protoplasm. Once in the environment, the sporoblast within the bigger egg develops into several smaller eggs called sporocysts (there are four in Eimeria), which in turn each contain a number of structures called sporozoites (there are two in Eimeria). Once this has happened, the egg is said to be sporolated. It is not until this has happened that the egg is infective if swallowed. This process usually takes 4 - 5 days but depends on temperature and humidity. Once an infective (i.e. sporolated) egg is swallowed, the sporozoites hop out and burrow into the wall of the bowel. They at first multiply asexually in the bowel cells but then develop into the equivalent of male and female gametes, which then 'mate' to produce further eggs (oocysts), which rupture back through the bowel lining before being passed in the dropping, thus completing the life cycle.
The significance of Coccidia for us as pigeon racers is that as the Coccidia multiplies in the bowel lining; it damages it, interfering with it doing its job of digestion properly. This is complicated by the fact that each time an egg ruptures back into the bowel from the lining, it causes a microscopic 'pin prick', allowing the bird's blood, electrolytes and protein to be lost.
This weakens the birds and interferes with the absorption of vital nutrients. Severely affected birds develop greenish diarrhea, are lethargic, thirsty and lose weight. Race birds with even the slightest infection are not able to give of their best.
In most lofts, a low level of infection is present and out of the racing season is regarded as normal, serving to maintain the flock's level of immunity. In two situations, the organism can increase in number and cause clinical problems:
1. As a primary disease, where there are flaws in loft management or design that lead to high exposure to the organism - The loft must be clean and dry. A build-up in the loft is prevented by regular cleaning with particular attention to the drinkers and hoppers. There is no place for wetness in a healthy loft; it not only enables the Coccidia egg to become infective more quickly, but promotes bacterial infection.
2. As a secondary disease, where other factors weaken the bird, enabling the Coccidia to increase in number and cause clinical disease - Such factors may be other concurrent disease, such as worms, or alternatively overcrowding, excessive tossing, poor nutrition, etc.
Treatment
Coccidia should always be suspected where loose droppings appear, particularly in young birds or following wet periods or heavy training. Diagnosis is through faecal examination under a microscope. The best products to use are Improver mixed in the water with AntiFungal, which will act entirely within the bowel. It can be safely used during racing. It can also be used safely during breeding and molting. The dose is 2.5gr of each per 5 liters of water for 2 - 3 days.
Monitoring of coccidial counts by faecal examination (I suggest every 4 weeks) through the race season is a good indicator of the team's form.
Other parasites
Other less common parasites that the fancier might encounter are pigeon flies, scaly leg mites and Hexamita.
Mites & Lice
The two most common external parasites of pigeons are lice and mites. Lice live their entire life cycle on the bird, dying quickly once they are off the bird. They live off feather debris and bloom. Mites drink blood and other body fluids and not only live on the pigeon but also live in cracks and crevices throughout the loft. Not all mites that infect the pigeon are on the bird at any one time. Many live in the loft environment, hiding in cracks and crevices, and, in particular during the breeding season, below nest bowls and within nesting material, only moving onto the birds and nestlings at night to feed.
Treatment
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid used to treat lice and mites. Pyrethroids are plant-origin insecticides, which are very effective but very safe for use in pigeons. Permethrin Solution is used in the following three situations:
1. To dip birds to eradicate lice - Fill a bucket, diluting 10 ml Permethrin to 1 liter of water. Use warm water and treat the birds in the morning of a warm day. Add half a teaspoon of soap flakes to act as a wetting agent. Immerse birds up to their neck, fanning their wings and tail through the solution. Momentarily dip their heads below the surface. Addition of the wetting agent enables complete penetration by the Permethrin. The birds look normal 2 hours after dipping. Permethrin does not remove the birds' bloom and has a residual effect for up to 4 months.
2. To spray the loft - This is done in conjunction with Prazivet treatment to kill any insects in the loft that might be carrying any tapeworm and also to eradicate mites in conjunction with a Moxidectin treatment. It is also done before breeding to eliminate mosquitoes, flies and, in particular, red mite. Birds are removed from the section, which is then scraped clean. Permethrin is diluted 10 ml to 1 liter and sprayed onto the clean scraped surfaces and into any nooks and crannies. The loft will dry in 1 - 2 hours and the birds allowed re-entering.
3. To treat individual birds - It is a good idea to have some diluted Permethrin mixed and ready to use in a spray bottle. Any introduced birds can be quickly sprayed before being placed in the loft as can any late returning race birds. The usual dilution used is also 10 ml to 1 liter.
Coccidia
Coccidia are fascinating organisms. They can infect not only pigeons, and in fact all birds, but also dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, cows and a range of other animals. They are, however, very species-specific so that it is only pigeon Coccidia that can infect pigeons and, for example, only sparrow Coccidia that infect sparrows. There are however, several types that can infect each animal. The most common Coccidia type in pigeons is called Eimeria spp.
Animals become infected by swallowing the organism's eggs. All Coccidia once swallowed replicate in the cells of the host, in the process causing extensive damage. In pigeons, this occurs in the lining of the bowel. After multiplying here, the newly produced eggs are passed in the droppings. When initially passed, the eggs (oocysts) are thin-shelled and contain a spherical body, which looks granular, called a sporoblast. The sporoblast is an amorphous blob of protoplasm. Once in the environment, the sporoblast within the bigger egg develops into several smaller eggs called sporocysts (there are four in Eimeria), which in turn each contain a number of structures called sporozoites (there are two in Eimeria). Once this has happened, the egg is said to be sporolated. It is not until this has happened that the egg is infective if swallowed. This process usually takes 4 - 5 days but depends on temperature and humidity. Once an infective (i.e. sporolated) egg is swallowed, the sporozoites hop out and burrow into the wall of the bowel. They at first multiply asexually in the bowel cells but then develop into the equivalent of male and female gametes, which then 'mate' to produce further eggs (oocysts), which rupture back through the bowel lining before being passed in the dropping, thus completing the life cycle.
The significance of Coccidia for us as pigeon racers is that as the Coccidia multiplies in the bowel lining; it damages it, interfering with it doing its job of digestion properly. This is complicated by the fact that each time an egg ruptures back into the bowel from the lining, it causes a microscopic 'pin prick', allowing the bird's blood, electrolytes and protein to be lost.
This weakens the birds and interferes with the absorption of vital nutrients. Severely affected birds develop greenish diarrhea, are lethargic, thirsty and lose weight. Race birds with even the slightest infection are not able to give of their best.
In most lofts, a low level of infection is present and out of the racing season is regarded as normal, serving to maintain the flock's level of immunity. In two situations, the organism can increase in number and cause clinical problems:
1. As a primary disease, where there are flaws in loft management or design that lead to high exposure to the organism - The loft must be clean and dry. A build-up in the loft is prevented by regular cleaning with particular attention to the drinkers and hoppers. There is no place for wetness in a healthy loft; it not only enables the Coccidia egg to become infective more quickly, but promotes bacterial infection.
2. As a secondary disease, where other factors weaken the bird, enabling the Coccidia to increase in number and cause clinical disease - Such factors may be other concurrent disease, such as worms, or alternatively overcrowding, excessive tossing, poor nutrition, etc.
Treatment
Coccidia should always be suspected where loose droppings appear, particularly in young birds or following wet periods or heavy training. Diagnosis is through faecal examination under a microscope. The best products to use are Improver mixed in the water with AntiFungal, which will act entirely within the bowel. It can be safely used during racing. It can also be used safely during breeding and molting. The dose is 2.5gr of each per 5 liters of water for 2 - 3 days.
Monitoring of coccidial counts by faecal examination (I suggest every 4 weeks) through the race season is a good indicator of the team's form.
Other parasites
Other less common parasites that the fancier might encounter are pigeon flies, scaly leg mites and Hexamita.