The Racing Season is almost over and our attention now turns to the Breeding Season. Breeding the next champion Pigeon Racer or the next champion show bird.
Young growing pigeons need significant nourishment to develop properly and grow. Pigeons have the capacity to grow extremely fast and therefore need significant nutrients in adequate amounts and in the correct balance. In the loft, young pigeons are solely reliant on us via their parents to provide them with necessary nutrients, particularly protein, amino acids, and minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, to grow tissues, skeleton, and feathers.
CM is produced by both parents and is derived from the epithelium of the crop lining under the influence of the hormone prolactin secreted from the anterior pituitary gland. CM is critical to the early growth and development of the young pigeon. In these early days after hatching (first 3 days after hatching) young squabs rely exclusively on this milk (curd)-like substance secreted from the crop of both parents and regurgitated to the young squeakers as they are unable to digest food suitable only for adult birds. CM is a highly nutritious compound being composed of proteins, free amino acids, and fats (predominantly triglycerides but also phospholipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids cholesterol esters and diglycerides) and a range of bioactive molecules (IgA, transferrin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and pigeon milk growth factor (PMGF)), critical to the growth and protection of the young squeakers.
CM also provides a level of passive immunity to the young squeaker via IgA immunoglobulins present in the CM. IgA is the prominent immunoglobulin secreted from the Teichmann gland located at the base of the oesophagus where it joins to the crop and these IgA secretions are mixed with the crop milk.
The composition of CM changes from day one to day 19 after hatching and after about 3 weeks of age the supply of CM tends to reduce, and the parents rely gradually on feeding their young from day 4 with CM milk mixed with their own food.
Supplementing with Prosperity™
Grain mixes alone cannot provide all the necessary nutrients to support the early growth and development of young pigeons. Many of the grains are deficient in several of the essential amino acids essential for tissue growth and feather development. These grains are also deficient in calcium and other important trace minerals which are important for skeletal development.
Applied Nutrition’s Prosperity™ is a pigeon starter and hand rearing formula that has been designed and developed to provide a complete compliment of nutrients, including protein, key essential amino acids, vitamins, trace minerals and major mineral such as calcium and phosphorus to support good tissue and feather growth and skeletal development in young birds.
In addition, Prosperity™ contains TummyRite™ components that aid the bird to develop its own natural immunity to disease challenges and to improve the digestibility of the major feed components.
The protein in Prosperity™ is pre-digested, but not a denatured protein, which ensures
the protein is more bio-available to the bird, resulting in improved nutrient absorption.
The pre-digested process reduces allergenic reactions in birds by removing the allergenic protein components, β-conglycinin, glycinin and lectins that are responsible for these allergenic reactions. Prosperity™ contains lactic acid generated naturally through the fermentation process leading to a product of low pH and excellent palatability. The product stimulates high feed intake and assists favourable GIT micro flora and therefore assisting to reduce the pathogenic bacteria challenges in the gut. The improved digestion of major feed ingredients helps to reduce excessive gaseous emissions and reduces the impact of feed on the environment.
Amino acids are the essential building blocks of protein. During the production of body tissues, feathers and eggs, birds require the correct amount and balance of amino acids in their feed for them to do this efficiently, to minimise waste and optimise growth and development. Pigeons going through the moult can benefit significantly by supplementing their grain mixtures with Prosperity™. Feathers are high in protein and need a range of essential amino acids, including methionine, cystine and lysine to develop properly. Grains are deficient in these essential amino acids. Feather quality is particularly important for racing pigeons.
The following table examines the breeding cycle of the pigeon and makes recommendations (in blue) on the supplementing the parent grain mix with Prosperity™ mixing a blend of Prosperity™ with the parent grain mix and where and when Prosperity™ should be fed.
Description of Prosperity™ for Pigeons
PROSPERITY™ for Pigeons is a complete balanced food for young pigeons, formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of young growing birds. The ingredients in Prosperity™ have been specially chosen for their high digestibility. Prosperity™ contains a range of multi-enzymes, vitamins, major and trace minerals, organic selenium, prebiotics, nucleotides, and key essential amino acids. See the data sheet on TummyRite™ for information on the components. All these components are important for proper tissue, feather, and skeletal development in the young fast-growing birds.
- Can be used as a complete feed to hand-rear young pigeons from 5 days after hatching to 14 days and thereafter blended with adult grain mix 50:50 ratio of Grain: PROSPERITY™ Composed of highly digestible ingredients and enzymes to aid digestion. It is important to ensure squeakers from hatch to 5 days old are given CM to receive their dose of IgA passive immunity and other bioactive molecules.
- Meets the daily nutrient (protein/amino acid/vitamins/minerals) requirements of fast-growing young pigeons for tissue, feather, and skeletal development.
- Contains components of TummyRite™ to aid nutritional digestion, promote natural immunity, assists favourable GIT micro flora for good health and wellbeing. Easy to use and Drug free.
Recommended Use Prosperity™.
Prosperity™ is best blended with grain mixes initially in a ratio of Grain: Prosperity™ as specified in the table with the brochure. The grain can be moistened with water before adding the Prosperity™ or Prosperity™ can be fed separately in a bowl or flat dish.
It is recommended that Prosperity™ be fed mixed with Grain at pairing in ratio of 80% grain to 20% Prosperity™. Thereafter from 4 days after hatching feed blended with 50% grain 50% Prosperity
Note: there is sufficient calcium in Prosperity™ for the proper growth and development of the squeakers. However, hens may need additional calcium if they are still laying eggs. The addition of extra calcium is achieved by adding in a separate dish CalciRite™ calcium supplement.