RACING PIGEONS HEALTH ADVICE

(Q1) Pigeon Vitality Products are 100% Natural?
Yes 100% using the finest ingredients, mostly fit for human consumption as they are produced by a company registered for the production of human products. Although the production costs thus are higher than for ordinary animal feed addi- tives, we prefer this as the quality is high and stable from batch to batch.

(Q2) what Studies have being involved in the products development.?
There is always a great deal of research followed by field testing carried out by some selected fanciers from various parts of the world. Frode, the owner and product developer is also a very successful pigeon fancier, carries out very intense testing using a number of different ways. There has been some contract R&D projects at the University of Gent in Belgium, may be the most acknowledged pigeon R&D group in the word. Some minor R&D projects are taking place in Pigeon Vitality’s head- quarters. Some tests and R&D is also performed in Norsk Hydro R&D labora- tory in Frode’s hometown (his former employer). Following the laboratory tests – if the results are convincing in the laboratory – all products are tested by selected partners (fanciers) around the world the first year, to make sure these product have an impact on health or performance also in real life. If there is any failure or if the field test dot conclude the laboratory test – the product will never be launched on the market.

(Q3) Natural Products VS Antibiotic Treatments Performance based which is better.?
It depends. There is no doubt that if there is a serious medical problem, that the correct antibiotic (or any other dedicated medicine) used according to the vets guidelines – will cure the disease. Eg to use antibiotics against paratyphus/ salmonella for 12-14 days. But in the racing season there is no time for treat- ment of the best racers in close to two weeks – followed by a week or two with restitution. And this is the core of the problem – because some fanciers will be attempted to reduce number of days treatments, which again open up for antibiotics resistance. Note that it is not the pigeon that will be resistant, but the disease causing organism (like paraty- phus in this example). And this antibiotic resistant bacteria will easily spread in the drinking water in the baskets and make other pigeons exposed for the diseases – but with a more potent end resistant version of the bacteria – which may be difficult and with time impossible to treat with ordinary medicine. If you instead of treatment always use natural products to strengthen the immune defense system of the pigeon – that is a much more sustainable way of keeping our pigeons healthy. Simply explained; if you can maintain a healthy gut flora and suppress any harmful bacteria there should be little or no need for antibiotics. During the racing season I have seen a major differ- ence using only Natural products, and had birds tested regularly with micro- scopic testing, and for the last two years had no failures in these tests. So I would have to stick with no antibiotics during racing at all and if possible very little throughout the year.

(Q10) Are the products good value for money?
Compared to other products I have used in the past, Yes by far they definitely go much further than most products on the market. They have all proved their bene- fits for the pigeons vitality, performance, and health, and they are sold as concen- trates. Eg. will 125 gram Improver treats 250 liter with water.

I want to thank Danny and everyone at Pigeon Vitality UK for agreeing to this report with me.

Richie O’Neill
Facebook group Racing Pigeons Health Advice

richardoneill91@outlook.com