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"A FEW ODDS AND ENDS"
(Notes on Medication and Nutrition)
Gordon A. Chalmers, DVM
Lethbridge, Alberta
Email: gacdvm@telus.net
It seems to me that this is a good time of the year to discuss a few odds and ends on medication, and in preparation for the breeding season, some nutritional considerations.
Firstly, we need to address subject of the correct dosage of Emtryl for the treatment of canker. The Association of Pigeon Veterinarians has published a drug formulary that is a highly valuable contribution to knowledge about medication and its uses, but the dosage of Emtryl indicated for pigeons is much lower than that recommended by the company producing this product.
According to the company, the correct dosage of the 40% water-soluble Emtryl powder so-called "Canadian Emtryl" for pigeons is 3 grams per imperial gallon. Here is the translation of this information into practical units. By a series of tests, I have determined that 3 grams of Emtryl is equal to one level teaspoon of the drug. Scoop out one teaspoon of Emtryl and shake it until it is level -- DON'T pack it down with your fingers. This is the amount of drug for an imperial gallon of water. In the US, because the gallon is 1/5 smaller than the imperial gallon, the correct dosage is about 3/4 teaspoon per gallon given each day for a minimum of five days, and up to seven days.
One problem is that in overdosage, Emtryl can be poisonous. Commonly, birds are overdosed during hot weather or when they are raising youngsters, or both, because of the greater need for more water at these times. One of the very dramatic side effects is to observe an Emtryl-poisoned pigeon flopping upside down on the floor of the loft, with the remainder of the birds in the loft terrified by this aberrant behavior. Other, more subtle signs of poisoning can be detected by the observant fancier.
Fanciers may attempt to compensate during hot weather by cutting the dosage. However, such an approach (as well as putting Emtryl on the end of a toothpick and dropping it into the mouth of a bird -- avoid this procedure) opens the door widely to the development of resistance by the canker organism, and since there seem to be fewer and fewer effective anti-canker products on the market, it is important not to squander perhaps one of the few remaining arrows in our quiver, so to speak.
Luckily, there is a practical solution that should avoid both lower dosages and the possibility of resistance. The practical answer is one that was proposed by an Australian fancier. Having tried it many times, I am convinced that it works, and works well. Here is what the Aussie report recommended.
At the evening feeding, make up the correct dosage of Emtryl in the drinking water, that is, about 3/4 teaspoon of Emtryl per US gallon of water. The Aussie who proposed this method recommended that treated water be placed in the loft and left for a couple of hours or so, after which, this water is thrown out and replaced with fresh untreated water for the next 24 hours. At this time, on the next evening, water containing the same correct dosage is placed in the loft and left for two hours or so, then replaced with fresh water until the next evening. This process is repeated each evening for 5-7 days. This practical answer has two major advantages. Firstly, the birds receive the correct therapeutic dosage of Emtryl for the required number of days. Secondly, the problem with poisoning seems to be avoided.
I have often modified this procedure in my own loft by leaving the treated water in the loft over night, and haven't had any problem even with small youngsters in the nest. However, if the weather is extremely hot, I would caution that, to be more certain of avoiding a poisoning situation, I would follow the Aussie recommendations and remove the treated water each evening after two hours or so, and replace it with fresh clean water until the next evening. Note that the dosage mentioned is the one recommended by the producer of Emtryl. The information presented here simply follows company recommendations for the use of Emtryl to treat or prevent canker in pigeons.
Ridzol is another product that can be used in pigeons in the treatment or prevention of canker. According to the formulary, the correct dosage is 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon (same as 400 mg per gallon) per US gallon for 3 to 5 days. Ridzol is reported to be far superior to any other drug in the US. It seems to be less toxic and more effective than other comparable drugs in the treatment or prevention of canker. However, it seems that it is approved for pigeons only in Europe.
As the breeding season approaches (for some fanciers, the season began much earlier as they breed early youngsters for the light or darkening systems), it is highly important that the excess winter fat in our birds be decreased by increasing the exercise time, or by decreasing the amount of feed that birds receive, or both. Birds in improved physical condition have better circulation and are more active and vigorous. In particular, hens that are trim and fit have fewer problems with egg-laying. A fat hen often has too much extra fat in the body cavity, and obviously, egg-laying becomes more difficult, and sometimes impossible under these circumstances.
Along with a reduction in weight, there is a need to improve the nutrition of breeders and racers being used as feeders, by reducing the amount of cereal grains such as wheat and barley, and increasing the amounts of peas and other legumes in the diet. As an example that is directly applicable to pigeons, sheep breeders "flush" their ewes and rams prior to breeding. "Flushing" means that, ahead of the breeding season, these animals are placed on a ration that is higher in proteins, vitamins and minerals to insure good fertility, and the development of a strong, vigorous lamb at birth.
Too often, we hear of lofts that have clear eggs or weak or dead-in-shell youngsters. In several cases, it has been found that the owner didn't improve the nutrition of his breeders toward spring, but rather, left his birds on the bland winter diet of, say, mainly wheat and barley, until after the eggs were laid. These birds were likely highly deficient in several nutrients, including the very important proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Other conditions such as bacterial infections of the ovary or oviduct caused by E.coli or Salmonella spp. can mimic nutritional problems and cause the same result. So, the fancier whose birds are having this problem would do well to contact a veterinarian who specializes in pigeons and other birds for a microscopic and bacteriological examination of eggs and dead-in-shell embryos.
Returning to nutrition, the diet should be improved at least 3-4 weeks prior to pairing, to insure that the systems of both cocks and hens are well fortified with nutrients essential to a high rate of fertility, development of the embryo, and vigorous hatchability and livability.
Add higher percentages of peas, say 35-45 lb to 100 lb of total feed, and even some unmedicated poultry or livestock pellets, say 10-15 lb, to this ration. Several years ago, US researchers found that an 18% protein ration prepared by adding to the ration, soybean meal or fish meal, both good sources of high-quality protein, resulted in optimum hatchability, growth and development of young pigeons. However, levels of protein higher than 18% did not result in any further improvement in growth and development of youngsters. These findings indicate that we should perhaps strive to maintain breeders on a ration that contains upwards of 18% protein.
Having seen a number of commercially-prepared breeding rations for pigeons, I have a feeling that some are not nearly as high in protein as they should be. So ask your feed supplier about rations upwards of the 18% protein range in preparing birds for the breeding season, and for the rearing of well-nurtured youngsters.
There are a number of good pellets that are high in protein, vitamins and minerals, on the market. One that is used locally is called Milk Plus (28% protein), and is produced by Cargill (Nutrena) for use in calves and adult cattle, horses and even game birds. We find it to be an excellent pellet that birds eat readily, and is ideal for the pre-breeding preparation of breeders and racers, nest rearing, and post weaning growth and development of youngsters. Another good one seems to be Calf Manna which contains 25% protein. Other feed companies produce pellets that are as useful, and interested fanciers should contact their local feed outlets for information on these products. Some companies like Purina have pelleted feeds for specifically for pigeons. Avoid pellets that are medicated for the prevention of various poultry and livestock diseases.
One subject that should be discussed at this point is maple peas, and by extension, soy beans and faba beans. Many of us have been weaned on, and strongly believe in maple peas as one of the best sources of protein for pigeons. It turns out that, apparently, maple peas aren't all that they are cracked up to be. It seems that maple peas, whether Austrian or New Zealand, along with faba beans and soy beans, are high in substances that interfere with the digestion of protein.
In fact, it has been well known for many years that raw soy beans interfered so much with the digestion of protein by domestic animals, that their use as a livestock feed, in spite of their high content of protein, was limited. However, human ingenuity overcame this soy bean problem, and once beans were cooked to destroy these interfering substances, they became very useful as a source of protein for livestock. Avoid uncooked soy beans for your birds.
Similarly, experiments demonstrated that certain high levels of faba beans reduced egg production and fertility when they were fed to laying hens, likely by the same interfering mechanism. (It is notable that during my visits to the US, I see commercially-prepared pigeon rations that seem to contain quite a few faba beans, so I continue to wonder just how much these beans are interfering with the digestion of the overall protein in these rations.)
A friend who is an expert in pulse crops (peas, beans and lentils) pointed out the problem of feeding high percentages of maple peas to pigeons, for the reasons stated earlier. It seems that all peas contain a certain amount of these interfering substances, but that they are very high in maple peas. Among different kinds of peas, wrinkled peas apparently contain some of the lowest levels of the interfering substances, and smooth varieties seem to be the next best. So, wrinkled or smooth green, yellow or white peas appear to be the best, and maple peas, among the least desirable peas for pigeons.
How do we deal with all of the maples we just bought? Use them, by all means, but drastically reduce the amount used in your rations throughout the year. A suggested level is not more than 5-10 lb of maples in 100 lb of mixed feed. To compensate, use a good smooth or wrinkled variety of peas, and include some pellets, as mentioned earlier. There should be similar limitations on the amounts of faba beans used in commercial or home-prepared pigeon mixes.
Water is something we all take for granted because it is so universally distributed. However, it too is an important nutrient that we need to take more seriously. Remember that many creatures, including humans and pigeons, are composed mainly of water. In fact, on average, humans and pigeons, among others, are composed of 65-70% water, so it behooves us to provide good potable water for ourselves and our birds. Recall the serious problem described in the RP Digest several months ago by Horst Hackemer whose youngsters were definitely "off color". He traced the source of the problem to the garden hose which wasn't being flushed adequately before the drinkers were filled, and as a result he had some serious situations with his young bird team.
Horst brought up the subject of the useful (= safe) kind of flexible tubing used in home-type trailers, to avoid the problems of unidentified chemical substances that may dissolve off regular garden hoses that are used so often by many of us to fill drinkers for the birds. His point was well taken: allow the garden hose to flush well before water is delivered from it to drinkers, especially if water has sat in the hose for several hours before drinkers are filled.
Similarly, avoid the use of water from the hot water tap in the winter time, because lead and other chemicals may be dissolved off the metal pipes by the hot water. In cold climates, it is better to boil the kettle for hot water to take the chill off cold water under these circumstances. Some new taps that I bought for sinks in the house recently had an attached warning: don't use water from the hot water tap for drinking or cooking, and let water from the cold water tap run for a few minutes before this water is used for a drink.
How often have you taken a drink from the metal fountains at schools, other public buildings and airports, etc., and noticed the somewhat sharp, but distinctly metallic taste of water that you drink right after you turn on the fountain? That metallic taste is indeed metal leached off the inside of the pipes while the water sat there for who knows how many hours, and unless you really flush the system well before you drink, you are getting a mouthful of metals that may include lead, for example, among others.
So, for birds, don't use hot water from taps during the winter, and at all times, let all piped-water systems, including the garden hose, flush well before you fill the drinkers.
If you are using one of the several products (including plain yogurt) that contain bacterial organisms described as "friendly bacteria", remember that chlorine was put in civic water supplies for the sole purpose of killing bacteria and it may well kill all of the friendly bacteria that you want for the crop and intestines of your birds. When you use these products you have to be sure that the water is free of antibiotics and disinfectants such as chlorine. You can let a pail of water sit for 24 hours to remove the chorine, or you can buy chlorine-free sources of water in carboys.
I hope that these few practical subjects, on which I have expanded in detail for better understanding by fanciers, will be of interest and value to racing fanciers.
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