The breeding period
After the moulting period, the breeding period is also an important period in the year. Where it is important in the moult to help the racing pigeons to a good and solid new plumage, the breeding period is important to give the youngsters an optimal start in the new life.
A few years ago I had a conversation with the chairman of a pigeon club about feed. The man said unequivocally that he gave his breeding pigeons the food that the young and the widowers left behind. Under the guise that those pigeons did not have to perform. Rarely have I heard such a stupid comment. Breeding pigeons must be provided with the best feed that exists. Simply because the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The young in the egg but also as soon as they come out of the egg have to make, do with what the parents can offer them. If that is not optimal nutrition, then these young already start on a crooked skate. After all, if these young are already on feed that is below par for a number of days, these young already have a disadvantage that they can barely overcome.
The most optimal thing, of course, is that the young have all the food components they need at their disposal at any time of their young life.
The practice is more unruly than people think. I don't want to write anything here to the detriment of any feed producer. Every feed producer will try, within the margins that are possible, to put together a good breeding mixture. That makes sense. Because they will do everything they can to keep the customers happy.
But grain traders also have to resort to the world market for the grains they want to use. Many grains that come from North and South America are GMO seeds. These are genetically modified seeds that are usually grown to tolerate larger amounts of pesticides. Since these GMO seeds are used, the grains are sprayed with much more pesticides than was previously the case. A commonly used agent is Glyphosate. This agent consists of a phosphate group and the amino acid Glycine. One of the problems that arises here is that when the body needs an amino acid like Glycine, it takes the first best available. So this phosphate group can be attached to that. Gluthation is a very important detoxification enzyme for the liver and the body as a whole. Now this amino acid is indiscriminately built into this enzyme, creating an enzyme that does not work or hardly works anymore. The detoxification of the body is affected by this. Now you can say that you do not notice any of that about the pigeons. That's where the pinch is now.
Pigeon racing is top sport and everything that can be prevented can be better prevented.
I do not believe everything just like that and have therefore had a number of culture mixtures examined for the presence of Glyphosate. Between the feed with the highest and lowest content of this remedy, a factor of 65 was found in our small study. For me at least reason to use the breeding food that had the lowest value at the time.
But Glyphosate does more. Glyphosate kills a lot of soil life. This allows the grain to contain a lower content of nutritious ingredients, while looking perfect on the eye. But it is really about the levels that are in the feed. I have had several conversations with feed producers and they all do their best to produce good feed. And it is certainly not the case that one could not get pigeons big with breeding food alone. So everyone has to do what he thinks is best for his pigeons. Freedom happiness.
When I started breeding youngsters myself, however, I developed the Bony Breeding Support for my pigeons and I stick it to the feed with breeding oil and / or Bony omega nucleovit. Why? Simply because I don't want to leave anything to chance. We have done trials in which some of the growers received this extra every day and growers who were only provided with these supplements 2 to 3 times a week. It is therefore noted that we use a very good breeding mixture as standard feed. Across the board, we systematically see that young that are provided with an optimizing supplement every day grow significantly better, are healthier and can be ringed one to two days earlier. This year, for health reasons, I was somewhat negligent with the last late boy. I noticed this week that there were a few clearly fewer than as I am used to. Consistency is therefore also a requirement.
Coming back to the pesticides. Unfortunately, the lobbying train in the European Union is currently working very strongly. There is a good chance that we in Europe will also have to deal with GMO food in the very near future, because (as I understand without it being on the packaging) the large and powerful companies are pushing their will and presenting us as consumers with a fait accompli. So our food then becomes GMO without us possibly knowing it. Many consumers do not want GMO food. If this is stated on the packaging, consumers can choose. That is bad for sales. So....
Our pigeons receive the breeding oil as much as possible, to get omega 3 fatty acids in the eggs. Even as soon as they hatch, the young get omega 3 culture oil over the feed every day. It has been known for a long time that omega e fatty acids, EPA and DHA, can cause a thousandfold increase in the connections between the brain cells. As a result, the young are equipped with a, as it were, better processor between the ears.
A young must not only be able to fly well but also be smart between the ears. Glyphosate, on the other hand, inhibits the formation of these cross-connections. Another reason to give omega 3 and breeding support during breeding (and at least until the young have grown slightly) and rearing.
The cultivation support is a product that we hardly have to advertise. The enthusiasts convince themselves as soon as they use it. When asked that these products are all expensive, I would like to say that it could be better to breed fewer pigeons that are optimally healthy and developed than many pigeons that have not been optimally bred.
Everyone just has to do what they want. With this newsletter I just want to highlight the possibilities that exist to achieve an optimal breeding period.
At the transition from wet to solid feed, I like to give the pigeons some Bolektrolplus in the drink so that there are no sprayers in the nest.
The basis during the cultivation is formed by Bio B.M.T and Basiskern that is glued to the feed together with the cultivation support.
Good luck.
