BASKETING,
RACE DAY AND RACE
RECOVERY
BASKETING
DAY
As the day of
basketing
approaches, it
becomes increasingly
important that
everything is done
correctly. An error
now means that there
is little time to
correct it or for
the pigeons to
forget. The fancier
should walk into his
basketing centre
with healthy, fit,
motivated pigeons
that are calm in
themselves and ready
for the task at
hand. The fancier's
efforts during the
week culminate on
the day of basketing.
The result on race
day is a direct
quantitative
assessment of these
efforts.
What to
drink
Of prime importance
is that the birds
drink well during
the day. Often,
clean, plain water
is the best. Some
medications are
bitter and these are
best avoided.
Anything added to
the water should be
familiar to the
birds and very
palatable. Benefit
can be obtained in
some birds by giving
probiotics or
multivitamins. Do be
careful, however, as
sugar-based or
electrolyte
preparations put in
the water too
concentrated can
actually dehydrate
the birds.
What to feed
Carbohydrates and
fats are the energy
sources during
flight. This does
not, however, mean
that the birds
should be gorged
with these types of
seed. This only
leads to the
accumulation of body
fat, which is a
hindrance. The diet
should be based on
these grains but
should be fed at a
level matching the
birds' exercise to
allow them to become
full and buoyant but
not heavy in the
hand. A grain mix
based on corn,
safflower, milo,
wheat and rice is
good. It makes no
sense to feed more
than approximately
25% legumes (peas
and beans) now. Any
grits, pick stones
or other supplements
that contain
excessive (more than
2%) salt should be
removed 1 - 2 days
before basketing but
returned to the loft
before the birds
return.
When to
exercise
Some fliers prefer
to keep the birds in
the loft on
basketing day. This
prevents the risk of
the birds overflying
due to their race
readiness or a loft
scare. The last
thing anyone wants
is for the birds to
fly their race
around the loft on
basketing day.
Keeping them in also
allows for
controlled feeding.
With the birds in
the loft, there is
no chance of the
first birds through
the trap eating
substantially more
than the last ones
in or getting more
of an opportunity to
selectively eat more
of the tastier
grains, e.g.
safflower. If kept
in the loft, the
birds also cannot
get wet if it does
happen to rain. It
is nice to send
birds covered in
bloom and definitely
bad to send birds
that are damp.
The decision to keep
the birds in or not
is more important
for sprint racing.
The advantage of
letting them out is
that the birds stay
in their loft
routine. All
pigeons,
particularly
youngsters, get a
feeling of security
from a daily routine
that is predictable
for them. A day that
is relatively normal
puts them more at
ease. If accustomed
to a fly and not let
out, the birds can
often be extremely
restless in the
loft. If flown
normally, they are
more likely to drink
normally and rest
properly in the loft
as basketing
approaches. A
moderate fly also
allows them to
stretch and tone
their muscles.
The act of basketing
itself should
proceed routinely
and calmly. Remember
to be kind and quiet
with the birds and
to conceal any
excitement you may
be feeling. Any
motivation
techniques used can
be negated by a
rough basketing,
which in turn can
result in a bad trap
on race day.
RACE DAY
What happens as the
birds arrive from a
race very much
affects subsequent
race results. It is
easy to be
distracted by the
excitement of the
moment, with people
phoning to compare
clocking times,
etc., but it is
important to
remember what is
happening from the
pigeon's point of
view. When a bird
returns from a race,
it must be given the
opportunity to
recover physically
and also be rewarded
for its effort.
Physical
recovery
When a bird returns,
it is hungry and
thirsty, its body
energy and
electrolyte reserves
have been depleted,
and it is tired.
Poorly managed, this
means prolonged
recovery, decreased
opportunity to race
the bird and
decreased motivation
on subsequent races.
Correct management
means the race can
be a positive
experience, adding
to the bird's
fitness capability
and also its
keenness in
subsequent races.
For physical
recovery to occur,
the bird must be
provided with
several basics:
food, water and
electrolytes and
rest.
Food
Obviously food must
be available to the
returning birds, and
all the better if it
is the right type.
The aim here is to
quickly restore
blood sugar levels
and start to replace
organ glycogen
reserves. Basically,
the birds initially
need a mix that is
high in energy and
calories and low in
protein, a mix that
is often described
as a 'light' mix.
The mix needs to
contain
carbohydrate- and
oil-based grains
that are readily
digestible such as
milo, safflower,
wheat, rice and
corn. In addition,
there is advantage
if small seeds with
similar composition,
such as white
millet, canary,
canola, hulled oats
and linseed, are
used. These have a
larger surface area
compared to their
volume on which
digestive enzymes
can act and so their
nutrients are
released more
quickly to the
birds. There is also
advantage in adding
to the seed a small
amount of blended
conditioning oils,
such as Polyseed Oil
(e.g. � - 1 ml/kg).
However, several
hours after return
or the next day
after the birds have
rested, depending on
the type of race, a
more substantial mix
with peas and beans
should be offered.
These are
protein-based
grains. Proteins are
the building blocks
for healing and
tissue repair.
For distance racing,
the practice of
feeding a
high-carbohydrate
mix, often called a
'depurative' mix,
for several days
after the race
should be
discouraged. A man
working hard all day
does not want to sit
down to a piece of
cake but is looking
for a steak and
pigeons are no
different.
Essentially, we need
a quick replacement
of lost calories and
energy, followed by
access to foods that
will rebuild the
body's energy
reserves.
Water and
electrolytes
During exertion,
both water and
electrolytes are
lost from the bird's
system. These need
to be correctly
replaced to restore
the bird's sense of
well-being and to
speed recovery. With
short or easy races,
plain water and
access to grit and a
pink mineral (e.g.
PVM Powder) will be
sufficient. However,
with extreme
exertion,
significant levels
of electrolytes will
be lost. If the
birds are allowed to
drink plain water
upon return, this
further dilutes
those remaining
electrolytes,
leading to a
condition called
'water intoxication'
and results in a
prolonged recovery.
Recovery is
therefore speeded by
the use of
electrolytes in the
water. At my clinic,
I recommend an
electrolyte
preparation
(Electrolyte P180)
be placed in the
water on long races
and in particular on
hot days when the
birds arrive at the
loft distressed.
Alternatively,
products such as
Probactrin can be
used. Probactrin
contains
electrolytes,
multivitamins, avian
probiotics and
simple sugars. These
simple sugars do not
need to be digested
and in pigeons are
passively absorbed
through the bowel
wall. This means a
quick replacement of
lost energy.
Probiotics
(beneficial bacteria
from the bowel) are
necessary for
digestion and
absorption of
nutrients. These
organisms are
essential for health
but yet are the
first to be lost
with any stress.
Quick replacement
enables bowel
function to return
more quickly,
meaning the
droppings in the
postrace bird return
to normal more
quickly and that
feather down drop
resumes. Probactrin
replenishes body
fluids, provides
energy and
nutrition, helping
to re-establish
blood sugar levels
and replace depleted
glycogen reserves,
and floods the bowel
with beneficial
bacteria, replacing
those lost during
the race. On the
Continent, where
widowers are often
sent to a 200-mile
race each weekend,
the use of such
medications has
particular
advantages. Quick
recovery means a
quick return to race
form.
Rest
All fanciers are
keen to check on
their birds as they
return and in
particular to check
that all of their
fancied birds are
back. But it is
important that the
birds are given a
chance to rest and
sleep. Try and avoid
unnecessary
disruption.
Psychological
recovery
It is important to
remember the three
cardinal
requirements of a
pigeon to win: it
must be fit and
healthy, have
genetic quality, and
be motivated. If the
bird is fit, healthy
and of quality, then
it is relatively
straightforward to
get it to home. What
makes it a winner is
its keenness to
return. This is why,
on the Continent,
where fanciers
provide each other
with the world's
toughest
competition, that so
much effort is put
into motivation
systems such as
widowhood.
Too often, this
aspect is overlooked
by fanciers. In
Australia, because
the vast majority of
birds only compete
in their first year
of life, the season
can be viewed as
simply an extended
European Young Bird
program, with many
fliers relying on
food and love of the
perch to draw their
birds home quickly.
The Australian
practice of
separating the sexes
as puberty
approaches before or
during a season
would appear alien
and bizarre to most
Continental fliers.
Behaviorists tell us
that when an animal
is doing something
for a reward, the
benefit of the
reward is halved if
it occurs more than
5 seconds after the
event. It is
therefore important
that the returning
bird has access to
its own perch, box,
section, hen, eggs,
etc. One can imagine
the negative effect
on a bird when it
arrives late to a
closed trap or
return and have to
wait in a trapping
section to be
counted, etc.
Obviously, other
factors like loft
security from cats,
etc. must be
considered here but
the fancier must
keep in his mind
what is going
through his bird's
mind as it returns
from a race. The
pigeon must feel
welcomed back into
the loft,
anticipating during
the journey a
reward, be it simply
food and a secure
perch for a young
bird, eggs for a
naturally raced
bird, or the hen of
a widower.
Interpreting
the results of race
day
Obviously, a good
indicator of how the
team and loft are
fairing is the
position in the
race. This can,
however, be
deceptive in places
where organizations
have a clocking
limit. One
competitive bird can
make a bad team look
good. What one
should be looking
for, in addition to
the time of arrival
of the first bird is
a good percentage of
the team arriving in
competitive time.
Essentially, what we
want is for large
numbers of birds to
come at the loft
quickly and for them
to look neither
mentally or
physically
distressed. Look for
the following four
indications of
health and fitness.
-
How quickly
droppings return
to normal - As
fliers would be
aware, pigeon
droppings are
made up of three
basic
components:
digested food
from the bowel (browny
green), solid
urine (white)
and liquid urine
(clear liquid).
Bile in pigeons
is green and is
produced by the
liver. Bile
digests grain,
releasing its
nutrients. When
birds are away,
their food
intake is
reduced or
absent. However,
urine production
in a
well-hydrated
bird is
constant. The
droppings of a
healthy bird on
arrival are
therefore made
up of just urine
and appear as a
creamy patch of
liquid. In races
that birds find
particularly
taxing, either
because of their
difficulty or
the
non-preparedness
of the birds,
bile is produced
because of the
bird's hunger
and exertion.
And so, in these
birds, the
droppings on
return contain
urine and bile,
appearing as a
creamy liquid
tinged to a
variable extent
with fluorescent
green. Once the
birds are back
and eating
normally,
digested food
will appear in
the droppings
and the
droppings will
start to look
the way they did
when the birds
were sent. In
healthy fit
birds, this
occurs within a
couple of hours.
Supplementing
with normal
digestive
bacteria (probiotics)
and electrolytes
hastens this
process. It is
important that
any supplements
used are sweet
tasting and
readily taken by
the birds.
Returning race
birds must drink
readily so that
any dehydration
is quickly
reversed. Birds
that drink well
upon return will
produce a good
amount of urine,
making the first
couple of
droppings passed
very watery.
Fanciers should
look for these
to ensure that
the birds have
drunk enough.
-
How quickly
birds recover
after returning,
with food and
rest - Within 1
hour on a short
race.
-
Crop emptying -
Birds that
recover well
will have an
empty crop the
next morning.
Electrolyte
imbalance and
slow recovery
interfere with
crop muscle
function,
leading to
delayed crop
emptying.
-
Comparing
results and
returns with
other fliers.
Some fliers look to
whether the birds go
to the food or the
water first, as an
indicator of how
taxing the birds
have found the race.
With exertion and
heat, moisture is
lost from the
surface of the
airsacs. With airsac
inflammation, this
loss can be
excessive, leading
to birds being more
inclined to drink
first upon arrival.
Healthy birds,
however, will drink
initially on a hot
day, if suffering
from transporter
dehydration, or
simply if the race
has been long.
Eating first does,
however, indicate
that the race has
not been overly
draining and that
the bird has been
exercising well
within its fitness
capability.
POSTRACE
RECOVERY
The day after the
race is essentially
a day of rest and
recovery. Just how
quickly the birds
recover depends on
the length and
difficulty of the
race and the
condition that the
birds were in when
sent. Birds from low
velocity, 'long
hours on the
wing'-type races are
obviously going to
take longer to
recover than birds
from sprints, i.e.
races of less than 3
hours duration, and
the basic postrace
management has to
vary accordingly.
Similarly, birds
that are sent
healthy and fit
recover quicker than
those that are
healthy but unfit.
Fit, healthy birds
arrive at the loft
and look as if they
could keep going.
They do not eat or
drink excessively.
They go to their
perch where they may
look tired for a
short time before
appearing normal and
relaxed. Healthy but
unfit birds are more
tired, more
distressed and are
sometimes
disoriented upon
arrival, which
sometimes results in
abnormal behaviour,
such as sitting on
the loft roof or
sitting on the
landing board for an
extended time. These
birds often simply
want to drink and
sleep on arrival;
however, 1/2 - 2
hours later they
will eat food and
often grit. Crop
emptying time and
the droppings take
longer to return to
normal. Birds that
are sent with a
health problem and
are therefore unfit,
not only need a
prolonged recovery
but also veterinary
intervention. These
birds arrive
distressed, will
often just sit on
the loft floor and
are not interested
in food or water
initially. Sick
birds still look
tired and have green
watery droppings 24
hours after the
race.
What to
drink
Probiotics,
electrolytes and
multivitamins can be
continued for 24
hours depending on
the speed of the
bird's recovery. If
the birds still look
tired from the race
the following day,
there are
significant race
stragglers or the
birds that did not
go to the race are
tossed,
preventative, health
medication is best
left until Monday.
It is best to
initially focus on
the race birds
recovery as
prolonged race
recovery can, in
itself, create a
vulnerability to
disease.
What to feed
Continue with the
light mix for 24
hours after arrival
unless birds look
completely normal.
After this,
reintroduce legumes
at normal levels for
a team in training
(i.e. 30 - 40%).
Ensure that grit and
pink minerals, e.g.
PVM Powder, are
available.
When to
exercise
It is best if birds
are given the
opportunity to fly
the day after the
race. They should be
let out but not
forced to fly. This
gives them an
opportunity to
stretch their wings
and to relieve any
muscle stiffness. A
bath is also a good
idea and some fliers
like to warm this.