Better racing

The Birdcare Company believes in designing very comprehensive products that are simple to use. However, for both technical and economy reason you don't need all nutrients every day. So the firm's  racing system comprises four products –Pigeon Essentials (or Pigeon Feast),  Triumph!, Calcivet and Potent Brew.

Pigeon Essentials is a very comprehensive supplement that should be added to slightly moistened corn. Pigeon Feast is a fortified feed product designed to make up about 7% of your birds' diet. It is highly palatable so easy to feed ad lib to all the birds in your loft every day. It is entirely your choice which of these approaches you take depending on the way you manage the feeding in your loft. From a supplements point of view they are exactly the same. Only the strength and presentation varies.

These exciting products are designed to look after all your birds' basic nutritional needs plus provide extra support for the digestive and immune systems. They are the foundation of your birds' health and performance.

Pigeon Essentials (Pigeon Feast) contains a very comprehensive vitamin package with emphasis on the B group (energy vitamins) and the anti-oxidant vitamins (to help remove the toxic by-products of exertion).  The comprehensive trace minerals are supplied using the firm's unique 'Rapisorb' technology. This maximises nutrient absorption from the gut into the bloodstream and is achieved using nutrients that more closely resemble those found in the natural diets of wild birds.

A pigeon's digestive system is easily unbalanced. Every time the bird exercises blood is diverted from the gut to supply the heart, lungs and muscles. Prolonged lack of nutrition to the gut leads to an upset in its chemistry, reducing its efficiency and leaving it prone to microbial imbalance. Pigeon Essentials (Pigeon Feast) contains the unique 'Flourish' herbal package specially selected to help maintain an attractive environment in the gut for beneficial bacteria. This is called a prebiotic effect.

These herbs also have the benefit of providing extra protection against protozoans like coccidia and providing extra support for the immune system. So your birds are less likely to get ill following transport and racing/training and the inevitable exposure to a number of other birds.

Key ingredients in Pigeon Essentials (Pigeon Feast) have been selected to enable the birds to experience a rapid and stress free moult. Experience also shows that the water resistance of feathers is improved so enabling birds to fly more easily in wet weather.

Birds that are not being very heavily exercised may lose a little weight on Pigeon Essentials (Pigeon Feast). This is normal and the weight loss will be fat not muscle. These birds will in fact eat less food so save you money. Heavily exercised birds will not show this effect. You may also find that you can feed corn mixes with lower protein levels (fewer pulses). These mixes will also save you money.

Pigeon Essentials (Pigeon Feast) contains many key nutrients and nutricines that are not water soluble. The Birdcare Company believes that many of these ingredients are crucial to the performance of supplements and so will not compromise on this. We don't believe it is possible to make 'in-water' supplements that are anything like as good as this. Pigeon Essentials should be added to slightly moistened corn. It is a good idea to have a spray bottle of water or cooking oil for this job. Pigeon Feast can be fed ad lib.

Triumph! is the key racing component of the package. This product is designed to improve both racing performance and recovery so it is given to birds for 2-3 days prior to racing, immediately on their return and for 1-2 days afterwards.

This revolutionary product prepares the birds for the stress of the race and helps to boost their energy reserves and stamina. Other ingredients help reduce the impact of water loss during flight. Extra digestive system support is provided by including probiotics and garlic extract which work together to maximise the gut function.

A combination of the stress of racing and the exposure to many other birds (some of which will be carrying diseases) can make race recovery very difficult. Triumph! contains The Birdcare Company's unique 'white cell support system'. This is a combination of ingredients specially selected to enable the body to mount an efficient attack on invading germs using the immune system's 'Rapid Reaction Force'. This revolutionary approach has proved its worth in many sick and stressed bird situations since its launch in 2000.

Triumph! can be added to the moistened corn, Pigeon Feast or added to drinking water.

Two other important products will also improve racing performance. Calcivet was the first chelated liquid calcium supplement introduced into the UK bird market. Many have attempted to copy it. Most copies are far weaker than this superb product and so do not offer the same performance or value for money. Others have boosted calcium levels with inorganic calcium. This does not provide the high level of bio-availability that Calcivet has become famous for.

Calcium is vital for efficient nerve and muscle function. So Calcivet, given for one day before racing and one day after, will ensure that your birds have plenty of this important mineral. Used like this it also exercises the bones in their important job of controlling blood calcium levels. As a race progresses and calcium is lost, healthy, fit bones will replace these losses so maintaining maximum performance. This product can be added to the moistened corn, Pigeon Feast or added to drinking water.