On this page, you'll find
extensive
information leading on Lost Homing Pigeons
information
and products to help you
on your way to success to find all you need about Racing
Pigeon Loft.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
On this page, you'll find
extensive
information leading on Lost Homing Pigeons
information
and products to help you
on your way to success to find all you need about Racing
Pigeon Loft.
You may also recall too that the red fibres far outnumber the white fibres by about 14 to 1, and that these red fibres, fueled primarily by fat, are utilized in the presence of oxygen, for prolonged, rapid flight. The lesser numbers of white fibres in the great breast muscles are able to operate normally and efficiently in anaerobic conditions (an=without; aerobic= oxygen; hence, these fibres operate effectively in very low levels of oxygen) in which they use glycogen as their major fuel. Importantly, it is also known that these white fibres are recruited at any time during flight when the rate of the wing beat, which is usually an average of 5.4 beats per second at cruising speed, is significantly altered, such as in situations that require dodging or explosive bursts of speed, or for example, if the bird has to pull hard against the wind. In our original example, since the race was tough, the birds had to pull strongly against the wind, and as a result, there were significant biochemical changes resulting from the anaerobic use of white fibres in the breast muscles. Because the white fibres function in the absence of oxygen or in very low levels of oxygen, one of the biochemical by-products of their work is lactic acid which can build up in the overworked system. This build up of lactic acid can damage not only internal organs, but also both types of fibres — red and white — in the breast muscles where it is first produced. Under these acidic conditions, the muscle fibres become damaged, and they react by swelling to cause the hard, board-like feel noted when affected birds are handled. The rise in the values of the two serum enzymes mentioned helps to tell the story. Characteristically, CPK values rise very quickly following injury to muscle, and indicate very recent, on-going damage to the muscle, whereas ASAT values rise more slowly and indicate earlier damage, in this case, damage that likely began soon after the bird arrived home. Now, what about the treatment of birds already affected by the tying up problem? At this somewhat late stage of the condition, exercise is out of the question for obvious reasons: the bird is too tied up and in pain because of the lactic acidosis that has caused the damaged muscles to swell. All the fancier can really do at this stage is to wait for the situation to return to normal, perhaps with the use of light feed such as barley and a little support. In theory, alkaline powders such as baking powder could neutralize the generalized acidity but there is the risk that overdosing could shift the system from acidic side to the alkaline side. It would be best to err on the side of caution by relying on rest and time to resolve this situation. Can anything be done to prevent the condition in the long run? In my experience, one of the best and most practical preventive measures by far is unquestionably, exercise. To me, the biggest single contributing factor to the problem after birds return home is enforced, prolonged rest. Yes, the birds are tired after a hard fly, but I feel very strongly that it is critical after any race, and definitely after a hard race, to let all race birds out of the loft for light exercise, even for a few minutes, at the next exercise period that day or certainly, the following day and beyond. The effect of this mild exercise is to metabolize or "burn off" any build up of lactic acid that has occurred during the race. Note that human sprinters, Thoroughbreds, greyhounds, etc. all routinely walk for 15-30 minutes after a race, and for the same reason: to metabolize the lactic acid that has accumulated during the race. We strive to provide only quality information, so if there is a specific topic related to Racing Pigeon Loft website that you would like us to cover, please contact us at any time. And again, thank you to those contributing daily to our Lost Homing Pigeons website. << Return from Lost homing Pigeons page, back to Racing Pigeon Loft Home |