The health and performance of your racing pigeons is directly influenced by the vigor of their immune system. Under natural circumstances, the immune system is a wonderful, sophisticated network of cells and molecules that constantly strive to maintain health and well being. It is responsible for all aspects of health and when functioning at peak efficiency can handle anything.

However, stresses associated with racing and training, cross contamination in the shipping crates, environmental pollution, inclement weather, inadequate nutritional feed sources and a number of other factors, greatly reduce the effectiveness of our bird's immune systems.

The challenges that we face; when preparing our birds for the breeding season, the rearing of their young and in preparation for the race season have reduced many fliers to a “shotgun” methodology when using antibiotics on the birds. You know what I am talking about, treating the birds with a regular antibiotic schedule whether or not they actually show symptoms. We often hear this approach called “preventative treatments”. I call it - Antibiotic Abuse. Just pull the trigger and hope you hit something.

These so called “preventative treatments” compound health problems by breaking down within our birds the “natural” disease fighting mechanisms, we collectively call the “immune response”, while at the same time often creating “super-bugs” resistant to many of the antibiotic treatments available today.

Making the situation even worse, we then further tax our bird's internal organs with all kind of supplements and stimulants in the hope of “building up” the very safeguard systems we have broken down, through our so called preventative treatments, in the first place.

Helping the Immune System Do it!

I know this will appear crazy to some, but the successful flier of the near future, will shun the “shotgun approach” to pigeon health and implement programs that enhance immune response. This is being done today, and we will see greater and greater support for immune modulators as continued antibiotic dependence fails to produce the results many are striving for in our sport.

To read the complete article and see the photo go to:
http://www.racingpigeonmall.com/loft/articles/immune-modulators.html

Those that use my products know that I do not disclose my client list. I prefer to keep my clients annonomous so that any edge they develop from the use of my products is maintained against their competition. However, most all my business is "word of mouth" referrals, one friend telling another about the products. Every couple of weeks, I get a phone call from someone using the products to tell me how well they are working out in their health and race programs.

One of my clients has practically insisted that I tell his success story from using my products. So, I am going to tell his story in this newsletter.

Several weeks ago, Allen Baggs called me. He was starting his second YB series and on the first race of the season, he finished over an hour out. He said that on return, his birds were sickly, had loose green dropping and were throwing up their feed. He said he was not the only one with this problem. After this first race, he consulted a vet and the vet put his birds on Baytril and Corid. It was at this point that I received Allen's first call.

After talking with Allen, I priority mailed out my three performance and health products to him,. These are products that I mix fresh and send out from my home as needed for my clients. Six days later, I received this email from Allen:

"Hi John! I wanted to update you about my birds. They look great! I've had them on your supplements since Monday, as we discussed. They are handling great! The shine has returned to thier neck feathers, and the droppings are back to normal. They are flying well, and they will go in the basket tonight for a 150 mile race tomorrow. Thanks for all the help! Allen Baggs"

What Allen did not tell me in the email was that his birds had been locked up for two weeks without any training or loft flying. The only exercise they received before the race was on the day before shipping (Thursday) when they were tossed in groups of threes from about 10 - 20 miles.

Sunday afternoon after the results were figured, Allen called to tell me his results: (115 birds / 11 lofts / 150 miles) 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, etc.

The next week, he called to report; (103 birds / 11 lofts / 200 miles) 6th - 10th, 12th, 15th - 18th, etc.

That same week there was a club 200 futurity race in which he had the only day bird taking 1st by over 5 hours.

The next week (this week), he called to report; (78 birds / 9 lofts / 200 miles) 4th - 12th, 14th, 16th, etc.

Every week, Allen is just bursting to tell me how well he is doing in the races and that he gets many comments from his club members on how well the birds handle (and perform). Allen finally feels that he is competitive in his club. He now has a real enthusiasm towards the sport and works hard to get the results he is experiencing.

Allen flys with the Hampton Roads RPC and all these races have been 900 - 1100 ypm headwind events.

Congratulations Allen, on your strong performances. If my products have help in any way, I am greatful!