youngbird sickness.. interesting reading!

[Guest strapper]

have a read of this..its a bit long but interesting...note what i said yonks a go about o/birds catching ybs.

 

The name "young bird sickness" is wrong and misleading, as old birds have been known for quite a while to be frequently affected by the same syptoms. Despite a steadily decreasing performance of old birds – often during their their last years, by the time of the 5th to the 8th race – most pigeon breeders are not yet aware of this new threat. Loss of condition is accompanied by symptoms such as poor flying performance during training, reduction in feed consumption, and – in some old pigeons – vomiting after beeing fed. All these symptoms are typical for "young bird sickness".

 

Causative organism of young bird sickness is the circovirus, increasingly occurring in several species since the 1980ies. For the pig industry this virus represents a major problem. Adequate solutions are sought in modern loft management with regard to feeding, hygiene, and vaccinations.

 

For some years now experts have been discussing the occurrence of the circovirus in pigeons. To the ordinary pigeon breeder, the name of this virus sounds rather unfamiliar. Regarding the fact, though, that pigeon holdings all over Germany now carry the circovirus it is time for the term to become part of our vocabulary. This also applies to other countries. All examinations carried out in holdings where young bird sickness occurred revealed the presence of circoviruses. Only this year the bird clinic of the University of Leibzig (Germany) has examined about 30 holdings of pigeon breeders who, until now, didn't have any problems with young bird sickness. The outcomes were clear: Circoviruses were found in each of them.

 

When I sent three of our club president’s youngsters, which have never been affected by young bird sickness, to the Univesity of Leipzig in order to have them examined even these animals showed to host circoviruses.

 

Circoviruses inhibit the immune system of youngsters. The so called Bursa Fabricii is the central defense organ in young pigeons. It is responsible for the production of immune cells which in turn are vital to the protection from diseases. Circoviruses damage these immune cells and thus cause a lack of resistance in youngsters. As a consequence, they are ruthlessly exposed to other germs like E. coli, one of the main malefactors relating to the outbreak of young bird sickness.

 

The Bursa Fabricii can also be referred to as "pubertal organ", since it is exclusively found in young pigeons. It increasingly degenerates within a couple of months; older pigeons possess other immune mechanisms which protect them from diseases and cannot be periled by circoviruses. This is probably one of the reasons why pigeon fanciers who use a dark system have fewer cases of young bird sickness. At the beginning of racing season their early youngsters already pass for "pseudoadults" and have additional defense mechanisms.

 

Young bird sickness is a potential risk to every breeder’s holding. There are various factors responsible for its outbreak, including overpopulation in combination with lack of hygiene. Also the much praised "straw corner" is no more than an ideal hatchery for microorganisms. I recommend daily cleaning and, in particular, disinfection of the compartment housing the youngsters of last year.

 

A cloudless blue sky is poison for young pigeons. As a rule, you should avoid letting them fly during such days. Some organizers who despite last year's heatwaves still arranged youngsters races would deserve a "pink slip". Youngsters often escape when undergoing the stressful experience of the first basketing. Frequent private basketing as well as immediate flights around the house can help your birds to better handle this unsettling situation. Moreover, racing associations should consider helping young birds to deal with these stress factors by initiating several training flights of no more than 50 km distance. Years ago, in my first vaccination reports, I already recommended separately administered vaccines against

 

–paramyxo (early, preferably when separated from parents)

 

–salmonellea (living vaxine Zoosal-T, produced by IDT)

 

–pox (follicle method, shortly before racing season)

 

as the only appropriate method for stimulating a young bird's immune system. Today, numerous pigeon breeders confirm that no more cases of young bird sickness occurred in their holdings since they had been separately administering these three vaccines.

 

The outbreak of the disease is often favored by feed which is too rich in proteins (pulses). Pigeons don't need pulses, especially during racing season! Nevertheless, some pigeon fanciers will continue to spread their "sapiences" about nutrition, although I have never heard of any top athlete feeding on succotash.

 

Usually the outbreak of young bird sickness is accompanied by a symptomatic triad consisting of a reduction in feed consumption, vomiting after being fed, as well as discharge of green and mucoid droppings. In almost all cases Escheria coli has been identified as the pathogenic germ responsible for the disease. Antibiotic resistance in E. coli bacteria caused by traditional antibiotic treatments has rendered these largely ineffective. Moreover, an increase in recurrences can be observed after successful treatment of young bird sickness. Many pigeon breeders notice the above mentioned symptoms weekly after each race and thus finally give up their participation in the current racing season. Not to mention the severe losses among young birds caused by young bird sickness.

 

During molt and wintertime, numerous pigeons who suffered already from the disease as youngsters sit in the lofts. Physically they appear to be healthy but appearances are deceiving and their true bodily condition will show during racing season by the time of the 5th to the 8th race. An increasing number of races, accumulation of mileage, and difficult flights will eventually cause a performance decline. The birds show poor results during training flights, the texture of their droppings changes, and, as it takes longer for the feed to pass the crop, you will also notice a reduction in feed consumption. Some old pigeons throw up one or two hours after beeing fed. It is now or never that pigeon breeders should realize that E.coli strains responsible for their last case of young bird sickness survived inside or around their loft, within the youngsters' compartment, and, in all probability, within the bodies of the formerly affected young birds. These germs now show their morbid effect on old and stressed out pigeons causing a considerable decline in race performance.

 

Nowadays, modern loft management includes all of the three vaccinations and a perfect care system. I was the first pigeon breeder to ask for the production of a strain-specific E. coli vaccine in order to solve my problems caused by these germs. After my successful participation in the last racing season (both young and old pigeons) I am able to state that the effect turned out to be more than convincing. Not a single young or old pigeon showed the clinical symptoms of young bird sickness. On the contrary: During the entire racing season all birds had an even better bodily condition than the years before (and my expectations concerning my pigeons' health are extremely high).

 

Commercial E.Coli vaccines requiring a long development process are used to immunize various species. The problem with pigeons, though, is the large number of different E.Coli strains they host. This is why the only possible solution is a strain-specific vaccine. The production of such a strain-specific vaccine has to be preceded by a definite identification and isolation of the pathogenic germ – in this specific case meaning E.Coli. Needless to say that a streptococcus vaccine will not help to prevent an E.Coli-induced disease. This example demonstrates that extensive diagnostics are the key to success. Self-treatments with antibiotics sometimes hinder diagnostics as well as germ isolation. The administration of a strain-specific vaccine is, as a matter of course, only legitimate within the holding it has been developed for.

 

In 2005, I called on the veterinary center Beck, Düren-Merzenich (Germany), in order to have fecal smear tests performed for ten youngsters showing the symptoms of young bird sickness. For diagnosis the samples were sent to Biofocus, a veterinary lab in Recklinghausen (Germany). After veterinarian Susanne Jansen found evidence of E.Coli strains in each of the ten samples they were forwarded to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin (Germany). Dr. Steinrück (Centre for Infectiology and Pathogen Characterisation) determined by means of corresponding examinations the serotype of each E.Coli strain populating the ten samples. After completion of the diagnostics I had a strain-specific E.Coli vaccine produced by IDT, Germany. In winter 2006 I immediately vaccined all of my old pigeons and by spring also the youngsters. No vaccine-related adverse reactions occurred. Veterinarian Dr. Lauterbach (Impfstoffwerk IDT) supported me throughout the process.

 

I hope that as many breeders as possible will try to adopt this new approach. The pigeon sport needs modern solutions and strain-specific vaccines can provide them. A collection of the various E. coli strains in pigeons may even one day allow for the production of a commercial vaccine.

 

 

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hope this didnt bore you

[Guest strapper]

whats your thoughts on the info in this reading?

[gooner]

very interesting , wil have to read it afew more times to take it in properly

[Guest strapper]

very interesting , wil have to read it afew more times to take it in properly

 

i always do gooner m8...i find i understand points better then.

 

 

[ryesway]

prevention is always better than cure so they say, very interesting to read  

[thunderboult]

i think instead of treating for more and more things, they should let nature take it's course. only the strong will survive and they won't need proping up with drugs all the time.  pigeons that need drugs just to survive are not worth bothering with.