Maximum Nutrition - Donny James


MAXIMUM NUTRITION
Written By Donny James
1999

In this article I would like to touch base on nutritional facts and explorations in feeding. Many times I have heard my fellow pigeon enthusiasts talk mainly about protein in their birds’ diet. One day it hit me, “What about all the other things that make carbon-based beings function—VITAMINS, FAT, FIBER and CARBOHYDRATES!!! These nutritional components are what make carbon-based beings able to function on an everyday basis as well as bringing out top performance. To better understand nutritional diets we must first understand how each essential nutrient function and affects the body. The table below will be used for this purpose:

PROTEIN: Protein is made up of amino acids, which are basic building blocks of muscle fiber. Fatty acids are a component too.
FAT:

Fat is used as a means to store energy, which is used when the body's supply of glucose is unavailable.

 
FIBER:

This allows for a more complete utilization of nutrients in the digestive tract.
CARBOHYDRATES:           There are two groups: Simple and Complex. This translates into ENERGY. The simple carbohydrate group breaks down faster than the complex carbohydrate group in the digestive tract.
VITAMINS:  Vitamins are used by the body for regulation of certain metabolic process, physiological and enzymatic systems.
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Vitamin Categories:

1) Fat Soluble A, D, E and K
2) Water Soluble B Complex and C

So now you must be wondering where do all of these nutrients come from?  Well, they come from all of the various grains in your feed. Some grains contain more than one of the nutrients mentioned above. Generally the feed companies have a complete variation on nutrient content in feeds.

This means one must pay attention to what one is buying. If you are not pleased with how the feed you are using is affecting your birds’ growth, stamina, etc., then call your feed company and ask if maybe they can help you customize a blend of grains for your specific needs or simply do it yourself.

The following table is a list of grains and their nutritional contents:

Grain Protein Carbohydrates Fat
Barley 10.4% 66.6% 1.8%
Field Peas 11.3% 69.2% 2.6%
Flaxseed (Linseed) 25.2% 57.8% 1.1%
Hempseed 18.3% 36.2% 32.6%
Kafir Corn 11.2% 71.1% 2.9%
Maize (Indian Corn)  8.9% 68.9% 3.9%
Millet Seed 11.6% 67.0% 4.0%
Maple Peas 22.5% 59.1% 0.9%
Peanuts 30.2% 11.6% 47.6%
Rice, unhulled 7.4% 64.3% 2.6%
Rice, polished 6.7% 79.5% 0.4%
Rapeseed 19.4% 16.4% 38.5%
Soy Beans 35.7% 27.5% 17.5%
Sunflower Seeds 14.2% 42.6% 32.3%
Vetch 20.0% 55.8% 17.0%
Wheat 15.2% 70.9% 1.8%

We will now look at grains in general. These will be categorized into Pulses, Cereals and Oilseeds:

Pulses: Predominantly valuable protein carriers. The pigeons’ requirements are greatest during their periods of growth, pre-race, flying contest and molting.

High Protein Grains
Grain Protein Carbo's Fat Fiber
Beans 25.4% 48.2% 1.5% 7.1%
Lentils 22.0% 50.4% 1.2% 3.5%
Peas 22.9% 53.1% 1.2% 6.1%
Soy Beans 35.7% 27.5% 17.5% 4.8%
Tares 23.0% 50.2% 1.5% 6.0%

Cereals: They contain mainly carbohydrates. Cereals make up the main part of good feed mixtures.

High Carbohydrate Grains
Grain Carbo's Protein Fat Fiber
Oats 63.6% 11.2% 5.2% 10.2%
Dari/Milo 65.2% 10.5% 3.5% 1.8%
Wheat 70.9% 15.2% 1.8% 1.8%
Maize 67.0% 8.9% 4.0% 2.2%
Barley 66.6% 10.4% 1.8% 4.5%
Millet 59.7% 11.6% 3.7% 9.0%

Oilseeds: These are fat carriers. Some of them have a high protein content. Only a small proportion of oil feeds should be added to the feed mixtures. Excessive doses are harmful!!

High Fatty Grains
Seed Fat Protein Carbo's Fiber
Hempseed 32.2% 19.3% 17.9% 16.6%
Rapeseed 44.2% 19.9% 16.8% 6.3%
Linseed 30.8% 23.3% 21.6%  9.4%

Feeding allowances for individual birds becomes important and varies widely from loft to loft. The following average quantities should be allowed per bird per day: Small Breeds = 20-30 grams; Medium Breeds = 35-50 grains; Large Breeds = 40-60 grams.

In order to assure that all the grains in the feed mixture are taken up, the breeders and show birds should be fed twice a day, and the flyers once a day. The quantity of feed given should be taken within 15-20 minutes. If there is any feed left over then reduce the quantity accordingly. We also must remember that ' Healthy Pigeons Will Pickup The Last Grain'. This will help you know the pigeon's physical and mental states. A question must arise at this point, "What about the left over, unpopular grains?” Well it is particularly the point which shows the problematic nature of the pigeon feeding process. This is the result of pigeons tending to become lazy because of being partially taken out of their natural environment. They grow fat and fail to perform and breed through the fault of their keepers. By providing a proper and well-balanced feeding this can help you in more ways than one! We must also take into consideration that the partial removal of the pigeon from its natural condition contributes greatly to the individual bird’s psychological stability and performance.

I would like now to finally give one last bit of information concerning grains—percent of favor ability and percent of limits. The following table shows how you can mix your own feeds to suit the particular task of the birds chosen.

Grains

Favorable %

Limits %
Beans 10 5-25 (maybe more for squabs)
Lentils 10 5-30
Peas 10 5-25
Soy Beans 6 4-15
Tares 40 10-20
Oats 20 4-40
Dari/Milo 10 5-20
Wheat 8 5-20
Maize 5 2-10
Barley 5 1-25
Millet 5 1-10
Hempseed 2 1-5
Rapeseed 2 1-6
Linseed 5 1-10

For heavy breeders beans and tares should be added during the breeding season. One word of caution—some manufacturers offer compressed grain. For reasons of digestion its proportion in a feed mixture should not exceed 10% in the feed mixture. I hope I have in some way helped you in your continuing education for the perfection of your loft. If you have any questions or comments, please drop me a letter at:

Donny James
P.O. Box 1235
Portsmouth, Ohio 45662-1235

 

 Keep your head planted in the sky and your wings spanned wide!!