Influence of the flight season on the health status of the carrier pigeons

Carrier pigeons are highly valued for their outstanding orientation skills and high performance that they display during races. The breeding of the carrier pigeon is very important for these reasons. Increased stress and short time for regeneration during the race are an important factors that significantly affects the health of racing pigeons and their composition of bacterial microflora. The aim of this study were to observe the health status and changes in bacterial microflora of 80 racing pigeons in age 1.5 - 4 years originated from holding on west of Slovakia , which for three months completed eighteen races at a distance of 120 - 1150 km. At the beginning and at the end of the race season were taken the samples of swabs from cloaca and oropharynx. Comparing the most common diseases of pigeons, were found an increased incidence of coccidiosis (52.2%), trichomoniasis (31.9%), and respiratory syndrome (7.2%) after the race season. The enterococcal and streptococcal intestinal flora of pigeons during the race season was dominated and composed of mainly host specific bacteria by Ent. faecalis , Ent. faecium , Ent. columbae , E. coli , Str. gallolyticus and Str. faecalis . Results are showing that also despite increased percentage of cultivation opportune pathogens, especially coagulase negative and positive staphylococci and increased prevalence of coccidiosis, trichomoniasis and respiratory syndrome, the pigeons are able to provide flight performance and cope with changes in their organism during this difficult race period.