Röhnfried Courier 2019 English

Carbohydrates
1.
Speeding up the recovery
ACCELERATING REGENERATION
Our first goal in the week after every competitive
flight is a speedy recovery. Science provides us with
the necessary insights for supporting the recovery
with demand-oriented strategies.
Every competitive flight is stressful. The longer the flight,
the more energy is spent. Today’s well informed breeders
know that carbohydrate is metabolised in the first flight
phase. Then, after about an hour of flying, the fat burning
process supplies the pigeons with most of the energy. In
flight, protein is negligible as source of energy.
Independent of whether pigeons in flight have the wind
in their backs or coming from the front, immediately after
the competitive flight, pigeons start building up their
energy reserves. The simplest and fastest way to do that
is to store carbohydrates as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
!
It therefore stands to reason to shorten the
recovery phase by feeding carbohydrates as
early as possible. The ‘fastest’ way is adding
carbohydrates to the water. Feeding carbohydrate-rich
grains builds up energy resources in a slightly slower process.
Pigeons tend to drink plenty of water immediately
after their return to the loft. Therefore, providing carbohydrates
in the drinking water has the additional advantage
of quickstarting the rebuilding of energy stores. We recommend
adding a mix of fast and slowly metabolised
carbohydrates to keep the blood sugar level balanced.
In the course of longer competitive flights, increased fat
burning is another factor. This involves the oxidation of
free fatty acids, a process, which also leads to the formation
of ketone bodies. After more than 2 hours of flight
time, we therefore recommend adding the organic phosphorus
supplement Butafosfan to the feed to speed up
the utilisation and clearance of metabolic side products.
For many years now, Butafosfan has been fed to working
animals to lighten the stress on the liver and to accelerate
the recovery after physical stress. Especially in cases of
medium and intense exhaustion, the pigeons recover fast
and quickly regain their physical strength.
Antioxidative vitamin C can not only help to replenish depleted
glycogen stores on a cellular level, but it can also
strengthen the body’s own defence system and accelerate
the regeneration process.
Moreover it supports iron absorption in the gastro-intestinal
tract and is a part of the body’s own hormonal synthesis.
Additionally, this valuable vitamin also participates
indirectly in the fat burning process in the muscular system.
That is why we recommend to supplement vitamin C
immediately after the race.
10 Courier 2019