Raw Peanuts: A Secret Weapon?
Article by Steven van Breemen
The famous German biologist and pigeon fancier Dr. Arno Meyer from Hamburg, Germany, allowed me to take some interesting notes from his pigeon journal:
July 24:
“Today we are clocking in for the last race of the old birds, at 700 km. At 2 AM, I give the final meal to the 14 pigeons that are participating (six widowers and eight widow hens). They are given nothing but peanuts and can eat as much as they want. At night, their crop is full of food and water.”
July 26:
“The day is hot, 28 degrees C. The pigeons were released at 06:15. The departure is weak and the race remains open for a long time, from 16:48 to 20:30. By 20:30, I had clocked 12 birds. None of them returned home exhausted or thirsty, despite the heat. Ten pigeons are prize winners, and it's a pity that the first pigeon didn't arrive six minutes earlier. The next morning, the last two pigeons also returned.”
No, you didn't read that wrong, these pigeons were given as many peanuts as they wanted. Dr. Meyer logically deduced that it would be advantageous to offer pigeons peanuts before clocking them in. What exactly are peanuts? Peanuts belong to the group of nuts with the highest oil content. Their appeal is their extremely high fat content of 47%, combined with a high protein content of 30%. The analysis in the following table explains it more clearly. The percentages of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nutritional values are expressed in calories:
Carbohydrates / Fats / Proteins / Nutritional Values
Corn 69 4 10 361
Wheat 69 2 12 351
Peas 55 1 23 329
Peanuts 12 47 30 609
As the table above shows, most of a pigeon's diet consists of carbohydrates. A pigeon's digestive system converts carbohydrates from corn, wheat, and peas into proteins, which are then stored in the bird's muscles and liver as glycogen. During the race, glycogen must be converted into energy in the same way that in a car engine, the energy for moving the vehicle is derived from gasoline. Burning 1 gram of glycogen gives the pigeon 4.1 calories of energy. Whenever the glycogen tank runs dry and the pigeon has not reached the loft, it begins to burn its body proteins, which have the same burning value of 4.1 calories. The pigeon uses its own muscles, losing weight in the process, and in extreme cases, may return home as just feathers and bones.
It would have been much better if, during these marathon races, a pigeon had enough fat to burn. If, before being clocked in, it had been offered fat-rich feed instead of normal feed which has a low-fat content. If this had been done, the pigeon would not have been forced to use its muscles; it would have come home in excellent condition, because instead of proteins, it had fats available for energy. It would also have needed fewer grams of fat, as fat has a much higher burning value than carbohydrates and proteins. One gram of fat provides a pigeon with 9.3 calories, which is 2.33 times more energy. Did you know that a Formula 1 racing car does not use regular gasoline, but a fuel with a much higher power?
To provide pigeons with some extra fat, some fanciers feed them more corn (4% fat) and oatmeal (7% fat). And for the same reason at the end of the season, when pigeons are in the air all day during long marathon races, other fanciers feed their birds oil-rich seeds such as sunflower (28%), linseed (34%), hempseed (32%) and rapeseed (42%). High-oil seeds are not only a delicacy for pigeons but are much more important than that. When victories in particularly difficult races are at stake, they could become the decisive factor, as they help birds maintain their form and body weight, even in extremely difficult conditions.
Researchers in the UK have shown that high-fat feed results in improved performance, especially when the feed is mixed with 5% corn oil. But let's go back to peanuts, the first-class fuel for our pigeons' racing engines. Peanuts are round or slightly elongated, covered with a thin, brown skin. When the skin is removed, the white kernel separates into two halves. At the feed distributor, you can buy peanuts, whole or in halves. As with other feeds that a pigeon is unfamiliar with, it takes some time to get used to peanuts. The best time to introduce them is in winter, generally without problems. Even after only a few days, the birds begin to pick peanuts out of the rest of the seeds, as if trying to tell the fanciers that they have never eaten anything more delicious. Even the shyest bird can be taught to eat from hand with the help of peanuts. A smart fancier always has a handful of peanuts in their pocket. It also seems that peanuts are the best way to get young pigeons back into the loft.
Fanciers who feed their pigeons peanuts should keep in mind that these far exceed other feeds in energy value: 5.7 grams are equal to 10 grams of regular mix. If we were to feed our pigeons only peanuts, we could cut their rations in half. But is it possible for pigeons to survive only on peanuts? Dr. Meyer told me about an old friend named Eduard Pape from Hamburg, who was a dockworker, and unloaded peanuts for oil mills. Shortly after the war, Mr. Pape was already feeding his pigeons only peanuts, because he could easily get them. He didn't give them too much, making sure not to overfeed them, and got excellent results in races, especially in more difficult races.
When administering peanuts, we must take into account that, with a protein content of 30%, immediately after soy, which has the highest protein content. Peanuts are much richer in protein than corn, for example, or wheat. As a source of fatty protein, peanuts are also ideal food for young pigeons. The composition of a peanut is similar to that of crop milk, which consists only of fats and proteins. But peanuts are expensive, so we should only offer them when necessary.
Dr. Meyer buys peanuts from his feed supplier, breaks them into three or four pieces, because when offering whole peanuts, the faster pigeons already swallow ten peanuts before the less aggressive ones, who are often the best flyers, manage to take one. All pigeons should be fed an equal amount of this valuable food, and he believes this is best achieved with small pieces. He always carries a few peanut halves in his work coat pocket; he feeds them individually to the pigeons in the breeding loft. He prefers tame pigeons; his opinion is that it is always in a fancier's interest to have a good relationship with his birds.
While raising their chicks, he offers the always hungry parents, in addition to granular feed, 5-10 grams of peanuts in the nest box, especially between the 6th and 12th day, when the chicks need to transition from crop milk to feed. A fancier who gets used to calling his chicks by offering them a few peanuts will notice something quite interesting: these pigeons will never have problems entering the loft after a race.
During the racing season, the most important function of peanuts is to increase the widowers' attraction to their boxes. After being kept out for an hour, the door opens again, and the widowers can't wait to return to their boxes to see if they find some peanut pieces in the feeder. After feeding with the other pigeons, they all sit in their own box, eagerly waiting to see if the fancier will reach into his pocket to offer them some peanuts. These are the most precious moments for any fancier or animal lover, when he goes from one box to another and extends his hand with treats to the pigeons, which are snatched by some, while others, with stretched necks, will be more reserved as they peck peanuts from his hand. This is an excellent way of individual feeding. A pigeon, returning late from a race, after having to exert more effort than its neighbor who finished at the top, receives an extra ration. Careless fanciers must be aware that it takes longer to get a worn-out pigeon that has lost weight back into shape with a protein-poor ration. Don't expect top performance from them the following weekend.
Widowers who have performed well in a race are only occasionally offered peanuts in the first half of the week. The ration is gradually increased as the week approaches its end. We are familiar with widowers who eat poorly and even with extra care from the fanciers. Such birds feel much better when fed good, tasty peanuts. It is important to check how many peanuts are given to widow hens, as they should be fed less than widower cocks. Whenever these birds are allowed to visit their boxes, they always find some peanuts, causing an increase in their love for the nest. Because they crave these delicacies so much, they become aggressive protectors of their boxes whenever a neighbor tries an amorous visit. Dr. Meyer becomes less stingy with peanuts the evening before clocking and on clocking day. This ensures that the widow hens have enough energy for the race, even if they are a little weaker. Although he races them on widowhood 14 weeks in a row, because he feeds his widow hens in this way, he has no problems with lesbian activity or laying eggs. His widow hens are also more reliable in races than his widowers and are often faster, especially when the race is difficult.
When weather forecasts indicate headwind, all participants receive an extra portion of peanuts in preparation for an intense flight. But when there's a tailwind, peanuts are given in moderation. If they are being clocked in for a race involving two nights in the transport vehicle, Dr. Meyer offers them grains in the morning (rich in carbohydrates), but in the early afternoon (so there's still time to drink), the pigeons are offered as many peanuts as they want to eat. Since one portion of peanuts is equal to the energy value of two full portions of dry feed, the birds actually eat enough for two days. At the same time, Dr. Meyer knows that when food is offered in the boxes, his pigeons will not stop in the field to eat.
The advantages of feeding plenty of peanuts on clocking day are:
1. In most pigeon transporters, food is scattered inside the boxes. There is always the risk of cross-contamination when birds eat among droppings, causing problems with the crop, stomach, or intestines. "Peanut pigeons" are not exposed to this risk.
2. "Peanut pigeons" need less water than birds that have been offered regular grain rations, because grains must remain in the crop for a long time, absorbing water, until they are soft enough for the gizzard muscles to grind them, and the process requires quite a lot of energy. But drinking is another problem in transport vehicles, especially in male crates. Pigeons that have conquered a spot near the waterer will vigorously defend that spot, making it difficult for other thirsty pigeons to access it.
Peanuts do not need soaking, which means they require little water and release the crop relatively quickly. Because they are so soft, little energy is consumed in the digestion process. Another advantage is that peanuts are digested much faster than other grains. On Saturday morning, at the start of the race, the intestines of pigeons that eat peanuts are much less full than the intestines of pigeons that were offered slow-digesting grains on Friday. It is also doubtful that these birds managed to drink enough in the transport vehicle. For this reason, pigeons that consume peanuts have a better weight. When the weather is hot, use small peanuts soaked in water overnight so that they contain plenty of water and digest better.
3. Pigeons that have eaten nothing but grains only burn glycogen on their way home and perhaps a little fat, for example, from corn. If the energy reserve runs out before they get home, these pigeons will have to use their body reserves as an energy source, which leads to the release of nitrogen, an additional burden on the body. The "peanut pigeon," alongside the glycogen stored in muscles and liver, has so much additional fat, rich in energy (9.3 cal/gr), that it is enough for more than a day of racing. When glycogen and fats are converted into energy, no harmful gases are released, only carbon dioxide CO2 which is exhaled and water, and this is very important for body functions. Even when the flight lasts 15 hours, peanut-rich pigeons do not have to suffer from the disadvantages of burning their own body proteins, and thus losing weight.
4. Fanciers who have experience feeding their pigeons peanuts must agree with me that such pigeons suffer less from thirst and even on hot days look less battered when they arrive home. My advice to all who remained skeptical while reading this article is to try the following experiment: divide your pigeon team into two groups. Offer peanuts to the first group and normal rations to the other group. I am sure that after analyzing the results, you will be convinced.
In conclusion, Dr. Meyer, in his position as a biologist, would like to make the following observations: people whose jobs involve hard labor have a preference for foods with a high fat content, but they do not gain weight. People who live and work in a cold climate, like the Eskimos, are much better able to withstand the cold by burning a lot of fat in their bodies. Large migratory birds, such as geese, store large amounts of body fat during the summer months, and burning these high-energy fat reserves allows them each autumn to successfully fly on the long journey south, to warmer climates. Is it a coincidence that these birds seem to prefer fat-rich seeds and flock to peanuts or hemp seeds?
It's a shame our pigeons are unable to communicate with us, because they would undoubtedly tell us that they greatly prefer energy-rich fats for combustion, to protect their muscles, maintain their proper weight, and thus stay in shape. The time has come for every fancier to open their eyes, dare to compare, and then draw the correct conclusions.
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