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A very experienced pigeon fancier, Mădălin Tănase from Prahova is still a new member of the National Federation of Pigeon Breeders in Romania. More than bored by the lack of professionalism in the pigeon fancier group in which he competed so far, the pigeon fancier Mădălin Tănase stepped right as a member of the National Federation, winning in the debut season several important trophies at county level.

A career athlete, Mădălin Tănase, from Floresti, Prahova County, competes with his pigeons at all stages, regardless of the distance category. „I bought pigeons for the short races from the tandem Stănescu + Dobre, from the tandem Simion + Dumitran, from Cosmin Olteanu, from the tandem Chicheanu + Rusu. I took marathon pigeons from breeders Vasile Bădin, Cătălin Coman and others. I crossed these pigeons, so now I can participate with the same pigeons in stages from 100 km to 1,500 km “, explains Mădălin Tănase.

Mădălin Tănase: “CEST Pharma is a Romanian company and I had more confidence”

The fact that CEST Pharma is a local producer has inspired the athlete and pigeon fancier Mădălin Tănase much more confidence than the other specialized companies. It all started with a few treatments produced by CEST Pharma, which he used three seasons ago, the effect of which he could see immediately and thanks to which he chose to use CEST Pharma products in the 2020 season. About three years ago I used Respiratory Plus and I was pleasantly impressed by their effect. At the same time I used the Vit Amino complex, which gave me the impression of an extraordinary mixture of vitamins and amino acids. At the same time, I used Yellow Drops, two days in a row before boarding “, said Mădălin Tănase.

Mădălin Tănase: “This year I did a program that was based on several CEST Pharma products”

For the 2020 season, Mădălin Tănase decided to use CEST Pharma products to prepare, treat and recover racing pigeons. With their help, he made a training and recovery program, and the “MMA Ambition” team, the title under which he competes, can be observed on the county podium of several categories. “In the 2020 season we used several of the CEST Pharma supplements. These are Sedo Plus, Biotics, Protein Plus, Amino Forte, Vit Amino, Garlic Oil and Healty Oil. For recovery I used Protein Plus, Sedo Plus and the two types of oils, and I administered the other products for preparation. Also in preparation for the competition, I administered the Yellow Drops drops to the pigeons for two days before boarding them. I think the latter are extraordinarily good, keeping pigeons away from many diseases. There are supplements that convinced me to use them in the future, and as I am a performance athlete and coach, I know the importance of supplements for training and recovery “, added Mădălin Tănase.

One of the biggest problems for fanciers is that most diseases are transmitted from one pigeon to another through drinking water. In addition, once the water stays longer in the drinkers, especially during hot summer days, the bacteria flourishes even more.

In the case of pigeons kept in widowhood system, the water can be removed immediately after the pigeons drink, and another will be given later, but with pigeons kept at “natural” system, respectively for reproduction, it is very difficult to remove the water during the day, especially on hot days and when they have chicks.
This is exactly why we have created a product especially for you that solves this problem of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

SANOCEST – is an ecological, non-toxic product that does not adversely affect pigeons in any way. Laboratory tests have shown that in 5 minutes after being added in the drinking water it destroys 99.99% of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus hirae, Candinda albican, Aspergilus brasiliensis.
By using Sanocest we offer our pigeons the chance to drink water without harmful bacteria, and thus we obtain a much better natural health.

At the same time, in the incipient cases of “young bird disease”, Sanocest is very helpful. We recommend doubling the dose and administering light food in small quantities. There is a very good chance that you will be able to avoid taking antibiotics in this case.

The drinking water in the transport trucks is also a source of disease transmission from one pigeon to another. The addition of Sanocest in the drinking water of pigeons during transport to the launch sites makes the contamination and the need to be treated, after each race, less likely to occur.

So, it is possible to disinfect the water without affecting the pigeons!!! With Sanocest, an ecological product, the water is safely disinfected and the pigeons that drink it are less exposed to harmful bacteria!!!

Many fanciers are still wondering which birds should they breed from? Easy access due to technology does not seem to help much. Beautiful and attractive pedigrees steal the eye of the buyer and “big names” are more attractive than ever. Despite this, the disappointments are greater than ever and much too often the “golden goose” proves to be just a common crow.

So what should really matter for a fancier? What should we look for when purchasing pigeons? First of all, we should take a look at the competition!!! The bigger the better! It’s not just the numbers that matter but also who is part of the competition. How many “big names” are in that ranking? Secondly, we should look at the winner’s family! Does he have other brothers and sisters that are also champions?

Thirdly, at the speed of the races and especially at how many difficult races the pigeon had! Whenever he got back alone or he arrived with the flock and was lucky.

Fourth, we need to look at the navigation system of the pigeon and its family. There is still no consensus on how pigeons “navigate”. How do they know how to get back home? There are different theories but there is still nothing confirmed for sure. It’s probably a set of organs that help with orientation. But what we know for sure is that some pigeons orient themselves better than others, and there are pigeons that can’t orient at all!!!

That is why we must introduce this criterion in the selection when purchasing pigeons!!! How many races did the pigeon participate in? How many he won, how many he was among the firsts and, especially, how many heavy races he had in which he arrived alone. The “navigation” system is probably transmitted genetically and is therefore worth considering.

Remember that, in the economy of the race, every minute counts and a few extra seconds can make you a winner! That’s why we have to evaluate every aspect and choose the right pigeon.

Good luck!!!

Man discovered antibiotics relatively recently. Penicillin began to be used after 1945, for 76 years now. The use of antibiotics marked a turning point in the lives of humans and animals and thus deadly diseases could be treated, life expectancy increasing around the globe. The number of antibiotic substances subsequently increased from one year to the next and so did their use, which led to benefits but also many problems. Thus arose anti-bio-resistance, perhaps the most feared effect of antibiotics use. This means that in just 76 years, new bacteria developed, resistant to antibiotics and even fatal if a person is unlucky enough to get infected. We have already learned of the famous nosocomial infections, with which many of our fellows have had the misfortune to become infected in the hospital, often with fatal results.

What really happened? Over the years, the use of antibiotics against infections has created resistant bacteria. Bacteria, like any other living organism, tries to adapt to the attack of the antibiotic so that, resistant bacteria, or those that survive incomplete treatments, will reproduce resistant bacteria. When this process of “resistance” occurs often due to the abuse of antibiotics, we end up having no effect.

You may be wondering what man has got to do with pigeons and why did I start the article with reference to human problems? Very simple! What happened to humans also happened to pigeons. Moreover, it is even worse because, as you know, fanciers use antibiotics very, very often, quite freely, usually with no laboratory tests, using mixtures of 4, 5, 6 antibiotics at a time (which increases the resistance of bacteria to all these active substances at once) and … for pigeons we do not have the possibility of such detailed analyzes and studies on antibiotic resistance.

We can notice that some products no longer take effect, the youngsters no longer grow as they used to, pigeon losses are high, and no longer know how to orientate themselves, as they once did. We see that pigeons are much more sensitive. And this is not only due to antibiotics and trichomoniasis treatments. We all know that there are lofts where pigeons receive monthly treatments against trichomoniasis, or even more often (especially during racing season), antibiotic treatments and we all heard and continue hearing the words: “without treatments you can no longer have results,,!!!

We are in this point now, and if we continue down this path we will end up even worse. The purpose of this article is to make you realize that this is the wrong way to go. No matter which part of the world you live in, you must know that this way, which now seems easy and simple, is a congested road!

Our luck is that science is evolving every day, new products have emerged which, if used correctly, prevent many of these problems. Apple cider vinegar, water cleansers, immuno-stimulators and many more become invaluable allies when we want to create resistant pigeons.

Cest Pharma will always be in the forefront when it comes to making the most of the discoveries of science in pigeon sport. That’s why we created Yellow Drops, an exceptional solution that helps prevent trichomoniasis and respiratory problems at head level. A drop on the beak, in the evening after arrival and before the race, works wonders and helps eliminate the need of drugs, or at least reduce it substantially. For short distances it is used on the day before basketing, and for races with two or more nights in the transport truck it is used on the day of basketing. It can be administered even for two days and can be given both in the drinking water and over the grains, especially when we have many pigeons, also 1 drop per pigeon, but here we must consider using the exact ration of food and water (how much the pigeons eats / drink) or use 2 drops per pigeon when we don’t have this information.

Many champions around the world have chosen to use Yellow Drops, thus reducing the consumption of antibiotics and anti-trichomoniasis. In the end pigeons rewarded them with good results and over time they become stronger.

The road back to nature is difficult and the selection of pigeons is painful. Unfortunately, it is the only way to go for long-term success. The champion flyers maintained using natural methods continue to reproduce strong offsprings, that are no longer lost “when the wind blows stronger” and bring long-term success to the loft. It is worth walking this road, especially since it is the only one that will keep your name at the height of success for years!!!

We all know the importance of probiotics and prebiotics for living organisms. More and more detailed research reveals that in the intestine we have a second brain, the number of nerve cells in this organ being comparable to that in the brain. That is why the disorders generically called „destruction of the intestinal flora” affect the pigeons’ bodies so much.

Beneficial bacteria (Pro bacteria) create in the intestine a micro flora absolutely necessary for survival, extraction of nutrients from food and their optimal use. The acidifying reactions generated by the activity of probiotics in the intestines are therefore essential to life.

Once science discovered probiotic bacteria, it was only a matter of time before the advent of products containing probiotic cultures aimed at increasing the quality of the intestinal flora, the number of beneficial bacteria that live there and restoring normal intestinal balance when the intestinal flora is destroyed.

What happens when the intestinal flora is „destroyed”? Studies have shown that when we clean a surface with a strong disinfectant, we kill both good bacteria and bad bacteria. Over the next 15 minutes, the remaining bacteria (as much as we disinfect some bacteria still remains) begin to reproduce and repopulate the cleaned area. The first to reproduce and colonize are the gram-negative bacteria. Normally, the ratio of negative bacteria / good bacteria is 65% (good bacteria) to 31-32% (negative bacteria) and 3-4% empty space (unpopulated). Therefore, after a “destruction”, the negative bacteria occupy more space in the first phase than in the case of a normal and balanced relationship and hence the disorder called “the destruction of the intestinal flora”. Until this balance is re-established, a period of time passes in which the overall performance decreases.

When we give our pigeons probiotics, they increase the number of beneficial bacteria, occupying (under normal conditions) the 3-4% empty space and this overpopulation makes the bacteria no longer reproduce, thus maintaining a very stable flora. In the case of destroyed intestinal flora, probiotics increase the amount of beneficial bacteria by restoring the natural intestinal balance much faster (the 65-32 ratio).

There are many types of probiotics in the intestinal flora. Some of them have already been reproduced by humans and are used for both humans and animals. In the world of pigeons there are several probiotics with an exceptional effect on the intestinal flora when administered properly. Biotics by Cest Pharma was created, from the beginning, as a TOP product, with a very high concentration of probiotics. Today Cest Pharma takes another turn and brings to the market Biotics Duo: the first pigeon product that contains two high quality probiotics with guaranteed effects.

Biotics Duo contains the same percentage of Calsporin (Bacillus Subtilis) as its older sibling, Biotics, but also has Enterococcus Faecium in high concentration, which doubles the effect of this product, both due to the high concentration of probiotics and the fact that it populates the intestine with two different beneficial cultures. In addition, normally, the product also contains pre-biotics, which are actually food for probiotics. A multiple action of populating with two beneficial cultures, in large quantities and with adequate food that makes them grow ultra-fast and promote a healthy intestinal flora!!!

Detoxification is an alternative treatment that aims to eliminate toxins, substances accumulated in the body that can have negative effects in the short or long term.

Our pigeons’ body  accumulates toxins, resulting from the processing of food and supplements or medicines used. Some of them result from cereals, containing herbicides or pesticides, others result from preservatives found in the products received and others result from metabolic chemical processes. In either case, the accumulation of toxins is not beneficial and if we do not intervene to eliminate them periodically, their effects will be negative and undesirable. A very good method in winter is black fasting, which eliminates accumulated toxins, but during competitions, moulting and young birds rearing, it is not possible. This is why we have developed two complementary products that together work very well in the gut, cleansing and detoxifying the body.

Moor Active is a 100% natural product that contains liquid peat charcoal. Activated carbon was once considered the universal antidote. Coal works by capturing toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption. The porous texture of coal has a negative electrical charge, which makes it attract positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. Because activated carbon is not absorbed by the body, it can carry various toxins that bind to its surface out of the body, through the droppings.

Detox Plus, also a natural product, improves digestion by increasing the absorption of nutrients, detoxifies the body, helps eliminate parasites, protects against contamination with mycotoxins (such as aflatoxin) present in cereals. It is also recommended in respiratory infections because it has a drying effect on mucous membranes and it’s a natural expectorant. Also rich in minerals and trace elements, such as: calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, silicon, sulfur, cobalt, sodium, chlorine, aluminum, manganese, copper, iodine, selenium, chromium, molybdenum, phosphorus, germanium, zinc, silver, bromine, vanadium, rubidium, boron. Detox Plus clay is an addictive clay that attracts toxins from the intestine and eliminates them through feces, increasing the detoxifying capacity of the Moor Active product. The two compositions are deposited between the intestinal cilia and clean in their depth, garlic and cinnamon acting as natural antibiotics and natural anti-parasites directly in the depth of the deposits between the intestinal cilia.

Used together for a day, in the middle of the week, when we compete weekly, or 2-3 days between long distance races, when we compete every two or three weeks, it ensures the cleansing of the intestine of toxins. What do you get out of it? Quite simply, an organism from which we eliminate toxins and a clean intestine can absorb nutrients more efficiently from food. The cilia in the intestine, released by the residues deposited between them, are those through which the necessary nutrients are absorbed through the intestinal surface, under the influence of probiotics and with the help of chemical reactions generated by them and the acidic environment of the intestine. The cleansed intestine will increase the absorption and so we will see how, with the same amount of food received, our pigeons will be healthier, more active and they will fly better. Otherwise, we will see the exact opposite and we may intervene with drugs or increase the doses of supplements, wich brings even bigger negative effects, and at the end of the season we will look behind unhappy, without even understanding what happened exactly. Detoxification can make a big difference and in a visible way!

Phosphorus plays an important role in the nucleic acid synthesis, energy metabolism, muscle function, enzymatic activity, lipid metabolism, and bone mineralization. The concentration of phosphorus is found mostly (about 85%) in the bone as hydroxyapatite. About 10% of the total phosphorus in the body is made up of organic phosphates from nucleotides, phospholipids, and phosphoproteins.

Serum phosphorus (5%) is found in the form of the following (inorganic) phosphate ions: HPO4– and H2PO4-. The determination of serum phosphorus encompasses all forms in which it is found. It varies with serum pH, as phosphate acts as a buffer system.

The functional role, nucleotide formation has a role in energy metabolism – through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and in the storage and transmission of cellular genetic material, through the formation of nucleic acids – deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Calcium also plays a role in intercellular signaling (eg cyclic adenosine monophosphate – cAMP is a second-order messenger that is formed by stimulating a receptor coupled with an alpha-G-protein subunit that activates adenylate cyclase that converts ATP to cAMP. phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of some enzymes takes place during their activation, respectively their inactivation.

Bone formation is dependent on dietary phosphorus concentrations. Low phosphorus diets have been shown to limit the growth of birds, while high phosphorus intake has adversely affected calcium (Ca) metabolism and bone properties. Phosphorus concentrations in serum and bone may reflect changes in phosphorus homeostasis, and the content within a normal range is important for normal physiological function and optimal bone mineralization.

Calcium Depending on age, calcium stored in the bone can reach up to 98-99% of the total calcium in the body. It is stored in two forms: one that is easily mobilized – quickly used by the action of parathyroid hormone in case of a decrease in calcium in the blood; another difficult to mobilize, stored at the level of the bone compact from the surface of the bone.

Functional role of calcium, intercellular communication, being a second-order messenger, cellular excitability. Through the different distribution of ions (Na +, K +, Ca2 +) between the inside and the outside of the cell, at the level of the cell membrane a resting membrane potential is realized, and the transmission of the nerve impulse at the level of the synapses and the muscular contraction. Calcium plays a role in the release of acetylcholine (chemical mediator) in the synaptic cleft through calcium-dependent exocytosis. It depolarizes the muscle cell membrane and creates a potential for action at this level.

Cereals are a major component of the pigeon diet and have high concentrations of phosphorus, most of which are considered biologically unavailable. However, it should be noted that the ingredients for food are plants, especially wheat, which may contain significant endogenous phytase activity. Phytases can also be produced by various bacteria. Some authors have suggested that phytate is hydrolyzed by phytases produced by microorganisms present in the small intestine.

In addition, inorganic phosphorus supplements are added to the diet to fully meet the requirements of the birds as recommended by the phosphorus. Incorporating inorganic phosphorus levels into practice could contribute to higher feed costs and environmental pollution.

Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of phosphorus levels in the diet without altering calcium levels on the performance of breeding pigeons and the bone characteristics of youngsters from 7 to 21 days, to know the phosphorus requirements.

We’re starting to turn on the engines …! There are two months left!

In Romania, the first official races will start on May 1. In other European countries at about the same time, other countries already have races. For those who have already started, we can only recommend a flight schedule from those found on our website.

For those who are waiting for the season, We would have some useful tips:
1. Make sure your loft is dry, airy, and bright. It is perhaps the most important factor for success.
2. Check the pigeons if they are healthy by testing them at a veterinarian in order to enter the season ready.
3. Fitness is essential. Many pigeons are lost at the beginning of the race because after the release they take the wrong way and have no resources to return home again. The muscles are not prepared for extra effort. Train progressively, pay attention to the weather and watch the physical condition of pigeons increase. It should be visible !!!
Do not send pigeons to races unless they are trained. The season is long and the rush may ruin your results.
4. Supplements are essential during the pre-competition preparation period.
The muscles, unaccustomed to the effort over the winter, need to get in shape. The preparation should be made gradually, muscle fever occurs and muscle damage may occur. Electrolit and Protein Plus from Cest Pharma are two indispensable products in this period for fitness.
Amino Forte in Drinking Water and Healthy Oil on grains are two other very helpful products.
5. Stress !!! Remember that pigeon training, widowhood, transportation with the car, represents stress factors and stress lowers immunity. The effects of stress can be seen when you put the pigeons in the basket for the first time: liquid manure (diarrhea)! So the first signs of stress are intestinal, which is why
the administration of probiotics and prebiotics is necessary. Biotics contains two types of probiotics: Bacillus Subtillis and Enterococcus Faecium but also prebiotics which are food for probiotics.
Only properly prepared will we be able to enjoy the long summer full of competitions!

In recent years, numerous scientific studies have been carried out and it has been discovered that certain plant extracts and essential oils have a great influence on immunity. For example, antibody-antigen binding and excretion have been shown to be much higher in poultry treated with plant extracts. Cytokine production is also higher in these treated animals compared to others in the group. However, there are hundreds of scientific articles that show that plant extracts and essential oils have a positive effect on the immune system. Phytogenic medicine is a rapidly growing branch of science, which already for many people offers an answer to the limitations mentioned above (the development of resistant bacteria) of classical chemical medicine and is a particularly good complement to it.

How do we apply these findings to pigeons?

There are 3 ways we can use plants in pigeon sport. First of all, there are pure plants or herbs that are usually dried and ground, can be used in teas or administered with food and we also have the forms of plant extracts and essential oils. The last two are of particular importance to our pigeons, because the concentration of active molecules in plants and oils is often higher than what we can recover from dry plant material.

The difference between “extracts” and “essential oils” is given by the extraction technique. The oils are extracted by steam distillation and the plant extracts are obtained by boiling, soaking or filtration. However, from certain plants we can only obtain extracts!

To better understand the concentration of ingredients of an essential oil, you should know that it takes 100 – 200 kg of dried plants to extract 1 to 2 kg of essential oil, so it is much better to use essential oils or extracts instead of dried plants.

Essential oils and plant extracts contain hundreds to thousands of organic components, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, lactones, flavonoids, coumarins, ethers, oxides, etc …

We, at Cest Pharma, have chosen to use essential oils in the composition of our products, in optimal doses for pigeons and with easily visible results. Healthy Oil, for example, is a mixture of 9 essential oils with direct and combined action on the respiratory system, the intestinal tract and with benefits on the immune system. This product combines no less than 9 oils, which potentiate each other’s effects thus making Healthy Oil a reliable ally for maintaining the health and shape of pigeons.

Tricogo, is a mixture of plant extracts with the role of immuno-stimulator, which increases appetite and at the same time cleanses the throat area from build up mucus. An exceptional product for pigeons when we want to keep the birds as close to nature as possible and at the same time is a very useful adjuvant in the fight against trichomoniasis. Garlic Oil and Oregano Oil, essential oils extracted from garlic and oregano plants are two other products that bring the benefits of nature in our loft. Natural health, strong immunity, and the creation of strong and healthy specimens must be the primary care of any pigeon fancier!

Slowly, slowly, the days go by quietly and the winter nights will become shorter and shorter, giving way to the long and soon warm days.
Nature will come to its senses and spring with its colors and sounds will take over the universe around us.
Our pigeons will also know that the moment of the competitions is approaching and, as if driven by an invisible hand, they will start preparing: they are looking to mate, they are much more active and the noise in the loft is increasing day by day.
Pigeon lovers, who over the long winter dreamt at the much desired trophies, will soon have the opportunity to move from dream to reality and to measure their strength (pigeons) with their colleagues.
Well, to be prepared for battle, you need some pre-fight preparation, and for that we can give you some useful tips:

• Do a series of tests on the pigeons to make sure they are healthy and give medication only if necessary!
• Do not use many supplements and even fewer medications. Nothing in excess is healthy!
• Make race approaching strategy according to what you want to achieve. If you are competing at random hoping to “catch something”, you know that this strategy does not work!
• Pay attention to training at the beginning of the season, when the weather is still cold, with big temperature differences between day and night. Pigeons should be trained gradually, without excess. The muscle tear during this time can be seen later, when it is… too late!
• A good recovery after the competition is the source of winning the next race! In try in vain to prepare the pigeons for next race if not properly recovered. You will waste time and money unnecessarily.
• Listen to your pigeons!! They will tell you exactly what they want from you in order to feel good in the loft and to be happy to return there!

You can already see the sunrise from the first race! Your pigeons will be in the transport vehicle ready to take off. Their success now depends on you! Will you be ready?