# Feeding light after a race: Uh, why?



## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

I keep hearing and reading the recommendation to 'feed light' after a race and gradually feed heavier as the week progresses towards race day.

I also keep hearing some other feeding and health recommendations and it sounds a lot to me like people are just repeating something they heard someone else said with no reasonable explanation.

So my question now is this: can someone tell me WHY to feed light to heavy on race week? What is the science and reasoning behind it? Honestly, it seems counterintuitive to me. I would think that after expending so much energy and burning muscle, that protein and a full plate of nutritious, body-building food would be in order. And I wouldn't want to run a race just after eating a heavy meal.

And what exactly is feeding light, anyway? Less calories? Less protein? Less volume? Less nutrition? I can't seem to find that answer anywhere other than "cut your feed with varying degrees of barley and rice". Why barley and rice?

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me. It just doesn't make sense. But maybe just because no one has been able to explain it in a specific or science-based manner. I'd like to NOT be the guy who does it just because the other guy says so.


----------



## orock (Mar 28, 2011)

I feed them candy smaller seeds easier to digest when they come home on race day. After that I go back to regular feeding.


----------



## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

Easy to digest makes sense. Easier on a stressed system . . .


----------



## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, some people feed a depuritive feed which is easier on the system to digest.
Then there's me, who feeds the same as always. I have feed in the loft all day on race day to make sure no one gets left out when they come home.


----------



## JaxRacingLofts (Apr 11, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> Yes, some people feed a depuritive feed which is easier on the system to digest.


I was told that the birds build up lactic acid in their muscles after a race and the depuritive is a "flush" for the toxins in their livers.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

JaxRacingLofts said:


> I was told that the birds build up lactic acid in their muscles after a race and the depuritive is a "flush" for the toxins in their livers.


That is what I have read also.. the flush helps them to get over the sore muscles... and rest of course.


----------



## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I've heard that as well. I give mine a bath and let them fly it out the next day. Also some honey in the water which is anti-inflammatory.


----------



## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

Thanks for the input. But when people say to "feed light", are they talking about giving a depurative diet? Or are we talking about two different functions here? 

Easy to digest after stressful race I understand the "why"
Depurative diet to flush toxins I understand the "why"

I still don't get, though, how barley and/or rice performs these tasks. Although I do know that rice is easy to digest, it doesn't have much nutritional value (neither does barley, from what I understand). Why would you want to deprive a bird of good nutrition after it depleted it's system?


----------



## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

After a race the birds blood sugars are low and you need to get them normal fast so they don't use up their energy reserves. Feed grain high in carbohydrates like corn, milo, wheat and safflower the first three grains are high in carbs and moderate in protein, safflower is high in protein and fat but low in carbs. Mixed together you would get Protein 12.75%, Carbs 56.77%, water 10%, fiber 9.4%, fat 10.05 %, Barley by its self is P 12.7%, C 66.6%, w 10.6%, f 5.4%, fat 1.9% so you can see why some people have said feed barley. I have good luck with my regular feed mix after a race and I put Merricks Blue Ribbon poultry electrolyte park with lactic acid bacteria in it, in the water all day of return and if I have next day birds in the morning second day.


----------



## Lavender Hill Lofts (Dec 1, 2011)

When you do a hard days work outside what do you want to eat? A salad or a nice fat steak??? The problem is that I believe there is a mistranslation in the term depurative mix. In Europe a depurative mix is high in fats and oils which is exactly what your birds need after a race.

In the United Kingdom and America we see depurative and to us this means purge or limit. So we got in our brain to feed a cleaning mix to rid the blood of impurities. Huh? It doesn’t make any sense.

I feed a well-rounded mix with lots of different grains and add fatty grains when they come back for one day like peanuts or safflower and then put them back on their normal mix. 

Fanciers that put their birds on 100% barely when they get back are doing more harm than good and if you notice they are never the top fanciers come the end of the season in my experience.


----------



## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

My birds get safflower when they come home for the day then Sunday back to normal feeding.


----------



## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

Lavender Hill Lofts said:


> In the United Kingdom and America we see depurative and to us this means purge or limit. So we got in our brain to feed a cleaning mix to rid the blood of impurities. Huh? It doesn’t make any sense.


Exactly. That's what so confusing about it. I read a lot of American articles and they seem to contradict what many of the Europeans say and do when it comes to feeding. And then I just hear the same thing repeated over and over again and people just believe it without thinking about it or without science backing it up.


----------



## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

If we based what we do off articles we would be screwed. Every article goes against the one on the page next to it! We need to learn by trial and error. Next time have two race teams, one that you feed normal after race day and one that you feed safflower, tell us which one seemed healthier or flew better.


----------



## Kastle Loft (May 7, 2008)

First To Hatch said:


> If we based what we do off articles we would be screwed. Every article goes against the one on the page next to it!


One could say the same thing about reading these forums haha!


----------



## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

Yes your right, but this year I'm going to do some trial and error and split up the birds do different things with them.


----------



## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

There are 1,000 ways to Train,Feed,Medicate our/your birds....Pick out what YOU like from ALL the suggestions,and try it for a season....If something you did,didn`t work out to well,try another way,untill you have the RIGHT way for YOU and your birds...There`s an old saying that I made up long ago when I started out by myself...."You can Buy a Man`s best birds",but you can`t manage your loft the way HE does 100%...You have to do it your way....After a season or two,you will keep what works,and elliminate what don`t work...The birds will get used to your system after a little bit,and eventully they will respond in a good way,to the things you are doing right !!!.....Alamo


----------

