Blog Archieven - Wisbroek

Posted on 21 September 202321 September 2023 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

The development of a Wisbroek recipe

Reading time: ± 4 minutes

At Wisbroek we understand how important it is to meet the specific nutritional needs of birds. Developing a new product in our bird feed line is a careful and fascinating process that starts with listening to the market and ends with a high-quality product that our customers can proudly offer to their birds.

Step 1: Listen

The first and crucial step in the development of a Wisbroek recipe is listening to our customers. We constantly keep our ears open to understand what is in demand and what needs exist in the world of bird nutrition. Our mission is not only to meet the current needs of our feathered friends, but also to be a little innovative and look ahead to what they may need in the future.

Step 2: Collect information

After identifying a potential new product, we dive deep into the world of information. We consult books, search the internet and have conversations with our valued customers to understand what is currently being done and to find out the natural diet of the bird species in question. All this information is carefully collected and compared to form a solid basis for our new recipe.

Step 3: Assemble and test the recipe

Our dedicated nutritionist then gets to work on making a proposal for the composition of the new product. This recipe is the basis for the very first batch produced.

It is important to note that this first batch is never sold. Instead, it undergoes extensive testing in our own Wisbroek R&D Center. In addition, it is made available to our contacts such as zoos and breeders. We want to be sure that the product meets the needs of the birds and the expectations of our customers. All feedback and information we collect allows us to make adjustments where necessary.

Step 4: the road to the market

If, after extensive testing, the product is deemed suitable for marketing, the process of finding suitable packaging, designing a label and everything necessary to distribute the product in our webshop and through our partners and points of sale begins. to be able to sell. This is an exciting phase where we apply the finishing touches before the product is ready to offer to our customers.

But this whole process takes time. We need about a year before a new product actually comes onto the market. During testing, the birds must have gone through an entire breeding season and a molting period. Only then will we have all the information we need to determine whether the product is optimal enough and meets the conditions we set for Wisbroek bird feed.

continue developing

At Wisbroek we are constantly working on further developing our products. We stay in close contact with our customers and our own R&D team to ensure that our recipes can be improved and always meet the latest insights.

Did you know, for example, that in 2023 we made adjustments to our pellets for crooked beaks to increase digestibility? This is just one example of our ongoing commitment to providing the best recipe for your bird.

We are currently busy developing new products that will probably hit the market next year. We look forward to continuing our mission:

” providing high-quality nutrition that makes the lives of our feathered friends even better “

Do you have any questions regarding this blog? Please let us know via hello@wisbroek.com. Mr. B is happy to help.

Wisbroek Lory Nectar
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Posted on 13 December 202215 December 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Power for food insects

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Insects. Many birds love them and it is a natural source of protein for them. Now it is the case that food insects like mealworms, moroworms, buffalo worms, crickets and so on often lack nutritional value. By enriching them first, you add vitamins, minerals, calcium and amino acids to give the insect more nutritional value. You can apply this to both living and frozen food insects. How this enrichment is done, Mr. U explains below.

Living food

With living mealworms, you usually don’t know what kind of feeding ground they have lived on. Once a mealworm has already eaten rich nutrition itself, it is more nutritious for birds. You can easily enrich live worms by putting them on a Wisbroek Mealworm Diet nutrient medium. This food contains good nutrients for birds. This is a coarsely ground powder that is eaten by the food insects, supplementing their nutritional value. It is rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, blood plasma with extra vitamin A, vitamin K1 blood coagulation, and vitamin K2 (K1 and K2) on a natural basis, among others. In addition, Wisbroek Mealworm Diet ensures that the food animals build up the right ratio of calcium and phosphorus. Once birds eat these enriched insects, they immediately get the extra nutritional values they need.

Sticky

So when you buy frozen food insects, you rely on the nutrition that the insect has received. You can also enrich these insects and you do so with Wisbroek InsectPower. You easily sprinkle this powder over the defrosted food insects. Wisbroek InsectPower has a nice structure that adheres well to the insects. Because it sticks, the birds eat the powder along with the insect. In this way, the food is enriched with good nutrients and gets more nutritional value for the birds.

With these methods, your birds will have the pleasure of tasty food insects, such as mealworms, combined with the nutrients they need to stay healthy and strong.

Do you have any questions regarding this blog? Please let us know via hello@wisbroek.com. Mr. B is happy to help.

Wisbroek InsectPower
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Posted on 13 October 202213 October 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

The best recipe in winter

Reading time: ± 3 minutes

Summer is over, the days are getting shorter and the weather more changeable. As a bird owner, it is then important to make preparations to get your birds ready for the winter to come. For birds living in an outdoor aviary, it is important to protect them from the weather. Even though many bird species can withstand the winter cold, they do need some help from their caretaker to get through the winter in the best possible way. Not only their housing, but also their diet needs extra attention.

Extra energy

The cold causes birds to burn more fat, so they need more energy from their food. They will go a long way with good quality food. If you have birds that eat pellets, you will see that they will eat more in cold weather. After all, they need more energy to keep themselves warm. Adjust their daily portion accordingly.

For birds that eat egg food, Wisbroek BreedPower is an ideal product to give your bird extra energy. By mixing Wisbroek BreedPower into your egg food, you enrich the egg food with additional vitamins, minerals, amino acids and nutritional elements.

Daylight

Direct daylight is important for birds. This way, they produce vitamin D. This is important for growth and maintaining strong bones, but it also plays a role in proper muscle function and the immune system. The more they are outside in direct daylight, the more vitamin D they can get. So going outside as much as possible in winter too is good for birds. Are your birds not getting enough direct daylight? Then supplement their vitamin D with Wisbroek VitaPro A-D3-E-C to support resistance. This is easy to add to drinking water. The combination of different vitamins in Wisbroek VitaPro A-D3-E-C supports the immune system and calcium absorption in bones. In addition, the antioxidants in vitamins C and E protect the body’s cells.

Freezing weather

Is it freezing hard? Then be careful with fruit and vegetables. These can freeze and are then no longer healthy to eat. Drinking water will also freeze. In that case, give new water regularly or give larger quantities so that it takes longer to freeze completely. If there is an indoor cage, it is better to put the water in there to protect it from freezing.

Even when it’s not freezing there can be a cold wind. Protecting your birds from this is a must. Make sure they can sit out of the wind so they can keep themselves warmer.

With some extra care and attention, your birds will survive the winter well and in good health. Before you know it, it will be spring again.

Do you have questions regarding this blog? Send your question to hello@wisbroek.com. Mr. B is happy to help.

Wisbroek VitaPro A-D3-E-C
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Posted on 29 August 202229 August 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Feeding a young parrot by hand

Reading time: ± 3 minutes

The eggs have hatched and the parent birds are busy feeding the young ones. This is of course the ideal picture that every breeder of parrots has in mind. Unfortunately, it does not always go so smoothly. The parent bird dies or does not feed the young. It can also be the case that there are several youngsters in one brood and the youngest one is not fed enough by the parents. In such cases, there is a need to intervene and hand feed the young. Of course, you want to give such a small bird the best possible food, to give it a good start. So what do you give a young parrot to eat?

Handfeeding

The solution is special handfeeding. This hand rearing food contains all the nutrients that a young psittacine needs. Wisbroek has various handfeeding. Wisbroek has developed two handfeeding variants for parrots: one with a high fat content and one with a high protein content. Which type of food your bird needs depends on its natural diet.

High fat of high protein

Do you have a young parrot that needs a diet with a higher fat content? Then Wisbroek Parrot High Fat Handfeeding is the product you need. This diet contains a fat content of 16.4%. Egg powder, lecithin and probiotic, among other ingredients, make it a complete food. It is suitable for birds such as Psittacus, Macaw, Poicephalus and Pionites melanocephalus.

For young parrots that need a diet with extra protein, Wisbroek Parrot High Protein Handfeeding has been developed. This food contains 23% crude protein and 9% crude fat. A recipe with ingredients such as egg powder, digestive enzymes and probiotics makes it a complete food that is easily digestible. For birds such as Amazons, Pionus, Psittacula, Pyrrhura and Pionites leucogaster this is the right recipe.

The special building blocks in these two types of handfeeding support the growth and development of the musculature and bone system. It is a natural and energy-rich food that contains everything a young parrot needs to grow up without the help of the parent bird. Its consistency is ideal for feeding it to your bird with a crop nipple or spoon.

A special skill

We do want to emphasise that handrearing is a skill in itself. If you have no experience with it, you cannot just start. Leave it to an experienced and skilled person. Problems can arise, such as problems with the crop. Young birds that are hand reared often become independent later than when they are fed by the parent birds.

Force-feeding

Wisbroek handfeeding is also very suitable as force feeding for sick or weakened birds. If they are unable to eat themselves, you can hand feed them to regain strength. They will still get all the nutrients they need.

Do you have any questionsor need advice regarding our Wisbroek Parrot Handfeeding products? Send your question to hello@wisbroek.com. Our nutrition expert will be happy to help.

Wisbroek Parrot High Fat Handfeeding
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Posted on 2 August 20222 August 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Snack time: combining snacks and bird feed

Reading time: ± 3 minutes “Coco wants a cracker.” Just like us, our bird friends also love a tasty snack. However, they actually understand snacking to be something else than our sweet treats. This is logical, because in nature they also eat nuts and fruit, for example. Snacks that are given by their owners have a social function in addition to being a tasty snack. In this way, you can create a bond with your bird. So how do you let your hummingbird enjoy some treats in the healthiest and most responsible way possible? If your bird receives a complete, balanced feed, snacks are not really necessary. All the nutrients he needs are already present in his food. Birds do enjoy having something different in addition to their daily feed. The more variety the better. Therefore, there are best snacks that you can give them, which do fit into their balanced menu. Please note that the amount of snacks is never more than 10% of the amount of the daily main food.

Fruit

Many parrots eat fruit in their natural environment. This is a good thing to give them as a snack. Fruit can be given fresh or dried. Dried fruit is available in most pet shops. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, is a bit more of a challenge. You can wedge a piece of apple between something so that it is more difficult for your bird to get it out and eat it. Then you have created a fun activity for him.

Nuts

Did you know that nuts contain a lot of fat and should therefore be eaten in moderation by your bird? Nuts are a good snack, but you must make sure that they do not eat too many fats. Choose quality nuts, so that they do not get moulded. Preferably leave the nuts in their shells. Parrots use their beaks to break open the nut shell. If you leave the nut in the shell, your bird will have to put in some extra effort to eat his snack, which is good physical and mental stimulation for him.

Vegetables

Wild parrots eat a wide variety of vegetables in their natural habitat. It is therefore logical that fresh vegetables are also good as a snack for them. Do you have broccoli or cauliflower on your menu, for example? Then think of your bird and give him some thoroughly washed or rinsed vegetables as a snack. Other vegetables that are favourite snacks for parrots are kale, carrots, peas and root vegetables. Beans also serve well as a treat. Be sure to cook them and let them cool, as raw beans can be toxic to birds. Some types of fruit and vegetables contain high levels of iron. Give them therefore in moderation. This is the case with: citrus fruits, tomatoes, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, currants, sultanas, egg yolks and dark green vegetables such as spinach.

Special snacks for birds

There are also many snacks on the market that are made especially for birds. One example is Wisbroek Sesame Sticks. These are delicious, crunchy snacks that you can feed to your bird responsibly. Again, make sure that you never give more than 10% of the daily nutritional intake. With other snacks for birds, make sure they do not contain too much sugar or other nutrients that are not particularly healthy for birds.

So there is plenty of choice to treat your bird to a tasty snack that does not necessarily have to be unhealthy. As long as his maintenance feed remains the main feed and provides your bird with all the nutrients. Do you have any questions or comments following this blog? Send your question to hello@wisbroek.com. Our nutrition expert will be happy to help.

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Posted on 14 July 202218 July 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Heatwave: how to keep your bird cool?

Reading time: ± 1 minute

In summer, it can sometimes get quite hot. Generally speaking, psittacines can cope with slightly higher temperatures, but they do of course need a temperature at which they feel comfortable. This is approximately between 17 and 27 degrees.

How can you tell that your bird is hot?

A bird tries to cool itself by opening its beak and sticking out its tongue a little. In order to allow more air to reach the skin through the feathers, it raises its feathers. It also sometimes lets its wings hang down a bit looser along its body. If your bird seeks cooling in this way during a heatwave, help it to cool down.

Tips for cooling your bird

1. Do not put it in the (full) sun or ensure that it can choose for itself whether it wants to sit in the sun or in the shade.
2. Make it wet by spraying it with a plant sprayer. Make sure you do not make it too wet and that the water is not too cold.
3. Place a bath or hang it in the cage of smaller birds. It can then decide for itself whether it wants to cool down with water. Again, use lukewarm water and change the water regularly.
4. Ensure that air is circulated in the room where the bird is staying. Make sure that there is no draught.
5. Hang a moist towel over the cage and rewet it regularly.
6. Wet the perches by putting them in water. The wet stick cools the feet.

What else must you watch out for when its hot?

- Change the drinking water several times a day and clean the bowl thoroughly when doing so. The heat will cause micro-organisms to spread more quickly in the water.
- Do not leave fresh fruit or vegetables in the cage. It spoils faster in warm weather and also attracts vermin such as flies.

Keep a close eye on your bird. If it cannot get rid of the heat despite all the tips, help it by putting its feet in water that is not too cold. Pouring some water over its back often helps, but do not get it soaking wet. If this does not help, ask the vet for advice.

Do you have any questions or comments following this blog? Send your question to hello@wisbroek.com. Our bird expert MR. W will be happy to help.

Posted on 7 July 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Good start for young flamingos

Reading time: ± 1 minute Did you know that the word “flamingo” is based on the old Spanish word for “flames” or “red feathers”? However, a flamingo hatches as a little ball of grey downy feathers on high legs. With its straight beak and grey colour, it does not even remotely resemble its parents. In the first years, the young flamingo slowly loses its grey feathers and gets pink ones in return. This pink colour is obtained through the natural colouring of their food.

Extruded pellets

Wisbroek Flamingo Starter consists of pellets made by a unique production method called extrusion. The advantage of this is that each pellet contains all nutrients and is easily digestible. The balanced recipe comes as close as possible to the menu of these birds in the wild.

The best recipe

Wisbroek Flamingo Starter contains a high percentage of fish and shrimp meal. In addition, the pellets contain natural carotenoids. These are body-own substances that the birds would also eat in the wild. Carotenoids provide the beautiful pink or red colour of the flamingos. The bird’s immune system is supported by this food with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. These come from animal and vegetable protein sources. The young flamingos love this tasty meal. Wisbroek Flamingo Starter pellets are coated with fish oil. So also for your little grey flamingo Wisbroek has the best recipe.

And if your little one is already a bit bigger, then switch to Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating. This will provide it with all the nutrients it needs as a larger and ultimately adult flamingo. You can give these pellets to your bird from the age of 3 weeks, but then only in a soaked form.

Do you have any questions or comments following this blog? Send your question to hello@wisbroek.com. Our nutrition expert will be happy to help.

Wisbroek Flamingo Starter
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Posted on 9 June 20229 June 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Improved recipe Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily

Reading time: ± 1 minute When developing bird food, it is not the end of the story once you have developed and tested a product. In the course of time there are always new views. This allows you to continue to develop and improve a product. This is exactly what we do at Wisbroek. At our Wisbroek R&D Center, we can test the products with our own birds and make any necessary adjustments to the feed.

Feedback

Another important source of information about our feeds is the feedback we receive from our customers. For example, some users of our Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily asked us why these pellets are often eaten last by their birds. They often use a mix from our Parrot range and they noticed that these pellets remained the longest. With this question in mind, we reviewed this product. By taking a critical look at our recipe, we were able to adjust and improve it. It is often in very small things. The diversity and balanced formula remains guaranteed.

Renewed recipe

The new recipe was finally introduced to the market and we immediately received feedback that Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily pellets were now being eaten almost immediately by their birds. This is of course good news. Now all small birds can fully enjoy our healthy food. By the way, the renewed recipe has been applied in both the Small and Large pellet of our Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily.

Curious to find out if your parrot also enjoys the renewed Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily? Order it in our webshop and let us know what you and your bird think of it. Feedback and ideas can always be e-mailed to hello@wisbroek.com.

Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily Large
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Posted on 12 May 202212 May 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

The best recipe for your Lory

Reading time: ± 2 minutes

Lorys are a popular feathered friend for many bird lovers due to their beautiful colours as well as their friendly and sociable character. In the wild, Lorys mainly eat nectar and pollen from blossoms. They also eat insects and fruit. To keep the birds in good condition, it is necessary to imitate their natural diet as closely as possible. Therefore, Wisbroek has developed a special food for Lorys. You can choose from three variants in our range.

Wisbroek Lory Diet

The first variant is Wisbroek Lory Diet. This is a supplementary feed consisting of extruded pellets. Each pellet contains all the nutrients your bird needs to stay in top condition and is prepared with real fruit. You can give these pellets in addition to its daily ration of nectar and fruit.

Wisbroek Lory Nectar

To give your birds the nectar they need, we have Wisbroek Lory Nectar in our range. By mixing the powder with water, a nice gel-like feed is created. This nectar contains all the natural nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and proteins that the Lorys need. The added spirulina in the nectar prevents spoilage and is also a natural colouring for birds. This helps to bring out their beautiful natural colours. This nectar can also be combined with fresh fruit.

Wisbroek Lory Powder

Our third food variety for Lorys is Wisbroek Lory Powder. This is a dry food for nectar-eating birds. The powder is very similar to the pollen that the birds eat in nature. Therefore, it is quickly accepted and they love it. Wisbroek Lory Powder also contains all the nutrients that Lorys need. Because this food can be fed dry, it significantly reduces the risk of mould. It can also be sprinkled on their daily portion of fruit.

The best recipe for your bird

Whatever variety you choose for your Lorys, you know that with our Wisbroek Lory Nectar or Lory Powder he provides a complete diet. This can be supplemented with Wisbroek Lory Diet. In this way, your bird gets all the nutrients it needs to stay in top condition. So you have the best recipe for your lory at home.

For questions or advice, please contact us. Mr. B will be happy to help you select the best recipe for your bird. Send an e-mail with your question to hello@wisbroek.com.

Wisbroek Lory Nectar
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Posted on 14 April 202214 April 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Which recipe for a successful breeding season?

Reading time: ± 2 minutes The breeding season, it seems a very natural thing, but it is often not that simple. There are quite a few factors to take into account to make a breeding season run as smoothly as possible. The most important thing is that the birds are in top condition. No matter how balanced the birds’ diet is, the breeding season requires extra nutritional elements and energy. You can offer them this by adding supplements to their daily feed. Which supplements should not be missing from the recipe for your birds?

Before the breeding season

A good preparation is very important to let the breeding season run as smoothly as possible. Breeding therefore starts a while before the breeding season. Calcium and vitamin E are important in this period. Therefore, start giving Wisbroek CalciPro Liquid about 3 to 4 weeks before the breeding season. This supplement prevents a shortage of calcium, vitamin D3 and magnesium. The birds get stronger bones and a good eggshell formation. In addition, it is advisable to give Wisbroek VitaPro E+Se. Vitamin E with selenium is not called the fertility vitamin for nothing. It promotes fertility of breeding birds and also strengthens the immune system of young birds.

During the breeding season

As soon as the breeding season starts, it is important to stop giving vitamin E. Otherwise, the males will become too breeding-intensive and the female will not be able to breed at ease. Calcium remains important, so you can just keep giving it.

During breeding you can give your birds extra energy by giving them egg food with Wisbroek BreedPower. BreedPower enriches the egg food with the necessary vitamins, minerals, amino acids and micro-nutrients. After all, a female bird needs enough energy to lay a number of eggs.

After the breeding season

Hurray! The youngsters have hatched and are being cared for by their parents. In order to give the youngsters a good start, it is best to give them egg food enriched with Wisbroek BreedPower in addition to the daily feed. The parents look for nutritious food, such as protein-rich food. They then give the egg food to their young. This makes the youngsters big and strong.

But the parents themselves must also recover from the intensive breeding period and need good feed. Certainly because most birds moult after the young have fledged. A bird also needs some extra energy in the moulting period. The eggfood enriched with Wisbroek BreedPower is just as important for the parents to gain strength and get ready for the new season.

All year round

So you see. Breeding birds does not happen by itself and is an intensive activity. But with the right supporting vitamins and minerals, it is very satisfying when the breeding season is successful and the young birds flutter about happily in the aviary afterwards. A bird that is already healthy and strong is more likely to produce strong offspring. It is a process that takes place throughout the year and that is why you want to keep the birds in top condition throughout the year with the right feed and supplements. In this way they are ready for what is to come in each period. Wisbroek supplements are essential for this.

If you have any questions or need advice, please do not hesitate to contact us. Mr. U will be happy to help you make your birds’ breeding season a success. Send an e-mail with your quation to hello@wisbroek.com.

Wisbroek VitaPro E+Se
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Posted on 3 March 202223 May 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Do’s and don’ts when feeding carnivors

For all animals that are under human care, it is important that their diet is as similar as possible to what they eat in the wild. For carnivores and piscivores (meat and fish eaters) in particular, this is not so easy. In the wild, they catch a prey and from the carcass they eat everything that contains the nutrients they need. These include large amounts of protein, calcium and phosphorus in the right proportions, as well as good amounts of vitamins and minerals. When they are dependent on the food provided by their caretakers, it is a different story. So what are the do’s and don’ts in feeding carnivores?

Whole prey animals

Whole prey animals with organs come fairly close to the natural situation. Please note that parts that are too large cannot cause any obstructions. When reducing the size of the prey, there must be no sharp points of bone. Do not give hunting prey either. These can sometimes still contain bullets and can cause lead poisoning.

Meat

“Bare” meat often consists mainly of muscle. This is a good source of amino acids and minerals such as potassium, selenium, zinc and some vitamins. However, it lacks calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, D and E. Metabolic Bone Disease is often associated with overfeeding meat and not enough complete prey.

Chicks

Chicks are a particularly good source of nutrition if they are fed with yolk. The yolk is full of vitamins A and E, calcium, phosphorus and phospholipids. These are already more nutrients than the chick contains on its own.

Wisbroek carnipro

To make sure that the animals get all the required nutrients, it is necessary to enrich the food. You want, as it were, to bring the prey to life for the meat or fish eaters. For this purpose Wisbroek CarniPower is specially developed. By adding Wisbroek CarniPower to carcasses, meat and fish, the missing important nutrients are supplemented. It contains, for example, strong antioxidants which, like the added yeast cells, support the immunity of the animals. Part of the vitamin A in Wisbroek CarniPower is used as the safe form of B-carotene which cannot be overdosed. The probiotics contribute to a balanced intestinal flora. Also, at least 50% of the minerals are added in their natural and safe form. Finally, Wisbroek CarniPower contains extra vitamin B1, which is important because it is broken down by thiaminase in frozen fish.

Wisbroek CarniPower is a powder. This makes it easy to sprinkle it on the food. In this way, all necessary nutrients go along with the food. Carnivores such as birds of prey, owls, cats, bears and reptiles remain in top condition in this way.

Do you have questions or need advice about Wisbroek CarniPower? Please send an e-mail to hello@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 4 February 20223 March 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

How do you keep your parrot at a healthy weight?

You may not realise it right away, but just like us humans, birds also need to control their weight. Nutrition is, of course, very important in this regard. It is best to look at what your bird eats in the wild. In addition, you must adapt the diet to the living conditions of your bird. Does he stretch his wings (or legs) every day or does he prefer to play in his enclosure? Does it live inside or outside in an aviary all year round? These are all factors that play a part in the bird’s energy requirements.

Energy level

For your bird, you then look for a food that takes all these factors into account. Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily for example. This is a specially developed feed with a lower energy level. Especially our feathered friends who do not move around as much and do not live in a cold environment, sometimes get food with a too high energy level. They could remain in good health even with a little less. Especially if they eat tasty treats such as fruit and nuts in addition to the pellets.

Fatty liver

Fatty liver is one of the problems that can affect a bird. With fatty liver, too much fat accumulates in the bird’s liver. Some birds are more sensitive to fatty liver than others. Cockatoos are an example of birds that are sensitive to this. Take the rose cockatoo. This bird has a tendency to become fat somewhat more quickly. This means that extra consideration must be given to this when providing a good diet. In the wild, these birds can get all the nutrients they need from very little food. Other birds with a tendency to fatigue include the Monk Parakeet.

For these birds Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily is a complete feed. Also for these pellets is that each pellet contains all the essential ingredients. The balanced pellets therefore contain everything the bird needs. The pellets contain real fruit and vegetables, but no added sugar. Only the total energy level is a little lower, so in that respect the bird does not take in more than it needs.

Breeding season

Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily is also often used for the breeding of parrots. By putting the birds on a lower energy diet in the off-season, extra effect can be obtained from the diet at the beginning of the breeding season, which gives an energy boost. This energy boost can stimulate the birds to start mating and laying eggs.

Combine

We recommend Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily Small for, among others, Monk Parakeets and other small seed and nut-eating birds. The Large variant is suitable for (medium) large birds such as Rosé cockatoos, Cockatoos and Amazons.

For other small birds Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily is also very good to combine with one of the other products from our Wisbroek Parrot range. After all, a smart bird has Wisbroek Low Fat Daily in its diet.

Do you have questions or need advice about Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily? Please send an e-mail to hello@wisbroek.com.

Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily Small
~~Vanaf: € 16,95 incl. VAT~~ From: € 16,95 incl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily Large
~~Vanaf: € 16,95 incl. VAT~~ From: € 16,95 incl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Posted on 29 April 20213 March 2022 by Wisbroek

5 practical tips for the breeding season

It is breeding season!

The time we most look forward to but at the same time the most stressful time for us as bird caretakers. Unfortunately, there is no recipe for success, I would prefer to say otherwise.

What we can do is do the best for the birds and gather and share as much knowledge as possible to be well prepared.

In this blog I would like to share with you some ideas and solutions that we apply when the situation occurs. Hopefully we can help you a little.

1

The egg has cracked

And of course, it’s always the fertile egg :-S… The first thing we have to do is to examine whether the membrane has also broken. If this is the case there is unfortunately nothing we can do about it.

If the membrane is intact it might be an option to take it out of the nest and incubate the egg in an incubator:

Disinfect the incubator and clean the egg well. Use nail polish to seal the crack. Be aware: Only use organic nail polish! Then gently blow the nail polish dry so that it does not stick to the incubator. Pay attention to the weight of the egg, it will probably need a different moisture percentage compared to other eggs.

When the crack appeared, it also formed a path for bacteria, so it is possible that the embryo dies at a later stage.

2 Changing the diet

The diet of some softbills needs to be changed when the eggs hatch. It is necessary to enrich the diet with a protein source. These birds are very clever and will only choose the tasty things in their food, with the result that not all the important ingredients may be given to the babies. We make a porridge with all the necessary ingredients and mix it well. This works perfectly for us and the birds eat it with pleasure.

3 Checking the nest box

The best way to check a nest box is from the outside or with cameras. Unfortunately, this is not always possible so we have to check a nest box from close by. We do this to see how many eggs there are, but also to check the fertility.

Make sure that the birds do not see you while you are checking! If they see you, there is a chance that they will reject the eggs. If you have the possibility, close them inside or outside, depending on where the nest is, check it and open the window or door again.

4 Use foster parents

Some birds are great at raising their offspring, but others have too little experience or are simply not good at it. Foster parenting can be a good alternative to hand-rearing in this case. Make sure that the foster parents are suitable for raising the babies in terms of diet and behaviour. Place the egg in the new nest without the foster parents seeing it. Normally, the egg will be accepted without any problems.

5 Ringing the young ones

Ring the birds in time and in the nest. With softbills this can be a challenge. Often the babies are thrown out of the nest because the rings are very shiny. Use some Leucotape which you put over the ring so that it looks more like the skin of the leg. As soon as the bird wants to fly out, you should remove the tape.

These were the tips!

We hope these tips can help you get through this busy but also rewarding and fun time. If you still have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help!

Posted on 21 January 20213 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Why a low iron diet for your softbill?

Iron storage

Iron storage disease occurs when too much iron is accumulates in the liver. In the wild, there is not much iron in the diet, so some bird species evolved a way to store it in the liver and use it gradually.

The body needs a certain amount of iron to produce haemoglobin, which is the molecule that carries oxygen molecules from the lungs to all the other cells in the body. In captivity, a lot of iron is available in food and water, among other things. When too much iron builds up, the liver becomes saturated and too much iron is transferred to the heart, lungs and other organs. Here it can do considerable damage, even leading to death without any prior signs.

Treatment

When symptoms occur, they may include: weight loss, depression, swollen abdomen with fluid accumulation, breathing difficulties and circulatory failure. Diagnosis is very difficult and can only be obtained by liver biopsy, which carries considerable risks for the bird. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment yet, only some experimental ideas that have not been proven successful. A change in the diet by adding food with less iron will provide the best solution so far.

Although iron storage disease appears to be associated with an excessive intake of dietary iron, not all birds are affected on an equivalent diet. Stress or genetic factors may also play a role. Certain foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, increase the dietary iron intake. Excessive consumption of vitamin A can also play a role.

Advice

It is therefore important to prevent iron overload. It is therefore advisable to provide a low iron diet as standard. Wisbroek plays a major role in this. Our Wisbroek Softbill Diet (small and large) always has an iron content below 85ppm. As a reference it is advised to give feeds below 100ppm iron to the birds. Wisbroek Softbill Diet scores exceptionally well in this test.

In addition, we are constantly doing research at the Wisbroek R&D center on the influence of our feeds on the birds. So the development of bird feeds does not stop!

We are proud of these results! It proves that our work is rewarded by developing the best food for these birds.

Are you interested in the results of the analysis report? View the report here.

Posted on 29 October 20203 March 2022 by Wisbroek

How do birds get their most beautiful colours?

Bright colours

Everyone prefers to see a bird with beautiful and bright colours. That’s why some people wonder why birds in the wild have bright colours and the same species in captivity have a brighter colour.

In the bird world we know that breeding success largely depends on the feather quality of the bird.Of course there are several factors that play a role but the most important one is that the females prefer a male who has the most beautiful feathers, together with a perfect tail and crest.

Of course there are several factors that play a role but the most important one is that the females prefer a male who has the most beautiful feathers, together with a perfect tail and crest.

Pigments

The colour of the plumage is created by two types of pigments. Melanin, which produces a range of black, grey and brown shades. And carotenoids, this affects the clarity of the feather structure and their colour.

Unfortunately, birds cannot produce carotenoids themselves. To colour the feathers they need to extract the carotenoids from food, these carotenoids circulate through the bloodstream to the feather follicles. Carotenoids are crucial to help the embryo in the egg with its immune system. For this reason, the use of artificial dyes that only improve the colour of the feathers is absolutely not recommended.

At the same time this is the reason why we, as Wisbroek, only use colourants from natural ingredients. We think it is important that not only the bird gets a nice colour, but also the bird is and stays healthy. We always strive to create a diet that is as similar as possible to what the birds would eat in nature.

Wild

In the wild, for example, birds have access to food that contains lutein and canthaxathine. We have looked for a solution to include this in the diet of every bird. Also, the amount of nutrients needed by birds varies per species, which makes it extremely challenging to develop a food that is suitable for so much different species.

This is where our Wisbroek feeds make the difference with the product range. All our products contain natural carotenoids from a natural source. We try to combine this as much as possible with other natural ingredients and process this into an extruded pellet of top quality.

Procedure

Naturally, the feeds Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating, Wisbroek Softbill Diet and Wisbroek Parrot contain the necessary healthy dose of natural colourants for these colourful bird species. But also less colourful bird species such as ducks, cranes, waders etc. need a good plumage so we work with natural colourants in all our feeds!

This approach means that the bird has everything it needs in 1 bag of food, how nice is that?

Posted on 14 September 20203 March 2022 by Wisbroek

The importance of good veterinary care

Sickness

It is common sense that birds can fall sick as every other living being. In that case, the intervention of a specialist, in our case an avian veterinarian, will be necessary.

Since all birds tend to camouflage disease until it is far advanced, the consulting veterinarian, preventive measures and constant monitoring an important role. By consistently keeping a record of this, one or more birds can be prevented from becoming incurable. Often it is not just about treating and saving one bird. If action is not taken in time, a disease can threaten the whole population.

Medical research

We must be aware that there are thousands of bird species in the world, of which we know only a small proportion. As a result, there is a great lack of experience and knowledge. That is why ongoing research and preventive measures are so important. In addition to acute cases of disease being examined and treated by the veterinarian, it is important to perform regular checks such as periodic blood analyses, fecal checks, bacteriological and mycological samples (taken from the bird and its environment) and physical examination of the birds in order to learn more about the bird species and protect the population from disease.

Research

Besides the medical examinations needed to ensure the health of our birds, a lot of research is also required. This means that the veterinarian helps to formulate diets, plan breeding periods and develop hand rearing protocols and hygiene and quarantine protocols. The vet also trains our staff to recognize a sick bird and to observe and evaluate its behavior.

The housing of the birds is also crucial. Their environment should be adapted to the birds and not the other way around. The advice of the veterinarian with his experience and knowledge is therefore crucial for the welfare of our animals.

Wisbroek R&D Center

Our advising veterinarian at the Wisbroek R&D Center, specialized in birds and reptiles, is Dr. med. Vet. Heiner Müller. Director and owner of the veterinary practice Exotengesundheitsteam in Germany.

He emphasizes that all the components described above are the best (preventive) medicine for a healthy collection. A healthy and well maintained population is a good basis to offer the animals a happy life and this will inevitably lead to breeding success!

Posted on 20 May 20203 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Why do we keep records about our animals?

Recording the data

Record keeping is crucial for animal care. As the habitats in the wild for many threatened and endangered species continues to shrink, it’s our responsibility as a institution to take care that we record the most information possible of the animals in captivity. The survival in a long term of captive populations requires management that will include gathering and recording data about genetics, ethology, nutrition and veterinary care.

Fortunately there are some very good software programs that we can purchase, but we also can do a lot just working with some excel files. If we don’t keep records in big collections, for example about the bloodlines (who is the parent of that bird, how many babies he had last year etc.) it will be really easy to make mistakes crossing birds with the same bloodlines!

Registration systeem

This is not conservation of species because we are creating birds that will be genetic under represented and therefore with a tendency to be more prone to diseases, growing problems among others.

Despite what I spoke before is quite obvious for most of the readers, there’s much more to take as an advantage when we have a good record keeping system. Nutritionally it is very important to control what the bird eats in a daily basis to avoid over or under weight problems, decide when we supplement for breeding season and to decide when it’s necessary to add or remove something.

Keep the data

Let’s see for example a bird that every day eats an average of 190-200 grams of food. It’s like this for years and the bird looks great. At some point he starts to eat 170-180 grams. In volume you will not see a big difference so you keep doing and assume it is ok. If you have data from the past you’ll see that this bird eats a quantity of food for years and now it’s less, so something is wrong! At this moment if we can find out what is the problem (it could be from just an environmental change to a disease starting) maybe we can save/improve the birds life, instead of notice when he is already skinny with no appetite.

Report

There are so much more advantages as I can mention right now such as the veterinary history of the bird, number of eggs per clutch etc. But being a blog and to not extend too much, just finishing about the discipline that will come if we start to do a good record keeping. Involuntarily the person that will do, will be obliged to pay more attention to details as he or she will have to write a short report every end of the day!

It becomes a routine at some point, and you’re gonna notice it when you don’t have anything to write. This is the point you’ll start to pay attention in the small things and that’s when the difference will be made.

Therefore we can say that we are taking really good care of the animals under our responsibility!

Posted on 23 January 20203 March 2022 by Wisbroek

The perfect time to change your bird diet!

Time to change your bird diet

Many people ask when it will be the best time to change a diet of a bird. Well, now will be perfect! The best time is outside the breeding season, witch for the most of the species is between October and March. This way you have time to make a proper adaptation without interference in this sensitive period.

And why? It’s simple. Stress. Any change results in stress. Stress can be good of course and it’s a natural consequence of any change. However stress release for example adrenaline, which is a hormone that can be connected to all the body hormone receptors. This will result in less receptors for the hormones released during the breeding period which can result in infertility, pairs that enter in breeding mode at different times and loose of breeding behavior between many others.

Switch to new diet

These observations can lead to a wrong conclusion: The diet we choose to replace for the old one was not good because the birds didn’t breed. Wrong! This could also be a reason of course but a new diet needs time to have an impact, whether it’s good or bad. So most likely the bad results of the breeding season in this case could be just stress caused by a diet change in the wrong period.

We always need to keep in mind that it is not enough to just have a better product. You also need to provide the best advice and guidance. As Wisbroek we aim to have the best food. However this needs to be supported with husbandry knowledge and that’s what we do and work for every single day.

So, if you think of changing to Wisbroek feed, as we hope so , the best time will be outside the breeding season. Again: this depends on the specie, the place in the globe, the weather, etcetera. We are talking about a period that can be between 6 to 8 months so you will have plenty of time to let your birds adjust to the new diet.

Advice

The way you should change is quite important. Never do it in one time.

We advise the following way:

Day 1 – 3: 80% Old pellet, 20% Wisbroek pellet

Day 4 – 6: 60% Old pellet, 40% Wisbroek pellet

Day 7 – 9: 40% Old pellet, 60% Wisbroek pellet

Day 10 – 12: 20% Old pellet, 80% Wisbroek pellet

After day 13: 100% Wisbroek pellet

And there you are! Your bird is now eating Wisbroek pellets, minimal stress, gradual change and prepared for a super breeding season!

Good luck, and if you have any questions feel free to consult us.

Posted on 28 November 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

The importance of natural ingredients in pellets

Protein and fat values

Not only in animal nutrition but also in human food as well, it’s in our days common to talk about protein and fat values. It’s something that’s much more in our minds than some decades ago.

Human food is not our specialty, but animal nutrition is, specifically birds. It’s a fact that the amount of nutrients in pellets are very important! But more than that, and what many people forget, is how crucial the source of those nutrients is. It’s not difficult to create a pellet using some basic materials as a base like corn or soya and add some artificial ingredients to get the values that are believed to be the best for the target specie. Well, a pellet like this, when we look at the numbers in the label, seems to be really good.

Pellet

However, the used ingredients to reach these values aren’t similar with what the bird eats in the wild. So it doesn’t only matter what the value of protein is, but also where it comes from. For example, if the main source of our protein in a pellet is from a GMO or a crop, and the pellet is for a carnivore, the intake and usage of that protein will be deficient and not efficient.

It’s all about the natural ingredients. When you choose a pellet for your bird it’s highly recommended to look more at the list of ingredients and not only at the standard values of protein, fat and other nutrients.

Vegetal oil

Another example is when there is vegetal oil added in a food for stilts or sea ducks. They need oil, but it must be from an animal source, like fish for instance. If the added oil will be from plants, their feathers will later be really greasy because their body can’t metabolize this type of oil. That’s why Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating, Wisbroek Micro 22 / 40 and Wisbroek Ibis – Flamingo Floating are coated in high quality fish oil. Besides this it contains EPA/DMA, which are essential fatty acids not produced by the animals. Good for embryo development and it also will prevent heart diseases and promotes a healthy brain.

More than just values

So as you can read it’s much more than just values. A good quality of natural ingredients, and of course adequate to the target specie, can bring much more than just protein, fat etc. Furthermore it can bring some simple things that are often forgotten like taste, smell, coating, but also really important things like the fatty acids I mentioned before!

With this taken in mind, let’s take a look at the final composition of our Wisbroek feeds. We always use natural ingredients in our pellets, in some cases more than 30! But at least so important is that all nutrients are in perfect balance without adding artificial ingredients!

This is the core of the success of Wisbroek pellets. We always use high quality ingredients in every product, thinking all the time on the feeding strategy of the bird in the wild and taking the challenges of breeding them in captivity into considerations. Of course the most important is to keep researching and developing in order to always have the most complete feeds.

Posted on 31 October 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Why are planted aviaries so important for birds in captivity?

An avairy

When we decide to plant an aviary the main question that rises: which plants should we use? This subject will be enough for some pages, so in this article I would like to explain why, in my opinion, it’s so important to have vegetation in aviaries with birds.

We always have to keep in mind that plants will act as a natural acclimatizer. With this I mean that they can protect the birds from wind, high temperatures and low temperatures, rain, snow and all the other “gifts” mother nature presents us. So plants can be ideally to provide birds a shelter from all these weather conditions.

The vegetation also provides places to hide. Some aviaries are mixed with different species of birds. Some aviaries have species that can develop aggressive behaviors in the breeding season. A good planted aviary will provide birds places to hide so they can feel safe, just like in nature.

Security distance

One topic that particularly interests me is what I like to call “security distance”. By this term I mean that I always ask myself the question: what will be the necessary distance that an animal needs to feel safe when they see people at the front of the aviary?

As an example: let’s say the depth of the aviary is 5 meters from the front mesh to the rear wall. A person passes at the front of the aviary and the bird flies back in the aviary to a distance of 4 meters. This means that for that aviary the animal “security distance” (the distance the bird needs to keep from the person to feel safe) will be 4 meters.

Now, if you plant the enclosure the bird feels more protected by the surrounding vegetation, and brings them more close to the front which will make much more easy for us to contemplate his magnificence.

Of course the aviaries will also look more beautiful by simulating / replicating “the natural environment”. For sure this should not be the main reason for planting an aviary, because of the arguments mentioned earlier. It is also really important to know how to prune the plants in order to provide nice perches for the birds. You also need to think carefully about which plant species to choose, taking the bird species into account. And of course choose always non-poisonous plants!

As a last call I would like to mention to always keep in mind to protect the plant against damage from the birds. Choose plant species wisely, ask for advice, research on the species, because after all plants are also living beings and they will also need our care.

Posted on 29 August 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Vlog: Handrearing owls @Wisbroek with Wisbroek Carnipro

In our newest vlog explaines Tiago Nabiço, Manager Operations at Wisbroek, how we raise our young owls. We do this with our product Wisbroek CarniPro.

Watch the complete video below.

Posted on 1 August 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

How can our pellets be used as a supplement?

Pellets

It’s a fact that some species of birds don’t like te eat pellets due to their feeding strategy. When this is the case, we need to use supplements to fulfill the gap of nutrients that the other foods present.

What if we could fulfill this gap with our pellets? I will give several examples:

Inca Sternen

Shore birds, are fantastic flyers and basic fish eaters. At Wisbroek R&D Center, when we present them the fish we sprinkle Wisbroek Micro 22 over the fish. It’s a high quality extruded pellet that, when it gets in contact with the fish, will absorb some water of his body and gets glued to the fish! So when the sterns eat the fish, the pellets are also eaten! What’s really amazing is what we saw with our Incas at Wisbroek R&D Center: after some time the birds started to eat the Micro 22 dry that we offered in an extra dish! Probably because of the coating with fish oil, the taste pleases them. They are in a mixed aviary with Chilean Flamingos and we often see them eat the Wisbroek Ibis – Flamingo Floating as well, probably because it is also coated with fish oil. How awesome is this? Now we just present fish and pellets to them and they look perfect and are breeding as well!

Fruit eaters

Here the case is different. These birds should have pellets in their daily diet. The composition of the fruit present on the market is not even close to the ones they eat in the wild. However it is also known how difficult it is for some birds to feed them pellets. At Wisbroek R&D Center we also had some cases like that. So we thought in the possibility to use our Wisbroek Softbill Diet Small as a supplement over the fruit. It worked perfectly! Because it’s also a high quality extruded pellet, absorbs some water of the fruit and gets glued to the fruit.

Well, fruit they like, so when some pellets are glued to the fruit, they have no chance rather than eat everything! Because the pellets also taste like fruit, eventually they start to eat them dry as well. We just need to keep presenting them to the birds!

Insectivores

Some insectivores like the Common Hoopoes or the Bee-eaters will for sure not eat pellets. But they love mealworms right? So what about just feeding the mealworms with the pellets? More information about this can be found in another blog, but to give an example this year we got a pair of Common Hoopoes with 9 babies. And they only eat the mealworms gut loaded with our Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating and Wisbroek Softbill Diet! Cool isn’t it?

(Blog: https://wisbroek.com/en/mealworm-nutrition-how-important-this-can-be-for-the-health-of-the-birds/

At the Wisbroek Research & Development Center, our most important task is keep researching the best ways to nourish a bird. Developing the highest quality feed is a precondition for success, but also brings a responsibility to research the best ways to feed those pellets. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this blog, because sharing knowledge is for sure one of the keys to success for the worldwide aviculture.

Do you have questions about this blog or our feed? Do not hesitate to ask your question via our website www.wisbroek.com or send a mail to info@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 18 April 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating: Why we don’t have a Breeder and a Maintenance variant

Ibis-Flamingo Floating

We are regularly asked why we do not have a Maintenance and Breeder variant of Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating. Before going deep in this subject we need to keep in mind that many concepts of the past are changing and improving through years of research! It’s a fact that for some species, such as parrots for example, it is crucial to adjust diets between seasons, mostly due to the need to increase/decrease the levels of protein and fat. For flamingos the most important thing is to provide a top nutrition all year long. The percentage of pellets that the flamingos will eat, will vary depending on the time of the year. In the winter they will eat more feed than in the spring and summer. Due to higher maintenance requirements at a lower temperature, but also due to the absence of “natural” feed additions (insects, algae, buds, grass seeds) in winter. In this way they will not lose their condition during the hard winter and they will reach the breeding season perfectly in shape.

Maintenance- and breeding feed

Now, what will happen when we do not give enough fat during the low season and we increase the protein a lot in the breeding season? Well, during the winter, the birds will then have insufficient fat values to transform into energy, which they need to endure the cold. This will make them burn protein to convert it into energy. This is a process that is not efficient at all, and also causes liver damages due to the overwork of this organ. But assuming that the bird endures the winter like this and, before the breeding season starts, we dramatically increase the levels of protein, he will use this amount of protein to burn into energy and to replace the levels he should already have. And this can work, but in a long term it is a disaster.

The key

The key, in our opinion and experience, is using a top feed all year long, like our Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating. With a percentage of 19% crude protein and 9% crude fat, the bird will have 365 days per year the adequate level of fat. This allows him to use this total 19% of protein only for the target metabolic processes, and never to burn this to replace the required energy, which is provided perfectly by the 9% crude fat. On top of this our feed is coated in fish oil which will make it more palatable, making it easy to train the birds to eat it dry and therefore avoiding waste. It will also make the pellet much more difficult to break up and turn into dust, even if the pellet is soaked in water it will remain intact for longer. We also have added EPA and DHA; that are essential fatty acids that the birds cannot produce themselves. They are really good for the embryonic development, prevent heart diseases and promote a healthy brain.

Secret of the breeding success

Trigger the birds for the breeding season will not be necessary through the feed. It is the weather, the balance of the group, the aviary, the availability of nesting places and an appropriate soil and a lake/pond. This combined with a top nutrition all year long is the secret of the breeding success of this amazing specie.

Would you like more information about Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating or do you have any questions about the nutrition of your birds? Then contact us via info@wisbroek.com. We like to help you!

Posted on 28 February 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Vlog: Which feed is best for which duck?

In this new vlog Tiago Nabiço, Manager Operations at Wisbroek, explains the difference between Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating and Wisbroek Waterfowl Floating and describes the differences between birds and their nutritional needs.

Watch the complete video below.

Posted on 24 January 20193 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Preparing for the breeding season

Breeding season

The breeding season is the time of the year when birds mate and breed. In the wild, this normally happens in the spring. At that moment the temperature begins to increase and food becomes the most abundant. Under human care, where food scarcity isn’t an issue, of course relying on the conditions you provide, you can have a breeding season at any time of the year, depending on the species. When we talk about breeding season of birds under human care, there’s a lot that needs to be done to make sure that the birds are prepared to start. They are completely dependent on us.

Nesting material

There are no general recipes for this. Mostly because there are so many different species. However a lot of literature for specific species can be found. For some of them you can remove nesting boxes outside the breeding season to discourage breeding during excessively hot or cold weather, but for others the nests should stay all year round to provide hiding places. Anyway, the first thing you have to look at is the nest. If it’s not in the aviary, you have to put it there. Make sure that the nests are clean. All sorts of mold, parasites, fungi and bacteria can live in used nesting material, so it must be discarded. A disinfectant sprayer removes any dirt on the inner surface. I always like to leave the nests in the sun for a few days after being washed at the end of the breeding season. Then I store them in a dry place.

Avoid disturbing the birds

Avoid disturbing the birds when they are courting, building nests, sitting, laying, or feeding their chicks, unless it is absolutely necessary. To disturb your birds as little as possible, you should give your aviary a good clean just before the breeding season begins. That’s the time to replace perches, sweep the floor, replace the substrate, prune plants, spray residual insecticide, etc. Never during the breeding season. Your birds will appreciate having a nice clean aviary to raise their chicks. Of course the nesting material must always be provided and available all the time. Depending on the species, these materials can be sticks, mud, coconut fiber or moss.

Nutrition

One of the most important things is also the nutrition. The nutritional needs of birds increase as the breeding season begins. But again this will be very specific for some species or really simple for others. Anyway, in general you should start offering more fresh food to mimic the increase in food supply that wild birds would experience at the beginning of spring. Some birds are triggered due to an increase in foods with higher levels of protein and fat. For example, some frugivorous will eat meat/insects during the breeding season. You must do the same for birds that are kept under human care. Add some baby mice, mealworms or boiled eggs (my favorites because it is a good supply of nutrients and safer for contaminations). There are also birds which just eat more of the same food! We can look to our Wisbroek feeds as an example. Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating is a complete feed for the whole year. The flamingos will be triggered by the weather and will be perfectly nourished when the time comes. For parrots it’s a completely different concept. They must be fed perfectly throughout the year too, but the level of protein and fat needs to increase drastically when the breeding season starts. That is why we have developed the Wisbroek Parrot Daily and Wisbroek Parrot Booster. It is necessary to keep in mind that all other nutrients must always be present. So it is not a question of giving better feed during the breeding season. Both feeds need to be perfect, just with different levels of fat and protein to decrease or boost the production of hormones. Always keep in mind that protein and calcium (for the development of eggs) are the main nutritional factors for increased breeding performances. But you can give as much calcium as you want, if they do not have Vitamin D (by the sun or at least added in the water) it will not be metabolized.

Nature is our best teacher

Preparing the birds for the breeding season is not only about giving the best things. It is also the way you give it, when you give it and for what you give it. Our team is always available to give advice, as far as our knowledge reaches. In addition, my experience is that it is always the small and most insignificant details that can boost or ruin a breeding season. That is why it is extremely important to always look at what the birds do in the wild. Nature is our best teacher!

Posted on 13 December 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Wisbroek Micro 22 and Micro 40: what’s the difference?

Protein, fat & carbs

Protein, fat and carbs provide energy to the animal. If less protein and fat is present, such as in Wisbroek Micro 22 (22% protein / 8% fat), there will be more carbs compared to the Wisbroek Micro 40 (40% protein /10% fat). So the main issue here is therefore related to the capability of the animal to digest carbs. Carnivores and piscivores don’t digest carbs very well, herbivores on the other hand do. Most of the ducks, which are kept under human care, are omnivores, therefore the 22/8 ratio is most suitable. If you give an animal more proteins, which they will not use, then the proteins must be burned, which has the disadvantage that much more nitrogen has to be discarded by the body, which costs energy and will not be good for the birds kidney and is also not efficient.

Energy level

Next to this, protein and fat have a higher energy level than carbs. This means that the Micro 22 contains less energy than the Micro 40. When you feed ad libitum, the Micro 22 is much more safer to feed to young birds, avoiding overgrowing, joints/bone problems etc. And the Micro 40 is more suitable for feeding birds that need extra energy.
In the Micro 40 we use more high-quality raw materials like fishmeal for example. This is very important for birds who also eat fish and crustacean in nature, like for example the grebes. But it is not necessary for birds eating water plants, for these ones Wisbroek Micro 22 is the most suitable.

Advice

One of the great advantages of the Wisbroek Micro 40 is how it can be used as a supplement for Gulls, Terns and other sea- and shore birds . They are extruded pellets which absorb water, when in contact with the fish being fed to these birds. The pellet inflates an gets glued to the fish. In this way, the bird will automatically eat pellets when he eats the fish, which together act as a high quality supplement.

We hope to have created a clearer picture of the differences between Wisbroek Micro 22 and Wisbroek Micro 40. Keeping previously mentioned kinds of birds under human care can be a challenge, due to many reasons such as nutrition, acclimatization or the setup of an aviary that provides all needs for the welfare of these birds. We are proud to contribute to meeting these challenges by providing a complete feed that fulfill all the needs of the bird’s metabolism. Of course the Wisbroek team is always available to provide nutritional advice as far as our knowledge reaches. Please contact us via info@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 5 November 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Introducing Wisbroek CarniPro

Usual preys

The usual preys of a carnivore are normally other vertebrates. Their carcasses are generally similar between species when we talk about important nutrients. The carcasses contain protein, calcium and phosphorus in big quantities and in good proportions and also a good amount of vitamins and minerals. The amount of water and fat will depend of the time of the year and the body condition of the prey.

The fat present on the carcasses is also really important due to the high quantity of minerals and fat soluble vitamins. The lack of Vitamine E and Selenium in captivity cause many cases of White muscle disease.

When we talk about wild carnivores or piscivores under human care, usually the main source of food is meat. Meat from farm animals, so we are mainly talking about muscles. When a predator catches his prey, normally he will eat the entire carcass, and the composition of the muscle is many different from the composition of the whole prey. The muscle is a good source of aminoacids, minerals like potassium, selenium, zinc and some vitamins, but really lacks in calcium, Magnesium, Vitamine A, D and E. So we can say that feeding a carnivore (under human care) exclusively with meat will have a predictable end…

Use of supplements

That’s why the use of supplements is so important. Because of this, we developed Wisbroek CarniPro to make sure that carnivores and piscivores under human care will be properly nourished. By adding Wisbroek CarniPro to carcasses, meat and fish, the animal gets all necessary nutrients for their daily activities.
We would like to explain what makes Wisbroek CarniPro different from the other supplements already available on the market. For example, part of the vitamin A is used as the safe form of B-carotene that cannot be overdosed. It also contains Probiotics that will help to keep a balanced intestinal flora. In addition it has increased vitamin E and organic selenium levels. As I mentioned, those are strong antioxidants that support immunity, especially in high-fat diets. Wisbroek CarniPro also contains extra Vitamin B1 which is broken down in frozen fish by thiaminase and we all know how important this is. Besides, at least 50% of the minerals are added in their organic, safe and natural form and finally yeast cell walls are added to support the immune system.

Add Wisbroek CarniPro

The way to add Wisbroek CarniPro to the feed is really easy. Just use the recommended dosage mentioned on the product label. Divide 1% Wisbroek CarniPro over the carcass, meat or fish. Add the correct dosage (10g per kilogram of feed); the supplied scoop facilitates this. A leveled off scoop contains 10 grams of Wisbroek CarniPro. Depending of the target specie there are a number of techniques that can help to ensure that the animal eats the supplement. Of course we are always open to give some advices about that!

Wisbroek CarniPro is now available in our webshop. You can order it directly from here or via our dealers. Of course we are also happy to answer your questions and provide nutritional advice. Please contact us via: info@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 9 October 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Wisbroek’s new range of Parrot feeds

Developing new nutrition

Wisbroek has a lot of experience in developing bird feeds. Over the last years we have heard from several partners that there was an urge for a special feed for parrots. When we visit a new Zoo they often ask us if we also develop Parrot Feeds because they are looking for a better one. So about 2 years ago we have started our research. A research executed with the Wisbroek staff of course, but also many parrot experts, nutritionists, parrot keepers, curators and veterinarians were consulted. Normally the first initial tests (at least 1 year before delivery to market) of our Wisbroek Feeds always take place at Wisbroek. Together with nutritionists and experts, research is being conducted to bring feed to a balanced level as this is a basis for animal health. At the Wisbroek Research & Development Center we didn’t have any parrots at that time, therefore we performed some extensive tests with some prominent partners.

Many information was gathered and interesting points were collected and after all this time we have tried to create, in our opinion, the most complete parrot feed of the market. We developed 2 different kinds of parrot feeds, the Wisbroek Parrot Fruit Blend and the Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend. One based on fruits and the other one based on seeds and nuts, depending on the parrot feeding strategy. Both feeds are available in a daily blend (Small and Large) and a booster. The Daily Small and Daily Large variant can be combined, depending on the type of bird, because the ingredients are exactly the same. Besides we have developed for the Fruit as well as for the Nut Blend a booster; which can be fed to birds which need extra energy, for example during the breeding season.

Natural ingredients

We really wanted to make a special feed, so we collect more than 30 natural ingredients and transform these in an extruded pellet that will contain all necessary nutrients for welfare of the birds. It contains DHA fatty acids for optimal health and breeding conditions. Most of the minerals have been added in organic form and organic minerals have a higher availability since they are the natural form of minerals in animal diets. It also contains yucca extract which promotes digestion. Besides, the Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend is based on seeds, nuts and other natural ingredients with a slow carbohydrate availability of slow release energy. Those are just some of the strong points of these feeds.

Personally one of the most interesting conversations we had was with Tony Silva. He really opened my eyes to certain points that today, in my opinion, are crucial in a parrot feed. Among many, the most interesting, was when Tony was telling the urge of having a good maintenance feed for parrots. But not a maintenance feed that will mean a cheaper and therefore incomplete feed. Just a perfect feed for the parrots but with very low values of fat and protein in order to stop them to enter in breeding mode. And when we keep that in mind, that makes a lot of sense! For example, a hornbill which normally eats fruit, will eat, during the breeding season, some small rodents, small birds or even steal some eggs from nests to get the extra protein he needs for this period. The rest of the year he will go back to his frugivorous feeding strategy. The same happens for many other species. But with parrots for example, if they are a fruit eater / nut eater, they will eat fruit or nuts all year long. The difference is that during the breeding season they also have access to fruits, nuts, flowers and leaves with high levels of protein and fat. So we do realize that the reason why many parrots in captivity have so much aggression issues might be that they are in constant breeding mode due to a diet of high fat and protein. Therefore we have created Wisbroek Parrot Fruit Blend Daily and Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily. Both in a Small and Large variant. These are extruded pellets containing all necessary nutrients for their perfect metabolism, but mimicking the wild, the less abundance and protein and fat will put them in a non-breeding mode. Besides we created the Wisbroek Parrot Fruit Blend Booster and Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Booster with higher levels of fat and protein to trigger them for the breeding! With this range of feeds the breeders/keepers/Zoos, can estimate what their birds need and provide them with an adequate diet, by choosing just one of these feeds, or even a mix of them.

Wisbroek Parrot Feeds

We all know that each breeder/keeper likes to make their own mix, add their own ideas, and that’s fantastic! They know their birds, understand what the specific needs of the birds are and which diet fits best, on a daily basis as well as during the breeding season. Our idea of making a premium feed for parrots was to make sure that if you want to give only the pellets, it will be enough, it is a complete feed, with all necessary nutrients present. But if you prefer to make it more diverse, according to seasons and feeding strategy, it can be used in a mixed diet as well, with no problem at all.

We are really excited with this new project and we hope that we can make a positive contribution for the nutrition of captive parrots around the world!

All information about our new Wisbroek Parrot Feeds can be found on our website. Of course we are also happy to answer your questions and provide nutritional advice. Please contact us via: info@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 21 September 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Nutrition of “wild” animals in captivity

Nutrition of wild animals

The nutrition of wild animals in captivity represents an incredible challenge. There are hundreds of species to consider, each of them represents millions of years of evolution and adaptation to their particular ecological niches.

For a long time the nutrition has been one of the most neglected aspects in the management of wild animals in captivity. Fortunately nowadays the improvement is substantial. Wisbroek is proud to participate actively in this. The development of high quality extruded pellets is without any doubt a milestone when we talk about nutrition of wild animals under human care.

The goal of nutrition programs in zoos/breeding centers is to provide adequate diets to all the animals in the collection. Today these institutions should be committed to the conservation and reproduction of threatened species, so we have to know how to develop appropriate diets to meet all physiological (growth, reproduction…) as well as psychological needs, while economic conditions are valued.

Treatment

When preparing a diet, we must take into account a number of factors:
1. Food habits in the wild: In the wild, the acquisition of food occupies most of the time, since the spatial and temporal distribution of the food is usually very complex, which is not even constant throughout the year, neither in quantity nor in quality. A fact that may be important is the time the animal spend taking this or that food, to get an idea of their dietary preferences.

2. Anatomy and physiology of the digestive system: The lips, the dentition, (if present) polycavitary or monocavitary stomachs, the type of beak etc., usually give a lot of information about their natural diet. Although there are exceptions such as the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens). With teeth designed to tear more than to grind, with a mouth unable to chew in circles and a simple digestive system and without fermentation chambers; he has an exclusive diet of bamboo. This, which today seems obvious, cost the lives of many captive pandas and they were fed diets typical of faunivorous carnivores many years ago.

3. Bibliographic data: There is a lot of data reviewed and supported in laboratory analysis, and we already started to have a lot of published information available to anyone.

4. Needs of similar species (domestic or not) whose requirements are known: Domestic animals can serve as a model to match the requirements of a specie that we do not know this about. Ex: By knowing the structure of the digestive system of an elephant we realize that it is very similar to the digestive system of a horse, so it is possible that their requirements are similar in some approximate way too.

5. Structure of the facility where the animal lives in captivity and feeding behavior: Important to know if the animal is able to develop its feeding behavior in a normal way. This includes not only the feeding but in covering all the biological needs of the species. It would be absurd to make a perfect diet for giraffes and put it in a feeder at ground level! Feeding an individual animal with a strong hierarchical family group is therefore not the same as feeding different groups that share facilities.

6. Specific data of each animal or group of animals: It is important to know if they are young or already mature.

With all this information we are ready to start giving an optimal diet to our animals!

We have to say that many animals can survive or adapt to deficient diets for long periods, until there are extra metabolic efforts such as growth, reproduction, disease, fight for territory, adaptation to new environments, etc. Therefore it is not permitted to think that with keeping a living and apparently healthy animal is being fed satisfactorily.

Bad diet

A bad diet can go unnoticed if it is not very severe. The first symptoms can be very ambiguous and not very specific. These tend to be highly susceptible to infections and digestive processes, low fertility, low neonatal viability, thin animals, apathetic, bad hair/feathers and growth retardation.

Now that we know what the general process of developing diets is, we want to emphasize that it is also our goal to provide each animal with a way to develop its own eating behavior, while we have the obligation to ensure that all of them, even the most subordinate of the group, receive their daily ration.

The physical form of food can greatly influence aspects such as ease of storage, transport, stability against decomposition-oxidation but also in palatability, digestive function, eating behavior, etc.
Not only do you have to prepare a balanced diet with nutrients, but you have to present it to the animals in such a way that they take advantage of it in an optimal way. It is also important to know what the habits of our animals are, which may be different from others of the same species in other places!
For many animals it is better to give small meals several times a day, in order to stimulate them or because their way of eating is to eat everything we prepare, whether they like it or not, that is, palatable or not. Or to avoid accumulations of unused food. On the contrary, many others need only one meal at a certain time of the day. And for others it is important to distribute the food at several points so that the dominance of certain animals does not prevent everyone from having access to the food.

Extensive research

I also want to include a small section about the change of diets. This is a critical moment in the life of an animal. Just as domestic livestock have a peak of losses at this time in their lives, wild animals in captivity are very susceptible to developing pathological digestive processes and infectious diseases when they change their diet abruptly.

It must be done gradually, especially in the case of animals that depend heavily on their intestinal flora to obtain a large amount of nutrients. You have to adapt it little by little. The process can last days, weeks or even months. We have to check if the animal eats, if it eats the new diet or if it shows signs of illness or malnutrition.

One way to see this is to isolate the animal and follow it individually. This may or may not work, since isolation, by itself, can be a sufficient stress factor for the animal to stop eating.
As far as possible, dietary changes should be avoided during times of stress or excitement or in times where an extra contribution of nutrients is necessary.
Finally, it is very important to always be interested in their previous diet when sending or receiving new animals. And we must also share this information, even if it is not required.

During the development of the Wisbroek feeds, we conducted extensive research and always included the above aspects. All Wisbroek feeds have been developed with the idea to imitate the natural diet of the birds as well as possible and to cover all nutritional needs. We focus on diversity, as many different raw materials as possible are used, which are combined in an extruded pellet containing all necessary nutrients, resulting in a balanced diet.

If you have any further questions, we would be happy to advise you. Please contact us via info@wisbroek.com.

Posted on 20 July 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating – Role played in Scarlet Ibis nutrition

Immune system

As many scientific articles of our days mention, the carotenoids present in the egg yolk will play a key role on the future immunity system of the young hatchling. When the formation of the egg occurs, all needed nutrients, minerals etc will come from the female. We immediately think of the calcium of course, for the good shape of the shell. But there are more things that proved to be essential for the good development of the embryo. One of the main sources of these ingredients is the feed. Each bird species processes their feed differently of course. Therefore, on this article I will talk about the scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber).

This marvelous bird is known from his beautiful scarlet color. Color that comes from the carotenoids ingested with the feed. This pigmentation of the feathers, when provided without artificial supplements, will tell perfectly the breeding stage of the birds. Before the breeding season they should start to enhance their scarlet colors and when the mating season arrives, they will have a fantastic plumage. After, its crucial to see the females losing the coloration slowly on the head and neck. Why? Because that’s the ovulation period and the carotenoids are going to the yolk, just as we want! When we give artificial supplements, the birds will have a strong color all the time, but in reality, they are not processing the carotenoids well and for sure they will have infertility problems and neonatal deaths mainly due to a weak immunity system of the chicks. We have to keep in mind that the natural color of a scarlet Ibis is not a shiny metallic artificial red. When we look to the natural color of the bird it’s so fantastic that when we compare this to the ones that take artificial supplements, they will look strange.

Breeding results

That is why the Wisbroek team is constantly performing research and we would like to say that we have developed a spectacular feed for these birds. We add synthetic carotenoids (like B-carotene, canthaxanthin, lutein, …) to reach a certain level. But also, we select raw materials (spirulina, corn, linseed, krill, …) that are rich in natural carotenoids. So, we create a high and diverse level that meets the nutritional needs of the birds. Our Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating feed is now being fed in many top Zoos with fantastic results. There were even official tests made that gave us a podium position on these kind of feeds. Recently in a strong cooperation between the Wisbroek team and nutritionist Eng. Ana Saraiva of Lisbon Zoo (one of the oldest zoos in Europe with more than 100 years of existence), after an intense exchange of knowledge and the introduction of our feed, the feather condition of their scarlet Ibis had an outstanding improvement. We are now partners which makes us proud.

At Wisboek our breeding results are fantastic. In a group of 40 birds we have now 7-8 nests and every year we breed between 50-60 in 2 clutches. The percentage of success of the hatching is around 97%. In parent rearing we have survival rates of the young’s above 80%. Of course, the husbandry is important, but I believe that 50% of the success is achieved by the feed. They eat exclusively our pellets (Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating) dry. No fish or meat is added. As a Research & Development Center, we also examine infertile eggs, when we have them. We open these eggs to check the condition, and we saw all the time a beautiful strong orange yolk. Therefore we conclude that the right carotenoids metabolism is being processed.

Posted on 1 June 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Weaning birds after a hand feeding process

Hornbill

Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a baby bird to what will be its adult diet when feeding made by their parents and/or handler is stopped. But as I see it, it’s not only this. This moment will bring a lot of new behaviors for the young birds that will be crucial for their future, to endure in a completely new world.

An hornbill needs approximately 100 days to wean, therefore it’s really important that, when he makes two-thirds of the hand rearing process, he starts to be introduced to his final environment: the final aviary. It’s crucial that he leaves the box by himself, the same way as he would do in the nest if he was parent reared. And when he does it, he can enter his new environment instead of us transporting him there. Also, he is now more exposed to bacteria and fungus which will make his immunity system fortify slowly. It’s a deadly mistake, in my opinion, to only move the birds from the rearing room when they wean. I really believe that the final process of the hand rearing should be made in his final enclosure, of course if it’s possible. I know that can be really a challenge to do it with some species, but where’s the fun if it’s easy? 🙂

Good diet

We have to realize that many birds that leave the nest still get the food from the parents for a few days, or even weeks. Some just leave the nest to a complete new world when they fell prepared. Imagine how stressful it can be for a bird when he leaves the box and we just put him in a completely different environment, with different noises, temperature, bacteria… It’s so easy for a hornbill to damage his casque because of this kind of handling. That also applies to their flight abilities.

It is in the natural behavior of some species, for example, to discover the new world from the safety of their nest. They look, they study… and at the right moment they give it a go and start to explore the new world. They stretch the wings, make big jumps, short flights. Often they come back to the nests. And when they are prepared then they go! In some species, as for example the Barnacle goose, the three-day-old goslings that are unable to fly, jump off the cliff and fall. It is the only way to get food because they start to eat by themselves from the moment of the first feeding. So the point here is that when, for some reason, we need to hand rear a bird, it is not only essential to avoid imprinting, and apply a good hygiene and good diet. For sure these points are very important! But they do not mean anything when the bird breaks his neck or beak on the first flight. Or if he gets so much stress that he never wants to go to an outside enclosure, for example.

Like our kids when they are small, the young birds absorb also much faster the information than adults. So a bad memory can be turned into a trauma for life. In my 15 years’ experience I strongly believe that many behavioral problems of some adult birds, come from an incorrect husbandry at weaning. If this is made in the right way, according to the specie we are working with, for sure the success will be much higher. Research into behavior in the wild will always be the key. Because weaning is a process, not a moment.

Posted on 1 May 20183 March 2022 by Wisbroek

Mealworm nutrition – How important this can be for the health of the birds

Mealworms

Mealworms are an excellent source of protein for your birds. Live mealworms are packed with protein and moisture and are an excellent bird food. However when we buy them it’s really difficult to know exactly what was feed to them before. And from one perspective yes, they are “bags” of protein, but these “bags” can also carry more undigested feeds that might be not good for our birds nutrition.

With this in mind, we at Wisbroek, as soon as we buy the live mealworms, put them on a diet for 5 days of 70% Wisbroek Softbill Diet 7.0 and 30% Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating pellets. Both soaked in water. And why soaked? Because if the mealworms don’t have the proper humidity they will start the metamorphose to the next stage and we don’t want that. Normally it’s given apples and carrots to provide the needed water, but if the pellets are soaked, there’s no need to do it. And because of the manufacturing of our pellets they will soak the water but stay in the original shape of a ball. Just a little bigger. It takes more than 2 days to turn into pap which give the mealworms enough time for eating all pellets.

2 kinds of pellets

You might wonder why we mix these 2 kinds of pellets (Wisbroek Softbill Diet and Wisbroek Ibis-Flamingo Floating)? The Ibis-Flamingo pellets contain Canthaxanthin from the spirulina algae. So this will be a natural source of carotenes that will not be digested from the mealworms and will be carried by them as a vessel and eaten by the birds. That will give the birds small but enough quantities of carotenes that will enhance their colors! All the things that we don’t want to give to the Softbills like the fish oil present on the Flamingo food, the mealworms will digest! Then with 70% of Wisbroek Softbill Diet the mealworms will carry all the necessary nutrients that our bird needs.

It’s known how difficult it is to make an insectivore bird eating a pellet, but it’s also clear for us that our Wisbroek Softbill Diet is perfect for their nutrition! So feeding these pellets through the mealworms is how we provide the birds the necessary nutrients to thrive. And it works perfectly!

I strongly believe that nowadays even with the best feed (which we believe we have), it’s crucial to provide also advice in the nutritional husbandry. Because we can offer the perfect feed, but if the bird doesn’t eat it, that’s a problem. The Wisbroek team is continuously researching to find the best feeding techniques and we are always available to share this knowledge with all the bird technicians around the world!

Posted on 10 March 20173 March 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Nutrition down to the last detail

Healthy nutrition for animals

Healthy nutrition for animals can be easily described as ‘a complete diet that covers all the animal’s nutritional needs and guarantees a long, healthy, and happy life’. But it isn’t as simple as that.

A complete diet is often understood as one that fully meets the animal’s nutritional needs without the use of additives or with the use of just one ingredient. At Wisbroek, we use a sustainable yet straightforward method. And it all boils down to variety. Our feeds contain a lengthy list of primary ingredients, meaning birds get a varied source of feed. Wheat is the cheapest source of starch, but it doesn’t provide variety. That’s why we don’t use wheat on its own, but combine it with corn, which contains natural colourings, and rice, which is easy to digest. On top of the primary ingredients, we include vitamins, minerals, and additives. Inorganic minerals are cheap but cannot always be absorbed very well, so our mixes include organic minerals, which are better for animals.

All the animal’s nutritional needs must be covered. Many feeds are based on a certain protein and fat content, when in reality birds require very little protein and fat. Instead, they need the amino acids that protein is made from and the energy released from the fat. With this in mind, Wisbroek has incorporated the concept of ‘protein sparing’ into its feeds. This means saving protein by burning more fat instead of protein, which helps to provide the energy that birds need. The protein spared then makes a great source of amino acid that birds need to maintain muscle tissue, to shed their feathers, to lay eggs, and to stay healthy.

Ultimately this helps birds to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. So, a feed needs to be healthy, it must be easy to digest, and – of course – it has to be tasty. One of the more important methods that we use to accomplish this is the extrusion process. After grinding and mixing the ingredients, they are put under pressure in a large tube with a rotating screw, water is added, and the temperature is increased to 120°C. When the meal is pressed out of the tube, known as an extruder, it bursts open due to the drop in pressure. The process is similar to when a corn grain pops open because the skin of the grain is no longer able to maintain the pressure. Bursting open, or expanding, increases the taste – imagine getting a bag of corn kernels instead of popcorn at the cinema! It also makes it easier to digest, which is the same reason why we cook potatoes; plus, the heat kills all the bad bacteria and mould. But because it is only heated for such a short period of time and the meal is protected by the water, there is virtually no loss of nutrients.

Hopefully this helps to clarify what healthy nutrition for animals means to us here at Wisbroek and why it makes sense to make our feeds in the way that we do.

Posted on 26 February 20173 March 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating

Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating

Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating is the latest feed by Wisbroek to hit the market. Unlike other Wisbroek feeds, Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating has a different energy and protein content, as it contains more protein and fat than other feeds. The reason for this is the large amount of high-quality marine ingredients we put into the feed. Fish meal, fish oil, and algae are rich in protein and fat, perfect for piscivorous (fish-eating) birds, such as sea ducks, grebes, terns, and other shore and seabirds. Fish is easy to digest, high in DHA (Omega 3), and very tasty.

Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating has been designed to meet the needs of these fish-eating birds by using these high-quality ingredients. It also contains other animal and vegetable sources of protein. These protein sources all have a very high biological value, meaning their amino acid (protein) structure and the bonds between the amino acids almost 100% match the needs of the birds.

Wisbroek Sea Duck Floating is a well-balanced, tasty, and easily digestible feed for fish-eating birds. It’s a welcome addition to the existing Wisbroek range.

Posted on 14 February 20173 March 2022 by Wisbroek — Leave a comment

About the Wisbroek Research & Development Center

Wisbroek Research & Development Center

Every Wisbroek feed has been developed based on the wide nutritional knowledge of vets, nutritionists, and professional breeders. But that’s the easy part and is the same for other brand products. What really makes Wisbroek feeds different is the preliminary test phase.

Wisbroek started out as a breeding centre. It has since grown to become one of the largest bird centres in the world, making enormous progress in breeding a wide range of bird species. Nutrition is our highest priority to keep birds healthy and help them flourish. But because there were no feeds available that met Wisbroek’s standards, we decided to work with vets and nutritionists to develop our own feed that fully met the needs of birds. Since there was huge outside demand for Wisbroek’s feed, we decided to bring our own feed to the market. Wisbroek now has its own Research & Development Center, where our feeds are extensively tested before they are available on the market.

The test phase carried out at our professional Research & Development Center includes monitoring the long-term use of many different kinds of feed. During this phase, we have found that cranes fed on Wisbroek Crane Diet produce thinner faeces due to the nutrient content. But we can improve this by increasing the crude fibre content in the feed. What’s more, we noticed that our Softbill Diet did not contain the right carotenoids (natural colourings) to help all types of softbills (in all the colours of the rainbow) retain their natural colour. By selecting ingredients rich in the right carotenoids, we were able to improve this.

Wisbroek is working continuously to optimize its feeds and produce even more high-quality feeds for a variety of birds.

Feed type

Bird species

Step 1: Listen

Step 2: Collect information

Step 3: Assemble and test the recipe

Step 4: the road to the market

continue developing

Wisbroek Lory Nectar

Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily Small

Wisbroek Softbill Diet Large

Living food

Sticky

Wisbroek InsectPower

Wisbroek Mealworm Diet

Extra energy

Daylight

Freezing weather

Wisbroek VitaPro A-D3-E-C

Wisbroek BreedPower

Handfeeding

High fat of high protein

A special skill

Force-feeding

Wisbroek Parrot High Fat Handfeeding

Wisbroek Parrot High Protein Handfeeding

Fruit

Nuts

Vegetables

Special snacks for birds

Wisbroek Sesame Sticks

How can you tell that your bird is hot?

Tips for cooling your bird

What else must you watch out for when its hot?

Extruded pellets

The best recipe

Wisbroek Flamingo Starter

Wisbroek Ibis – Flamingo Floating

Feedback

Renewed recipe

Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily Large

Wisbroek Parrot Nut Blend Daily Small

Wisbroek Lory Diet

Wisbroek Lory Nectar

Wisbroek Lory Powder

The best recipe for your bird

Wisbroek Lory Nectar

Wisbroek Lory Powder

Wisbroek Lory Diet

Before the breeding season

During the breeding season

After the breeding season

All year round

Wisbroek VitaPro E+Se

Wisbroek CalciPro Liquid

Wisbroek BreedPower

Whole prey animals

Meat

Chicks

Wisbroek carnipro

Energy level

Fatty liver

Breeding season

Combine

Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily Small

Wisbroek Parrot Low Fat Daily Large

It is breeding season!

1

The egg has cracked

2

Changing the diet

3

Checking the nest box

4

Use foster parents

5

Ringing the young ones

These were the tips!

Iron storage

Treatment

Advice