title: Bumblefoot and lack of exercise among wild and captive-bred falcons tested in the United Arab Emirates.
abstract: In the 1990s, bumblefoot posed a major health problem to the falcons in the United Arab Emirates. This retrospective study based on statistical field research showed that in captivity wild falcons need a training frequency of twice a day to reduce the bumblefoot morbidity rate. In this context, they responded very well to free flight in aviaries during the molting season. In contrast, captive-bred falcons did not show a highly significant difference regarding training frequencies. Wild falcons tested fed with pigeons, bustards, and ducks suffered significantly less from bumblefoot compared with those fed a diet of quail. Apart from the disease-reducing impact of beef and mice, captive-bred falcons tested did not show any significant difference regarding the influence of diet on the bumblefoot occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Emirates Falcon Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kösters
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002417:Cattle; D010856:Columbidae; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004372:Ducks; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008460:Meat; D051379:Mice; D009017:Morbidity; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D011784:Quail; D020304:Raptors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology