Questions from the Cockfighting Ring Why do fighting cocks suffer from leg weakness?

Questions from the Cockfighting Ring Why do fighting cocks suffer from leg weakness?

A common question among fighting cock owners is why their birds suffer from leg weakness. I have summarized the key points here.

By Asst. Prof. Dr. Somphoth Weerakul (Mor Kaew)

Since I am providing this advice remotely without a physical examination, I have categorized the fundamental issues for you to analyze as follows:

We can divide the causes into two main groups:

Infectious diseases
Non-infectious conditions
I will focus only on what is most relevant to the current situation in the Thai cockfighting industry.

1. Infectious Diseases
Systemic infections often affect the entire body, but owners usually notice symptoms such as swollen leg joints. This is often caused by bacteria such as Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. Symptoms include joint swelling and the formation of pus. These bacteria don't just affect the joints; pus can also be found in other organs like the heart, lungs, spleen, and liver. In such cases, the leg weakness and swelling must be treated as a severe systemic infection.

2. Non-Infectious Conditions
This group is more common and can be broken down into several causes:

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies: It is a missed opportunity if these are overlooked. While all nutrients are important, here are the crucial ones:

Muscle Contraction: A lack of Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, or Potassium can lead to weakness. Magnesium deficiency can cause muscle tremors or spasms.
Structural Deformity: Zinc deficiency causes joint swelling and bone distortion. Manganese, Choline, Niacin, and Biotin are also vital; without them, legs can become severely twisted or deformed.
Muscle Protection: Selenium helps muscles resist damage. Without it, muscle cells break down easily, leading to loss of function.
Energy Deficiencies and Metabolism: Energy comes from carbohydrates and fats, while protein is for tissue repair. Most fighting cocks are well-fed but may lack specific balance:

Vitamin B1: Crucial for converting pyruvate into massive energy within the mitochondria. Without it, pyruvate turns into lactic acid, causing fatigue, low energy, and risk of nerve inflammation (neuritis).
Vitamin B2: Deficiency leads to "curled-toe paralysis."
Antioxidants: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Glutathione work together to help the body utilize energy from glucose and fats more efficiently.
Improper Energy Utilization: This occurs in birds that lack fighting tactics or those that overexert themselves instinctively. It also happens when performance-enhancing drugs (doping) are used, causing the bird to lose self-control and stamina.

These birds use "anaerobic metabolism," leading to a rapid buildup of lactic acid, which causes fatigue and cramps.
In severe cases, this leads to muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), which can cause heart failure, or kidney and liver damage, leading to death 2-3 days after the fight.
Survivors often suffer from chronic muscle weakness and potential kidney failure.
Post-Match or Post-Training Injuries: Intense physical exertion causes high lactic acid accumulation and muscle inflammation. A protein called myoglobin is released into the bloodstream, which can trigger kidney failure. Even after recovering from the initial shock, the bird may remain weak for a long period.
Tendon and Ligament Injuries: Inflammation or displacement of tendons/ligaments can cause leg weakness and localized swelling without other systemic symptoms.

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I hope this summary is helpful. I will share more insights next time there are "Questions from the Cockfighting Ring."