Why Clean Bird Food Matters
The Haith’s bird food centre is where we research and develop the UK’s most comprehensive range of seeds and foods for birds. Our purpose-built factory, with integrated offices, has created quality research space, and allowed us to modernise our machinery so that we now have a market-leading hygienic bird food plant.
Our aim is to provide cleaner, finer bird diets that are safer for our wildlife population. At the heart of Haith’s, there’s a commitment to Quality Control and – more specifically - a bird food testing regime introduced by Professor John E Cooper DTVM FRCPath FSB CIBiol FRCVS Diplomate, European College of Veterinary Pathologists, European Veterinary Specialist Zoological Medicine.
We now do tests on bird foods that other bird food companies (to the best of our knowledge) do not do. The biggest benefit to birds is that our seed is SUPERCLEAN because we’ve removed dust, waste husk and extraneous materials which can – if left in the bird food – damage delicate tissues and allow entry of pathogens. We’re getting closer to being able to say how much better our diets are because they are free from dust, dirt, thorns, chemical adulteration and potential pathogens.
What makes us different from other bird food companies?
• an expert helps to QC our products using laboratory investigations
• we’re focused on health, welfare and conservation
• we invest in professionals entering the field through our new scholarship scheme
• our seeds are SUPERCLEAN™ (dust is harmful to birds’ respiratory system and extraneous husk can damage delicate tissues and allow entry of pathogens)
• we only buy raw materials from reputable sources
• mixes are consistent in recipe
• our foods are freshly prepared
• we’re committed to quality, cleanliness, service and value
Our quality is under control
At the heart of Haith’s PRO is a commitment to quality control (QC) and a bird food testing regime introduced by one of the world’s leading veterinary experts and life-long naturalist: Professor John E Cooper DTVM FRCPath FSB CIBiol FRCVS.
“Bird diets – Is there a need for quality control?” Yes. That’s why we’re raising the QC bar.
Initial studies, introduced by Professor Cooper, using microscopical and other laboratory technique, indicated that avian diets can be satisfactorily investigated at a basic level, using relatively inexpensive tests. The methods used are relatively simple to perform, inexpensive and, using standard equipment, able to be carried out satisfactorily in a small laboratory. These methods are now being refined.
Food is a vital part of a bird’s biological needs and essential to its health and welfare. As numerous scientific publications testify, for only a few species are there reliable data on nutritional requirements (Jones, 2011) yet it is well-recognised that diets that are inadequate or unsatisfactory in quantity or quality, or both, may cause a bird to develop a deficiency or metabolic disease and compromise its welfare. Food items that are dusty or contain sharp or abrasive material may damage a bird’s respiratory or alimentary tract.