Complete Analysis of Taiwan's Pigeon Racing Industry Chain: From Breeding and Training to the Trading Market
AviQ Fast Facts
- Upstream relies on international trading of expensive champion bloodlines.
- Midstream training has high attrition; ~30% of pigeons lost during external training.
- Downstream clubs organize races, take commissions, and mandate auction of winners.
Pigeon racing in Taiwan is not just a sport but a massive gray industry with an estimated annual value ranging from NTD 20 billion to 90 billion, supporting hundreds of thousands of people. This industry chain is highly specialized and structurally complex, forming a closed-loop ecosystem that spans from frontline breeding and reproduction, midstream training and management, to downstream competitions and trading markets. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of this little-known industry chain.
I. Upstream Industry: Breeding and Reproduction
The starting point of the industry is the 'breeding pigeon.' A pigeon with excellent bloodlines and a record of glorious race achievements or a champion family background is a loft's most valuable asset. Global trade in breeding pigeons is very active, with sky-high price records occurring from time to time. For example, in 2020, a Belgian hen named 'New Kim' was auctioned for 1.6 million euros (approximately NTD 56 million). Taiwanese pigeon enthusiasts also actively import top bloodlines from racing powerhouses like Belgium and the Netherlands, hoping to breed offspring that can excel in Taiwan's harsh ocean racing conditions.
Breeding is a profound science. Breeders need to make precise pairings based on the racing system (e.g., headwinds in northern Taiwan, long distances in the south), weather characteristics, and the bloodlines, body type, bone structure, and eye signs of the cock and hen. Successful breeders are like biotechnology experts; their high-quality young birds can generate initial income through 'pre-sale of leg rings' or 'young bird trading' even before they race.
II. Midstream Industry: Training, Feeding, and Loft Management
About a month after hatching, young birds are fitted with an exclusive electronic leg ring that serves as their identification and begin a series of rigorous training. The training phase includes:
- Loft Flying Training: To familiarize the young birds with the loft environment and establish a sense of 'home.'
- Road Training: Taking the pigeons by truck to be released at various distances and directions from home to train their navigation and homing abilities. The attrition rate in this process is very high, with about 30% of pigeons lost due to straying, illness, or being netted by poachers (pigeon-napping for ransom).
- Sea Training Tosses: Simulating official races to gradually acclimate the pigeons to the environment and pressures of flying over the sea.
At the same time, professional feeding and management are crucial, involving nutritionally balanced feed formulas, disease prevention and medical care, and control of the loft's hygienic environment. Many professional lofts hire veterinarians and nutritionists as consultants.
III. Downstream Industry: Race Organization, Flow of Bet Money, and Trading Market
This is the most capital-intensive and controversial part of the industry chain.
- Pigeon Clubs (鴿會): There are hundreds of large and small pigeon clubs throughout Taiwan responsible for setting race formats, issuing leg rings, organizing races, calculating results, and distributing prize money. They are the core of race operations.
- Sea Fleets: Due to the difficulty of land racing in Taiwan, sea racing has become mainstream. Professional fleets are responsible for transporting tens of thousands of pigeons to be released in designated sea areas hundreds of kilometers away, a unique segment of the industry in Taiwan.
- Flow of Bet Money (Underground): The largest source of funding for pigeon racing is the 'side bet' prize money wagered among members. The total amount of side bets in a single race can reach hundreds of millions to billions of NT dollars. As organizers, the clubs take a certain percentage of the commission (about 3-5%) as operating expenses and profit.
- Post-Race Trading Market: After the races, outstanding winning pigeons (especially overall champions) are mandatorily auctioned. This is not only a way for owners to realize a return on their investment but also provides an opportunity for other fanciers to introduce new bloodlines. The total value of an auction for a major race can reach tens of millions of NT dollars.
Conclusion: Taiwan's pigeon racing industry chain is a highly specialized and clearly divided complex system. The upstream introduction of bloodlines determines genetic potential, midstream training and management determine whether that potential can be realized, and the downstream races and gambling determine the final realization of value. Although full of controversy, the economic scale and social impact of this gray industry chain make it a unique socioeconomic phenomenon in Taiwan that cannot be ignored.
