Antibiotic Use and Misuse with Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo (Ep135)
Release Date: 01/26/2026
Proper Care During the Molting Season
Bred to Perfection
Why Our Birds Need Extra Attention at this Time of Year When do our birds require the utmost care and consideration? The answer is during the molt. This crucial period is marked by significant stress as birds undergo a complex process of feather renewal, muscle replenishment, and bone repair. Both cocks and hens experience this challenging phase, making it an essential aspect of their overall health. While many view molting as a negative phase, it actually presents an opportunity for improvement. As a breeder, it’s vital to understand how to navigate the molt effectively and use it to your...
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Managing the Molt - The Costly Mistake of Cutting Protein and Weight
Bred to Perfection
For serious gamefowl breeders and poultry keepers, molt isn’t just a downtime, it’s a genetic checkpoint and a vital phase that shapes your birds’ future health, performance, and breeding value. Yet many breeders unknowingly sabotage this crucial period with one common misstep: dropping protein and cutting weight too aggressively. In this episode, we break down: What actually happens during the molt, physically, nutritionally, and behaviorally The risks of underfeeding fit birds during feather regrowth Why dropping protein and forcing weight loss can lead to brittle feathers, extended...
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Ep299 - Tony Saville and the Future of American Games
Bred to Perfection
For the first time ever, we welcome Anthony “Tony” Saville, a man whose influence on the American Gamefowl world runs deep. You’ve heard his voice in past episodes, but now you’ll experience him in real time as he shares decades of knowledge, insight, and hard-earned wisdom. This isn’t just another interview, it’s a masterclass. Tony Saville is a renowned authority on Old English and American Gamefowl, founder of the American Gamefowl Society, author of American Game Fowl Standards, and a respected judge with the Oxford Old English Gamefowl Club of South Africa. More than that,...
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Ep298 - The Progressive White Debate: Science vs. Tradition
Bred to Perfection
Today, we're sharing a prerecorded conversation I had with Brian Reeder about Progressive White, a deleterious trait that is affecting many poultry breeds and varieties, particularly American Games. Unfortunately, many breeders either don't believe Progressive White is a problem or are intentionally breeding to perpetuate the trait within their bloodlines. Even more concerning, there is a movement to have American Games accepted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection with Progressive White encouraged within the standard. In our opinion, this would only accelerate the...
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Fan Favorite Episode - Wry Tails, Squirrel Tails and Broken Feathers
Bred to Perfection
Join Kenny Troiano and his co-hosts, Nancy Troiano and Frank Bradley – as they talk about the Art of Selective Breeding, and what it takes to create a strain. We address issues that affect breeders, just like you. In this episode of “Bred to Perfection Live,” we are going to discuss questions that I have asked my followers and members on my Facebook Page to contemplate, and today we are here to answer those questions. This is a show you do not want to miss! We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding...
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Ep297 – Building a True Strain: The Long Game of Creating a Consistent and Lasting Line
Bred to Perfection
What does it really take to build a bloodline that lasts generations? In this episode of Bred to Perfection, Kenny and Nancy Troiano uncover the long-term strategies behind creating a true breeding strain of chickens and gamefowl. If you're tired of unpredictable results and want to establish a flock that breeds uniform, consistent, and reliable offspring, this episode is for you. You'll learn: How to select your ideal foundation pair ("Adam & Eve") What makes a strain “true breeding” and how to know you’ve achieved it Why introducing new blood can destroy your progress The power of...
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Ep296 - Bloodlines Under Threat: What Every Breeder Needs to Know About Avian Leukosis
Bred to Perfection
In this eye-opening episode of Bred to Perfection, hosts Kenny and Nancy Troiano sit down with Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo, veterinary pathologist and avian disease expert, to uncover one of the most dangerous and overlooked threats in poultry breeding: Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV). Whether you're building a high-performance gamefowl strain, preserving heritage bloodlines, or improving your backyard flock, ALV could be silently sabotaging your work. In this must-listen episode, we dive deep into: What Avian Leukosis Virus really is - and why it's not “just another disease” The difference between...
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Ep295 - Progressive White - The Silent Threat to Breeding American Games
Bred to Perfection
A discussion that addresses the Challenges, Standards, and Solutions Bred to Perfection: The Progressive White Problem, Standards Debate & Breeding Q&A In this episode, Kenny Troiano and his wife Nancy return and provide updates and announce that Tony Saville will be back on June 12 for a multi-episode discussion tackling some of the most debated topics in the gamefowl world, including inbreeding and the American Gamefowl standard. Kenny shares his frustration over a heated Facebook dispute involving a group to push a new American Gamefowl standard into the APA’s Standard of...
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Ep225 - Building Better Bloodlines: An Inside Look at the Breeders Academy
Bred to Perfection
Have you ever wondered what it's really like to be a member of the Breeders Academy? In this special episode of Bred to Perfection, hosts Kenny Troiano and Nancy Troiano, take you behind the scenes for an exclusive tour of the Breeders Academy website and show you why it has become one of the most comprehensive educational resources available for gamefowl, poultry, and animal breeders. Whether you're just getting started or you're an experienced breeder looking to improve your breeding program, this episode will help you understand how the Academy can help you create, improve, and maintain...
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Ep294 - Breeding Bulletproof Bloodlines - The Science of Disease-Resistance
Bred to Perfection
How selective breeding, natural immunity, and smart management create healthier, stronger, long-lasting strains. In this episode, we will talk about one of the most important, and often misunderstood, topics in chicken and gamefowl breeding: developing true, natural disease resistance within your bloodlines. We break down why disease resistance is a polygenic trait, how epigenetics and mitochondrial DNA shape health, and why selective breeding paired with ruthless culling is the breeder’s most powerful tool. You’ll learn how to build healthier birds through natural exposure, proper...
info_outlineThe Misuse and Abuse of Antibiotics, and their Consequences – The question I have for you, are you using Medications, Antibiotics and Vaccinations Properly?
Our Special Guest is Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo a Poultry Veterinarian, from UC Davis is here to address this very important and controversial subject.
We all know how beneficial antibiotics and vaccinations can be. If used properly, and for the right reasons, these medical miracles can accomplish great things. However, many are using these so-called miracle drugs as an end all or fix all to all their medical and disease related problems.
They see a sniffle or sneeze, and they immediately shoot a half cc of Tylan 200 into the breast, and believe they are good to go. Instead of giving their birds a proper treatment plan, one that is accurately diagnosed, they rely on old wives’ tales, such as - “At the first signs of sickness, inject them with antibiotics, and to make sure they never get sick, vaccinate the entire flock for every known disease.” What’s their overall plan? To use the shotgun approach by over medicating. But truth be told, they are creating a bigger mess than they realize. One that is going to affect them and their chickens later down the road.
Today, we are talking with Poultry Veterinarian, Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo about the use and misuse of Antibiotics and Vaccinations, and the consequences of these practices.
We’re also going to talk about how to use them properly, and when to avoid them. It is my hope that you will gain a greater understanding of their uses, and the consequences of doing it wrong.
Join Kenny Troiano and his co-hosts, Frank Bradley as we discuss the benefits of creating your own strain, and the issues that affect breeders like you. This is a show you do not want to miss!
#AntibioticStewardship #PoultryHealth #PoultryVeterinarian #ChickenHealth #ResponsibleBreeding #FlockManagement #PoultryMedicine #BackyardPoultry #DiseasePrevention #VaccinationEducation #PoultryPodcast #BredToPerfection
See ya there!
Kenny Troiano
Founder of "The Breeders Academy"
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.com