Safely provided for during racing season

The picture is quite different, however, during the racing season. When the strain increases due to intensive training, demanding flights or high temperatures, the requirement also rises significantly. Intensive training stresses the muscles daily and continuously depletes the energy stores. Demanding flights challenge the organism over many hours and dig deep into the reserves. High temperatures, in turn, place additional strain on the metabolism, as the pigeon has to expend energy regulating its body temperature.

In such phases, a pigeon can easily take in 35 to 40 grams of feed per day, and indeed need that much. Especially during consecutive demanding flights or challenging weather conditions, this increased requirement is not a luxury but a prerequisite for ensuring substance, performance and recovery. In practice, the requirement can even exceed this. That is precisely why I am not a fan of rigidly weighing out the feed. It is far more important to observe the pigeons closely and to adjust the feed quantity flexibly to their actual needs. This keeps you close to the bird and ensures that each pigeon gets exactly what it really needs in the particular strain situation. What is decisive here is not only the amount of feed, but above all its composition. Because what the pigeon takes in directly determines how much energy is actually available to it and how efficiently it can use that energy. This places the targeted management of the energy supply at the centre of the entire racing-season care.

Preparing specifically for short and long-distance flights

Short flights place different demands than long distances. On shorter routes, the rapid availability of energy is paramount. The pigeons must be ready to perform immediately and able to maintain a high intensity throughout the entire duration of the flight. For flights over 400 kilometres, the picture changes considerably. Here, endurance is what counts. The energy reserves have to last longer, and the metabolism works at an entirely different level. For flights of around 400 kilometres and more, I personally go one deliberate step further. I grant my pigeons an additional rest day before the day of the flight.  In concrete terms, this means that the birds no longer get any free flight as early as the day before basketing. I use this phase quite deliberately to avoid restlessness and to keep the energy specifically within the body. The pigeons should not exhaust themselves unnecessarily during training around the loft, but rather save their strength for the upcoming flight. After all, I do not want to breed a training world champion, but pigeons that show their ability in the races. Again and again I hear from fanciers who do not understand why their pigeons arrive too late on the day of the flight, even though they train for hours around the loft. This is often precisely where the error in reasoning lies: performance has to be called up at the right moment, not fizzle out in training.

This decision has proven its worth in practice. The pigeons can recover better, build up reserves in a targeted way and do not enter the next tasks drained. Especially during consecutive demanding flights, this point is decisive for me in order to preserve the substance of the birds.

One point that, in my view, is often underestimated is the supply directly after the flight. In this phase, protein plays a central role. During the flight, the pigeon's body has not only consumed energy but also stressed the musculature. Now it is a matter of regenerating these structures quickly. High-quality protein provides the necessary amino acids to set repair processes in motion and rebuild the musculature. Without a targeted protein supply, recovery is delayed, and the pigeons start into the next week at a disadvantage.

Recovery begins directly after the flight

Directly after the flight, I therefore deliberately rely on easily digestible protein sources. Components such as peas or also smaller seeds can be used sensibly here, without burdening the digestive tract. The right timing is decisive. Protein belongs above all in the recovery phase, not in the immediate preparation for the next flight. In addition, protein can also be supplied externally in a targeted way via suitable supplementary products. I myself use, among other things, dragees, so that each pigeon receives protein in a very targeted manner.

 

Carbohydrates and fats as energy suppliers

Alongside protein, carbohydrates play a central role in the energy metabolism. They are the rapidly available energy supplier and are stored in the form of glycogen in the musculature and the liver. Especially after the flight, it is important to replenish these stores quickly. Here, easily digestible components such as barley or also paddy rice make a valuable contribution. They place little strain on the metabolism and help to bring the pigeons quickly back into balance. In this context, I also deliberately rely on a so-called "Relax" phase in the feeding – that is, a targeted, rather light mixture directly after the flight, which relieves the organism and supports recovery, without demanding too much of the birds unnecessarily.

As the week progresses, the focus then shifts more strongly towards building up energy. This is where more energy-rich components come into play. Maize is one of the most important energy carriers here. It supplies readily available carbohydrates and forms the basis of many racing mixtures. This area is complemented by fat-rich seeds such as hemp. Hemp supplies not only highly concentrated energy, but also valuable fatty acids that play an important role, particularly during longer flights. In practice, I rely on a balanced mixture such as my "Elite Racing", because it covers precisely these requirements and contains a correspondingly high proportion of hemp, which makes up an essential part of the energy supply. Fats are indispensable over long distances. They supply more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates and enable the pigeon to remain capable of performing even over many hours. At the same time, they have to be used in a targeted way. Used too early or in too large an amount, they can make the pigeons sluggish. Correctly dosed, however, they are a decisive building block for endurance and stability.

Taking training, weather and racing direction into account

Another factor that is often underestimated is training. Not every pigeon works in the same way. There are birds that are very active by nature and exert themselves intensely during free flight. Others train more calmly and need more support through feeding. These differences have to be taken into account. A uniform feeding regime for all pigeons does not do justice to this requirement.

The racing direction also plays a role. Headwind flights demand considerably more energy than fast tailwind flights. The same applies to high temperatures. Heat places additional strain on the organism and alters the metabolism. The pigeons often take in less feed, but at the same time need more energy. Here it is important to adjust the mixture accordingly and to increase the energy density, without burdening the digestion.

 

The right mixture at the right time

This brings us to one of the most important tools during the racing season: the right mixture. There is no single mixture that always fits. Rather, it is about steering in a targeted way. Lighter mixtures such as Relax or Reise Light at the start of the week support recovery and keep the pigeons active. As the flight draws closer, the mixture becomes more energy-rich. Here we recommend Energy, Power-Mix or Elite Racing.

The proportion of readily available carbohydrates and high-quality fats increases in order to fill the stores in a targeted way.

My approach is therefore clearly structured, but at the same time flexible. I do not work according to rigid plans, but observe my pigeons daily. Behaviour, enthusiasm for training, plumage and musculature give me the decisive clues. They show me whether the supply is right or whether adjustments are necessary.

In the end, the racing season is a game of balance. Too little energy leads to a drop in performance, too much places unnecessary strain on the organism. Anyone who manages to supply their pigeons optimally according to the situation lays the foundation for consistent performances throughout the entire season.

I am convinced that it is not the individual measure that decides success or failure, but the interplay of all factors. Anyone who understands how requirement, strain and supply mutually influence one another can steer their pigeons in a targeted way and give them exactly what they need at the right moment.

Robert Maaß