30/07/2026
The Moult Determines the Next Racing Season - A new feather is not built by chance, but by proper nutrition -
Virtually every pigeon fancier agrees: the moult is one of the most important periods of the entire year. During these weeks, the complete feather coat is renewed, laying the foundation for the performances of the coming racing season.
Yet every year we see the same pattern. Throughout the racing season, fanciers willingly invest in medication, supplements and professional guidance. But as soon as the final race has been flown, many suddenly choose the cheapest moulting mixture they can find.
"It's only moult feed."
"They're not racing anyway."
"My father always did it this way."
It is an understandable way of thinking, but one that often proves to be an expensive mistake. A feather grows only once. Muscles recover. Fitness can be rebuilt. But a feather that develops during the moult without the right building blocks will remain that same feather throughout the entire racing season.
That is precisely why a racing pigeon deserves the very best nutrition during the moult. A high-quality moulting mixture provides far more than energy alone. The pigeon requires high-quality amino acids to produce keratin, the primary building material of feathers. Essential fatty acids, sufficient dietary fibre and highly digestible protein sources are equally indispensable for optimal feather development.
A true moulting mixture is not designed for racing performance, but for building an entirely new feather coat. That is why Matador Premium Moult and Matador Premium Moult Extreme place less emphasis on rapidly available energy and instead contain more high-quality protein sources, functional oil-rich seeds, essential fatty acids and valuable dietary fibre. Together, these nutrients support the development of strong, supple feathers while helping pigeons maintain excellent condition throughout the moult.
The difference compared to a racing mixture is fundamental. Racing mixtures are formulated to maximise performance, whereas moulting mixtures are designed to restore and rebuild the body. For that reason, Premium Moult and Premium Moult Extreme are specifically formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of racing pigeons during the most important rebuilding phase of the year.
Not Every Moulting Mixture Is the Same
At first glance, many moulting mixtures appear very similar: a selection of grains, some oil-rich seeds and a few legumes. However, this is exactly where the differences begin.
In many low-cost mixtures, the primary focus is on the price of the raw materials. As a result, the composition often varies depending on ingredient availability. While this may be acceptable for hobby birds, modern racing pigeons require a far more consistent nutritional standard.
At Matador, the development of every feed mixture starts not with the cost of the ingredients, but with the nutritional needs of the pigeon. That philosophy is reflected in every raw material selected.
Premium Moult – Quality for Every Fancier
Matador Premium Moult has been developed as a complete moulting mixture for the entire moulting period. It combines several varieties of maize with carefully selected grains, high-quality protein sources and a balanced proportion of premium oil-rich seeds.
Containing more than 14% crude protein and over 8% fat, the mixture supplies pigeons with ample building materials and energy to develop a completely new feather coat without promoting excessive fat deposition.
This makes Premium Moult the ideal choice for fanciers looking for a high-quality moulting mixture that offers outstanding value for money.
Premium Moult Extreme – Maximum Support During the Most Demanding Stage of the Moult
For those unwilling to compromise during the moulting period, Matador developed Premium Moult Extreme.
This is not simply a richer version of the standard mixture. The entire formulation has been redesigned to provide optimal nutritional support during the most demanding phase of feather renewal.
The increased inclusion of hempseed, vetches, toasted soybeans, perilla seed and other premium oil-rich seeds enhances both the quality of the dietary fats and the supply of highly digestible proteins.
The fat content exceeds 12%, while the protein level is also higher than that of Premium Moult. In addition, special attention has been given to the fatty acid profile, achieving an omega ratio that closely approaches the ideal 2:1 balance. This balanced composition supports healthy metabolism, optimal feather formation and the development of a glossy, silky feather coat.
For that reason, Premium Moult Extreme is not a luxury product—it is an investment in the quality and performance of the next racing season.
Loft or Free Flying? It Makes a Difference
Pigeons that are allowed daily free flight consume considerably more energy than pigeons that remain inside the loft throughout the moulting period. For these birds, a more energy-dense mixture such as Premium Moult Extreme is often the logical choice.
When pigeons spend most of the moult indoors, Premium Moult generally provides more than enough nutritional support.
Good nutrition should always match the level of physical activity and energy expenditure.
Cheap Feed Is Often the Most Expensive Choice
Every pigeon fancier has heard the saying:
"Next year's champion is made during the moult."
Almost everyone agrees with this statement. Yet every autumn, the cheapest bags of feed often end up in the feeder, without anyone really knowing what ingredients they contain or what nutritional value they actually provide.
The consequences only become visible months later—not during the moult itself, but during the first training flights and the opening races of the new season.
That is when the feather coat lacks the desired suppleness, condition develops more slowly, or the pigeons simply fail to display the vitality and appearance expected of top-class racing pigeons.
A premium moulting mixture may cost only a few euros more per bag. Spread across an entire racing season, that difference is virtually insignificant.
After all, a perfect feather coat can only be built once each year.
And that is exactly why the moulting period is not the time to economise on nutrition, but the moment when the investment in the next successful racing season truly begins.