What are Animal By-Products in Dog Food?

When it comes to wet food, “by-products are basically organ meats—the liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen. Rather than being bad, it’s actually the first choice of animals when they eat. They’re nutritious and palatable,” according to Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian” and founder of Fear Free Pets. Rendered products obviously vary greatly in content and quality.

• These studies are ongoing and nothing has been officially concluded, but many vets recommend keeping your dog on foods with grains.
• Manufacturers are also required to express the calories in familiar household units (for example, “per cup” or “per can”) along with the required kilocalories per kilogram statement.
• For suppliers with multiple sites, we qualify each location separately to ensure consistency in ingredient quality.
• Given the relative percentage of “human-inedible” materials from these animals, this resulted in more than 56 billion lbs of raw materials recaptured and repurposed for use in many industries according to Pond.
• The manufacturer doesn’t hesitate to point out that its competitor lists “corn” first (“meat meal” is second), suggesting the competitor’s product has less animal-source protein than its own.
• Determination of the Nutritional Value of Diet Containing Bacillus subtilis Hydrolyzed Feather Meal in Adult Dogs.

The bones, and what little meat is left clinging to them, may go to pet food and other uses. The process of rendering may sound disgusting to many pet owners, but it is essential in creating an edible product from an otherwise inedible tissue. Rendering creates concentrated meat meals or bone meals that are packed with vital nutrients your pet needs to live. By-products and meat meal are not “fillers” by any use of the word. They provide concentrated sources of nutrition that are essential in your pet’s diet. As for protein level, by-product meals are rich in protein. As they have been cooked, dried and ground, the water is mostly removed, creating a concentrated source of protein – it’s essentially a protein powder.

What is in Pet Food

Subsequent studies by the manufacturer of ethoxyquin showed a dose-dependent accumulation of a hemoglobin-related pigment in the liver, as well as increases in the levels of liver-related enzymes in the blood. Although these changes are due to ethoxyquin in the diet, the pigment is not made from ethoxyquin itself, and the health significance of these findings is unknown. Nevertheless, CVM has asked the pet food industry to voluntarily lower the maximum level of use of ethoxyquin in dog foods from 150 ppm (0.015%) to 75 ppm. Regardless, most pet foods that contained ethoxyquin never exceeded the lower amount, even before this recommended change. If scientific data are presented that show a health risk to animals of an ingredient or additive, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine can act to prohibit or modify its use in pet food. For example, propylene glycol was used as a humectant in soft-moist pet foods, which helps retain water and gives these products their unique texture and taste.

• That blood is sold for a variety of purposes, including livestock feed and fertilizer.
• While food safety mishaps can happen anywhere, they are less likely to happen where processes are monitored frequently at a high standard.
• Find out the truth about the red flag ingredients that might be lurking in your pet’s food.
• Frankly, it often consists of the less profitable parts of the bird, such as backs and necks.
• If the label says “manufactured for…” or “distributed by…,” the food was manufactured by an outside manufacturer, but the name on the label still designates the responsible party.
• The fact that a preservative has been added must be shown, such as preserved with BHT or mixed tocopherols .

Meat and poultry byproducts are “fresh,” meaning they go from the slaughterhouse to the pet food plant … although they may be frozen for long-distance transport. Grain-free foods often have peas, lentils, and other legume seeds as one of the main ingredients. If your pet eats a dry dog food with peas or lentils as a major ingredient, some veterinarians recommend switching your dog food immediately to a grain variety. A lot of dog foods also have chemicals and preservatives in them that can do more harm than good. The National Institute of Health has found BHA and BHT to be carcinogenic, and Ethoxyquin is also suspected to be linked to health problems like immune deficiencies, kidney failure, and cancer. When looking at different dog foods, make sure none of these ingredients are included. Your pet will reap the health benefits of a quality diet, and will hopefully avoid the possible pitfalls of a substandard one – illness, disease, and cancer.

Avoid Dog Food With “Meal” Rendered Products

On the frozen meat ingredient side, 1.83 million tons of meat, poultry and organ byproducts go directly from slaughter into pet food manufacturing, Pond shared. If an ingredient list says it contains meat by-products, what is actually considered a by-product? It’s a great question, and there are a couple of different types of by-products.

Just because your dog eats anything you put in front of him and appears to like it doesn’t mean you should serve him the cheapest food on the market. Dog food manufacturers need to cut corners if they want to sell cheap food. This could cause your dog to eat more to get the nutrients he needs, shed more and have body odor. The use of byproducts is one way dog food makers can sell food cheaply. Hill’s only buys ingredients from suppliers whose facilities meet stringent raw material quality standards. For suppliers with multiple sites, we qualify each location separately to ensure consistency in ingredient quality.

Is Meat And Bone Meal Good For Dogs?

The nutritional profile is provided by the entire diet, and not just the first ingredient listed on the pet food label. At Royal Canin, every single ingredient listed on our packaging is included for a specific purpose, determined by the high-quality nutrients they provide for cats and dogs. Natural diets do not contain preservatives or other potential carcinogens — so they reduce the risk of adverse reactions. Choosing natural foods will eliminate “empty” calories that come from additives and flavorings and contribute to pet obesity. It has been well documented that dogs maintaining an ideal body weight live 15% longer, and with less disease than overweight dogs. Natural diets contain higher levels of quality protein sources (since there are no fillers, inferior by-products or meals) which better address nutritional requirements and may help prevent disease. Many natural diets also avoid the use of high glycemic index carbohydrates , such as corn and rice, due to the negative effects they have on the metabolism and weight gain.

Is another ingredient that may be listed on a pet food label. However, it does not contain internal organs, feathers, heads, feet, or beaks. By-products are some of the best quality and richest source of protein for pets. In the wild, animals go for the internal organs or “by-products” of their kill and ingest these first as they contain the most protein and energy compared to the rest of the carcass. By-products get their name from their intended use, not because they lack any nutritional value; as their intended use is for pet food, it makes them a ‘by-product’ of the human food chain. Many cheaper pet foods will list non-descript meat ingredients. They use terms like meat meal, poultry, or animal digest, without specifying an actual animal source.

Changing the narrative around animal byproducts for pet food

That is not to say that the second product has more “meat” than the first, or in fact, any meat at all. Meat meal is not meat per se, since most of the fat and water have been removed by rendering. Ingredients must be listed by their “common or usual” name. Most ingredients What are Animal By-Products in Dog Food? on pet food labels have a corresponding definition in the AAFCO Official Publication. However, animals do not share in people’s aesthetic concerns about the source and composition of their food. Regardless, the distinction must be made in the ingredient list .

Check out the list of what bad dog food ingredients you shouldn’t feed your dog. ” is a term commonly used to describe certain ingredients in a diet. It is usually used to describe sources of fiber and carbohydrates, https://accounting-services.net/ but some people also refer to by-products as fillers. The term “filler” is often used to demonize certain ingredients, because whomever is using the term believes they are poor sources of nutrition.

Foods that rely solely on animal by-products for their protein and fat may be offering less nutrition than they seem. • Statement of Guaranteed Analysis (listing the minimum percentage of crude protein and crude fat in the food and maximum percentage of fiber and moisture; some companies also specify other nutrients). By the way, “crude” is not a quality statement; it refers to a specific method of measuring the nutrient. Carbohydrates are not included because they are not required in the diet of pets. Pet owners and veterinary professionals have a right to know what they are feeding their animals. The pet food label contains a wealth of information, if one knows how to read it. Do not be swayed by the many marketing gimmicks or eye-catching claims.

All meat contains taurine, so dogs eating a diet that includes meat, poultry, fish or eggs are unlikely to become deficient. There are certain dog food ingredients you should always avoid. You shouldn’t feed your dog anything that is dangerous or illegal for a human to eat.

What is meat?

The use of 4D meats is not a legal practice, but cheaply sourced and manufactured foods sometimes find ways to circumvent the laws, especially when they are not actively enforced. We don’t claim that carbs are bad, just that they need to be fed in moderation. Carbs contain vitamins, minerals, and key nutrients like protein, but they are also full of sugars that can disrupt digestion and lead to unnecessary weight gain. When in doubt, shop at small boutique or holistic pet stores. The owners and staff are usually more familiar with their products and can help you with your buying decisions.

Visit our Ingredients page to learn more about the high quality dog food ingredients used in each unique Just Right blend. There are a number of sources of dietary fiber used in pet food, including dried beet pulp, dried chicory root, fructooligosaccharide, powdered cellulose, and inulin. Similar to “meat meal,” but can include added bone in addition to what is normally found in whole carcasses.