Mineral and vitamin supplement to the diet of dogs and cats with natural nutrition

What cat food is made from, in general terms, can be understood from the list of ingredients on the packaging, and we have already discussed complex and incomprehensible positions in the article “composition of cat food.” However, some components come to the manufacturer in finished form and are indicated on the label in finished form. Thus, the buyer remains in the dark about exactly how and from what this ingredient was obtained.

A separate question that concerns many owners: where do the ingredients of animal origin come from in cat food, and do they contain horns and hooves?

In this article we will talk about technologies for producing meat and bone meal, animal and vegetable protein, fat, as well as what kind of meat generally goes into cat food.

What cat food is made from: meat and fish

To understand what kind of meat is used for cat food, just look at the shelves of meat stores and analyze their actual assortment. Thus, you may find that not all parts of a large carcass are presented even in markets, let alone in chain stores.

It is impossible or almost impossible to find on the shelves: ears, heads, tails, legs, diaphragm. Lamb offal can only be found in restaurants and stores in certain regions; pork offal is also rarely found there; It’s not easy to find beef heart, kidneys, tripe; almost impossible - the intestines and brains of all farm animals and birds. These products often look unpresentable to humans, but for cats they are sources of high-quality protein and/or useful micro and macroelements.

In addition, many foods that are eaten with pleasure in the CIS and Asian countries are almost not eaten at all in the USA and Canada (where many cat foods are produced). For example, it is not customary there to consume red chicken meat (legs), and of all offal products, North Americans consume only heart and liver, and then very rarely, and liver is most often a delicacy (foie gras, etc.) Separately, it should be said about those popular in the Western Hemisphere steaks - when cutting them, a larger amount of illiquid trim remains. Trimming also occurs due to the desire of an increasing number of people for proper nutrition, which leads to the rejection of fatty foods, while in industrial production conditions, meat is partially cut off along with the fat itself.

It’s about the same with fish and seafood. As a rule, cat food uses trimmings, incidental catch (non-commercial fish), small fish, etc.

So, as you can see, humanity just got a little greedy, which allows cats to get pieces of fairly high-quality meat without any deception.

Benefits, harms and risks of eating meat and bone meal

Like any product, meat and bone meal for dogs has both beneficial and harmful properties. Let's look at both options. Let's start with the useful ones.

Useful qualities of the product

Jack and I can judge the beneficial qualities of the supplement only by the inscriptions on the labels of this product. According to the manufacturer, daily addition of meat and bone meal to the feed promotes:

• Increased growth and productivity.
• Increases the nutritional value and enriches the feed with proteins, vitamins and minerals.
• Helps increase weight gain.
• Reduces feeding costs.

Harm and risks

The risks of using the supplement are as follows:

• Unfortunately, the production technology of the product cannot be traced. Therefore, you have to blindly trust what the manufacturer claims about the supplement.
• Under the influence of intensive heat treatment of raw materials under high pressure, not only harmful bacteria and parasites are destroyed, but also all beneficial vitamins and minerals. Therefore, the benefits of such a product are very doubtful.
• In addition, to ensure longer preservation of the product, already in production, special antioxidants and preservatives are added to its composition, which prevent the proliferation of various microorganisms. Any preservatives and emulsifiers are an additional burden on the liver and all internal organs.
• Meat and bone meal with a high fat content is often found on sale. If you do not follow all storage rules, such a product will quickly go rancid and spoil. In addition, feeding high-fat flour puts enormous strain on the liver and pancreas.
• Feed flour completely lacks components necessary for normal digestion such as dietary fiber. Therefore, excessive use of the supplement can lead to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, and blockage of the anal glands in a dog.

My subjective opinion about the benefits of feed flour. Personally, I am not at all impressed by the “advertising” of the benefits of the product indicated on the labels. I don’t quite understand why a dog eating whole natural food would need to add a product made from biological waste to its food. After all, many plants for the production of meat and bone meal are called just that - veterinary and sanitary recycling plants!

The main component of the biological supplement is protein, which is necessary to increase weight gain and increase growth. But I have a dog, not a pig. And what’s important to me is not growing a “boar” in the shortest possible time. The main thing is that my dog ​​is healthy, slim and energetic.

If your dog eats dry food, then it already contains plenty of this mixture.

If you are worried that your pet is not fully receiving such valuable microelements as calcium, phosphorus, iodine, iron and others, it is not at all necessary to experiment with the animal’s body, trying various supplements.

It would be more correct to balance the animal’s nutritional diet than to add a product of very dubious usefulness to the food.

What is cat food made from: rendering

Rendering is a technological process that results in bone, meat-and-bone and meat meal, fat (rendering) and protein.

During rendering, the incoming raw materials are crushed, heated with steam, then degreased and dehydrated, thus producing three products: fat, protein mass and water. Water is sent to the technological process, the protein mass is crushed and sterilized, turning into flour or protein, fat is also sterilized and sent for feed production or other purposes.

What is the raw material for rendering? Actually, it can be everything that is listed in the paragraph above, however, as a rule, these are still famous 4D: sick, disabled, dying and dead (diseased, dying, disabled, and dead) animals, both in whole and in parts; as well as trimmings and unpresentable pieces of meat (weathered, for example). In addition, veterinary waste can be sent to rendering: amputated limbs, removed organs and euthanized whole animals (cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, etc.).

Fishmeal is also produced during the rendering process, as is fish oil. Only they, due to the peculiarities of fish production, usually use higher quality raw materials - small fish, incidental catch, trimmings, etc. Rendering is also used to obtain corn gluten, soybean meal and other similar plant products.

Listing meat raw materials for rendering sounds, of course, creepy, but here it is important to remember the following:

• If the description of the flour indicates the type of animal from which it is made (for example, poultry meal), there cannot be any cats or dogs in it.

• Meat meal and meat and bone meal DO NOT INCLUDE blood, wool, hooves, horns, skin, stomach contents, rumen and intestines; and bone meal is practically never found in cat food. At the same time, animal protein can be obtained from any part of the animal.

• Rendering destroys all pathogens except prions, but prion diseases have not been recorded in cats. The only danger is drugs contained in veterinary waste (painkillers, anesthesia drugs, etc.), however, despite the fact that their presence in feed has been repeatedly detected, no serious deviations caused by them have been recorded.

The possibility of cannibalism for your cat should not frighten you; cats eat their kittens quite often and always eat the placenta when giving birth. In the end, this is exactly the same protein as all the others, and our pets do not feel any remorse.

Production technology

The technological process for producing feed flour is as follows:

• First of all, the raw materials are placed in huge autoclaves, where under powerful pressure, using steam, they disinfect it, destroying various bacteria and parasites.
• Next, parts of the carcasses are dried under high pressure in special drying chambers. Under the influence of pressure, additional disinfection of bone raw materials occurs.
• Well, the next step, of course, is to start the crushing device.
• Then, the entire mixture is passed through a sieve. One of the main requirements for the consistency of the resulting product is the absence of fractions larger than 12 mm in diameter. If after the first stage of crushing there remain parts larger than 12 mm, they are again sent to the crushing apparatus.
• The next stage is the removal of metal impurities using magnetic separators.
• Only after receiving the required consistency of the raw material, in order to inhibit the oxidative processes of the fat contained in the product, it is treated with antioxidants and antioxidants.
• Only after this, animal feed flour is packaged in three-four-layer paper or used disinfected fabric bags.

Adding flour to your pet's diet

The meat and bone supplement is used in strictly prescribed dosages for puppies, small and large dogs. The supplement will be beneficial if you use it correctly.

How and how much you can give

For small individuals, as already mentioned, the portion of flour is reduced: more than 6-7% of the volume of food per day is allowed; For medium-sized pets, add a maximum of 14-15% flour to the diet, for large pets - up to 20%. The dietary supplement is added to the food immediately before feeding the dog. If food needs to be reheated first, this is done without flour powder.

The food mixture is introduced fractionally and gradually over 1-2 weeks until the pet gets used to it. Otherwise, the new ingredient will cause digestive problems.

Despite the obvious benefits of such products, vitamin supplements cannot be replaced with them. Also, the nutritional value of meat and bone meal is not considered a reason to remove natural meat food from a dog’s diet.

Attention! Premium dry food already contains the necessary complex of substances. Therefore, it is not recommended to add meat and bone meal, as it can be harmful due to the oversaturation of the body with minerals.

A secluded place for a cat after giving birth

The postpartum nest is placed in a dark place, away from noise and prying eyes. It must be protected from drafts from all sides. It is recommended to select bedding in light colors so that it can be changed immediately when dirty. If the room is cool, you need to place a heating pad with warm water or a special electric heating mat in the house.

After giving birth, the cat needs special attention

Attention! Food, water and a tray should be placed near the house. This is necessary so that the new mother does not leave the kittens for a long time. Drinking water should always be clean and at room temperature.

The house can be bought or made from a cardboard box

Product benefits

Bone meal for cats and dogs is a high-protein feed additive. It consists of 50% protein, 20% fat, 30% water.

Additional items:

• vitamins A, B, D, E;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• sodium;
• manganese;
• iron;
• copper.

The supplement contains all these elements in an easily digestible form.

Veterinarians prescribe flour for the prevention and treatment of the following diseases:

• rickets;
• dystrophy, vitamin deficiency;
• nervous system disorders;
• developmental delay;
• weak musculoskeletal system.

Meat and bone meal strengthens the immune system, increases body weight, normalizes metabolism, improves health after childbirth or serious illness.

How to replace meat and bone meal

Raw meat bones are an excellent alternative to meat and bone meal. However, we should not forget.

Not all bones can be fed to a four-legged animal. Tubular, boiled, chopped bones, which can split into fragments, are strictly contraindicated for dogs.

Cartilaginous beef by-products, such as trachea, cartilage, kaltyk, are an excellent source of calcium and collagen, beneficial for bones and joints.

Chicken bone-containing by-products: heads, necks, paws not only diversify the diet, but also enrich the body with calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Many dog ​​owners give their pets whole quails. Please read about all the features of feeding your dog chicken.

Unpeeled beef or lamb tripe will saturate the four-legged body with valuable enzymes and beneficial bacteria.

In general, any beef by-products (heart, tripe, liver, lung, udder, cheeks, ears, and so on) contain a huge amount of essential vitamins and microelements. You can learn about all this by reading what offal you can give your dog.

Before offering your dog bone parts of poultry or ruminants, make sure your pet can chew them and is not allergic to the product.

Feeding chickens

High protein content in food is beneficial for laying hens. Therefore, including only 3 to 7% meat and bone meal in the diet can significantly increase egg production and also save on dry grain feed. This cannot be said about varieties with modified soybean additives, which unscrupulous manufacturers use to reduce the cost of their products. Such food does not improve the ability to lay eggs at all, and due to protein deficiency, cases of cannibalism occur in birds.

Flour additions exceeding 7% of the total feed volume can cause serious disturbances in protein metabolism in chickens. Excess uric acid salts accumulate in their joints, and gout develops. Or a complex atypical complex is formed in the connective tissues of the digestive organs, affecting the kidneys, stomach and intestines.

Transportation and storage rules

The content of significant amounts of proteins and fats in flour requires compliance with certain conditions of transportation and storage. In unopened original packaging, the shelf life is no more than 12 months. Exceeding this time, getting wet and overheating can not only make the food inedible or useless, but also cause harm to the animals.

Used during transportation

vehicles whose bodies provide optimal protection from weather influences. The maximum weight of product packaging should not exceed 50 kg. Dry (with a relative humidity of up to 75%), well-ventilated enclosed spaces, without access to moisture and sunlight, as well as children and animals, are suitable for storing supplies. The temperature in them should be maintained no more than +30° C, otherwise the fat contained in the product will decompose with the formation of the highly toxic substance acrolein.

Attention, TODAY only!

Bone (meat and bone) meal is a mineral supplement for improving immunity in pets. It is made from the carcasses of farm livestock and contains a whole range of useful substances.

Use for puppies and adult dogs

Adult dogs need to consume 5 grams per 10 kg of weight per day. Flour is not given in its original form, but mixed with feed or other dishes, for example, cottage cheese or kefir, simply stirred in water until it becomes a paste. Large animals such as shepherd dogs, huskies, divers, and pit bulls are usually regularly offered pork and beef bones, so their dose of dietary supplement should be less.

The growing body of puppies especially needs additional minerals and vitamins. Since they cannot yet chew real cartilage and bones, a finely ground flour mixture will come in handy.

In accordance with the instructions, the daily norm for babies from 2 months, as well as for pregnant females is about 10 grams, calculated per 10 kg of the animal’s body. This dosage is also suitable for small dogs (Yorks, Pekingese, pugs, toy terriers). Small pet puppies should divide the portion into several parts and feed them over several meals.

Important! Flour for children and elderly animals with poor health should only be of the highest category 3. The class is indicated on the product packaging.

The product is strictly dosed and does not exceed 100 grams per day for any dog

Cattle food

First recorded in England in 1986, an outbreak of mad cow disease is believed to have been caused by feeding meal made from the carcasses of infected sheep. This product contained the causative agent of spongiform encephalopathy. Since then, they have been trying to use mixtures based on poultry or pig meat to feed cattle.

Cows are herbivorous mammals and refuse to eat meat and bone meal. Then it is mixed with bran or mixed feed with a gradual increase in dosage , bringing it to 100 g per day per animal. Small livestock such as sheep and goats are fed no more than 20 g per day. In all cases, flour supplements make the diet complete and have a positive effect on weight gain, growth, fertility, meat quality and milk fat content.

Pig food

In addition to the above, adding flour from 5 to 15% to the total weight of the feed significantly stimulates weight gain and improves the quality of meat. Good results were obtained both when caring for sows and boars, as well as for growing young animals, with the exception of very small piglets recently weaned from their mother. For pigs, a product with a high ash content is especially recommended, which provides additional supply of phosphorus, sodium, calcium and iron. It is important to note that after flour is added to the original feed, its heat treatment is prohibited, as it leads to the loss of most of the proteins and vitamins.

Eggshell: calcium carbonate

Of the natural sources of calcium, eggshells immediately come to mind. Indeed, it consists of 36% calcium. One quail egg shell weighs approximately 1.5 grams. The shell contains calcium carbonate - not the best compound, because... Only 20% is absorbed.

To calculate how many shells a cat needs per day, the daily meat consumption is taken into account. Let's say a cat eats 200g of meat per day, which corresponds to about 400-500mg of phosphorus and about 50mg of calcium. The amount of phosphorus depends on the type of meat (see table below). Accordingly, such a daily dose should contain at least 450 mg of calcium. It turns out that for every 100 grams of meat you need 1 gram of shell (1 shell). An adult cat, eating 200 grams of food per day, should receive approximately 2 quail egg shells. If there is a slight excess, the body will remove it.

The fact that you add shells to your food does not guarantee that calcium will be absorbed by at least 20%, because... the shell still needs to be crushed, preferably into powder: otherwise, in many cats it comes out in pieces along with the feces (the author of the article saw this with his own eyes).

To increase the amount of calcium absorbed, you cannot pour whole spoonfuls of shells into a plate, because calcium carbonate in large quantities causes side effects: it lowers the acidity of the stomach below normal, causes flatulence, constipation, allergic reactions, and promotes the formation of kidney stones.

Thus, in order to meet your cat’s need for calcium every day throughout his life with the help of shells, you need to count the amount so as not to overdo it too much, but also not to give too little. In addition, due to the low percentage of calcium carbonate absorption, it is advisable to combine the shells with other sources of this mineral. For example, one week a cat may get calcium from the shell, another week from some other source, and so on. Some cats live only on shells without problems - it's better than nothing. However, shells are not an ideal source of calcium for healthy cats.

However, cats with kidney failure who are fed a raw diet are recommended to be fed shells rather than bones. This is due to the balancing of calcium and phosphorus from food. But this is a topic for a completely different conversation. This article is written about healthy cats.

TABLE: phosphorus and calcium per 100 g of product (values ​​in mg)

* The table shows approximate and average data: the content of phosphorus and calcium in certain products varies.

Cat food ingredients

Often, a lot of things are added to food that do not bring any benefit to the cat or are even harmful. But the fact that there are many different ingredients in the food is often perceived by cat owners with delight: this makes the food seem more complete and varied. The second reason why there is often more non-meat component in food than meat is an attempt to reduce the cost of the product.

The cheaper the food, the more non-meat it contains and the more carbohydrates that are harmful to cats. The more expensive the food, the more meat it contains. Read more about what classes of feed are distinguished in a separate article. And here we will say: in order to evaluate a product, it is necessary to analyze its composition. You cannot blindly believe the labels on the packaging “super-premium” and “holistic”: many unscrupulous manufacturers use these words as advertising, without any reason. However, to evaluate the composition, you need to know which ingredients are healthy and which are not? Let's figure it out.

Corn, soy, gluten, wheat are foods that are contraindicated for cats. These ingredients often cause allergic reactions and lead to excess weight and diabetes. But many manufacturers persistently add them to feed. Why? Because they can easily make the product cheaper.

Animal by-products - if the manufacturer put veal tenderloin or chicken heart in the feed, he would write so. But if he writes vaguely - “animal by-products” or “meat” without specifying the variety, this means that there is nothing to brag about.

Soybean meal is used to increase the weight of feed and increase the protein content in it. Then the manufacturer proudly writes that his food contains 50% or even 60% protein, but soybeans can make up the majority of it. In addition to the fact that this protein is not normally absorbed by the cat’s body, it also causes bloating.

Protein plant extract is added to food to increase the protein component, but it has virtually no nutritional value for cats: carnivores do not absorb nutrients from plant products well. To make sure of this, read information about your cat's digestion and typical diet.

Protein hydrolyzate is a nutritional flavor and odor enhancer of unknown origin.

Animal fat - Research has shown that fat in feeds is generally of poor quality and if it is at the top of the ingredient list, there is a good chance that the feed contains low-quality meat. At the same time, fat itself is beneficial for cats, and if its origin is indicated in the food and it is not in first place, then this is good.

Fish oil is an excellent ingredient, but it oxidizes very quickly when exposed to oxygen and becomes unhealthful. Therefore, it can be added to food before serving by opening the capsule and pouring the contents into a bowl of food.

Corn starch is a ballast that has no benefit for the cat's body. It is used as a thickener.

Rice starch is added to increase the percentage of carbohydrates, although these are not the healthiest carbohydrates, which also easily lead to obesity.

Potato starch is added to increase the calorie content of the diet: it is absorbed well, but only in small quantities.

Potatoes - cats are able to partially digest them in small quantities, but, as research shows, the presence of potatoes in the food often indicates a low meat content.

Yeast - if it is indicated that the composition contains brewer's yeast, then this is useful. But if the variety is not specified, this means that cheap baker's yeast has been added, which is significantly different.

Meat and bone meal is crushed dehydrated meat and bones of unknown origin to the buyer - usually from carrion and corpses from slaughterhouses unsuitable for human food, as well as meat production waste.

Fishmeal - This ingredient is most often made from fish that are unfit for consumption.

Peas and pea protein concentrate are a source of dietary fiber and protein, which is much less digestible than meat. Manufacturers love this component because... with its help it is easy to increase the final percentage of protein and reduce the cost of feed.

Cereals - if the manufacturer mentions “cereals” in the food composition, but does not specify which ones, such food cannot be used. These may include maize, sorghum and millet, which are allergens for cats.

Cellulose powder (lignocellulose, cellulose without indication of origin) is a potential allergen that causes serious gastrointestinal problems.

Cranberry is known as a remedy for kidney and bladder diseases. However, in what form it is added to feed is rarely indicated: if it is thermally processed, then there is little benefit.

Dextrose (glucose) is used as a sweetener and coloring agent. The component can lead to glucose imbalance in the body.

Herbs and other plants (aloe, chamomile, elderberry, licorice root, echinacea, calendula) are a controversial ingredient and depend on the type of plant. On the one hand, some plants have beneficial properties and have various effects on the body (sedative, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, etc.). On the other hand, most of these ingredients should be taken according to indications. And manufacturers often put herbs in non-medicinal feed.

Spices (cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, etc.) are rarely used in feed and for various purposes: treatment, coloring, marketing. However, most spices are contraindicated for cats. In addition, each spice has a specific effect on the body: stimulation, increased or suppressed appetite, calming the nerves, and so on. This effect is not always desirable. However, so few spices are usually added that they can hardly have this effect.

Garlic and onions - these ingredients are useful for people, but cause anemia, gastritis and poisoning in cats. Manufacturers, knowing this, add garlic and onions in microscopic quantities. They are so microscopic that they have no noticeable effect on the body. What are they doing in the food then? Apparently, they are fulfilling a marketing mission, because most people are sure that onions and garlic are healthy.

Catnip - some manufacturers manage to add this plant. The fact is that it causes a stir in cats, acting as an attraction. This substance affects the nervous system, so its constant consumption is undesirable. Apparently, food manufacturers are using mint to try to attract the animal to food that it would not be able to eat without this component.

As a rule, the manufacturer does not indicate dyes and flavors

BHA and BHT are carcinogens prohibited for use in human nutrition. But they have not yet been banned for animals.

Sodium bisulfite is a synthetic form of vitamin K that causes many pathologies.

Now check the ingredients in your cat's food. Chances are you'll see at least some of the ingredients listed.