rannmiller:
I just wish they'd be more specific. That and I believe that while organ meats and almost all parts of the chicken are important for proper dog nutrition, I also think that muscle meat should be a main component of their diets, not organs.
I don't know how specific companies need to be when it comes to by-product meals, the listing could be two pages long. They sum it all up in one package, chicken by-product meal, or poultry by-product meal, etc.
BTW, this is a discussion from another thread but it seems more appropriate here, in regards to Abady's use of by-product meals (they got a poor review).
Chicken Meal is now a starter ingredient for most of the product line (granular feeds), however the stuff I feed is Classic Granular, and chicken by-product meal is a starter ingredient. I think we all know what it is and
there is no lack of disclosure or information about by-products on Abady's part. It is everything basically not used for human consumption, heads, feet, guts, eyeballs, brains, you name it and it's probably in there.
Muscle meat or fresh meat muscle as a starter carries along with it a lot of deception. On a solids basis, 75% of that is moisture content (nothing but water). So, on a dry matter basis it amounts to very little actual chicken protein.
That being said: holy sweet dear Lord is that food ever expensive! $80 - $89 for a 35 lbs bag?! And $120 for a 48 lbs bag?! I mean, it's got a high linoleic acid content, but my goodness. I guess feeding one medium sized dog that food wouldn't be too painful, but still the initial shock of it is a little intense.
It seems expensive but it is not too bad. They eat less. 800 cals per cup!
I scoop about 1 can a day of the Classic Granular (a soup can full, probably a little bit more than a cup). I get about 90 cups from a 40-lb box of Classic for $65 a box. One box will last me 3 months. $22 a month to feed a 35-lb and a 15-pound dog.
Kudos to you for being willing to spend so much on your dog food though. If I loved 'em that much I'd feed 'em raw... but I do already, and cheaper. Good thing eh?
Less mess, less shopping, less work, and don't need an extra freezer along with the bigger electric bill. A cup of RAW is less calories than a cup of Classic Granular. That said, IMO, there is probably no better diet out there for dogs than the Raw diets, and Abady was the first to introduce them in the 1970s. Abady has a great line up of Raw Products. If I were to feed Raw, I would be using their stuff because I trust the company (six years on the Classic Granular for my dog!).
Charlie