I don't mean does it need to be served frozen but as a safety precaution should all meat spend a certain amount of time in the freezer to kill bacteria or parasites before being thawed to feed? I'm asking because I'm out of any red meat and am going to the market tomorrow. I was supposed to meet up with a friend a few days ago to get some frozen venison from her but couldn't. If I get beef hearts and pork tomorrow it won't have been frozen and so far I've made sure everything my guys have eaten has spent at least a few days in the freezer before feeding it to them. Can I give them heart without a trip through the freezer or does it matter?
Donna Little
Should all raw meat be frozen before feeding?
I fed raw meat that I bought from the grocery right out of the package before freezing, I'd say its pretty safe.
I'm pretty sure it's mostly some types of fish that must be frozen for a couple of weeks before feeding because of a parasite it carries. Mostly Pacific NW varieties. I'm not sure if it extends to any type of land animal meat. We've fed chicken without freezing it at all first. But if it's some sort of wild game, it might be different. Not sure.
In real life almost all meat will be frozen before you feed it but I never worry if it isn't. Most of your grocery store meat has already been frozen anyway. Beef heart is previously frozen. When I buy a case of it, it is frozen when I get it. In the cooler months I have to let it sit out for 3 or 4 days before I portion it out. I think your pork will have been previously frozen also. The only thing I buy in bulk that isn't frozen is chicken.
The only time I worry about freezing anything is when we have fresh deer at hunting season or fresh butchered animals from the Amish. Otherwise, I don't worry about it either.
The Dekalb Farmer's Market is where I'm going and all their chicken says it's never been frozen. I don't know about the rest of their meat. I am buying pork and do plan to go ahead and freeze that. I just really wanted to know if the beef heart would be okay. I don't know if their heart has previously been frozen but it isn't when you buy it. I plan to buy veal heart because it's smaller and easier to deal with. They're gonna be eating just chicken today and in the morning because I didn't get my venison so I hate to just give that for too many meals in a row. I'm also getting some sardines and they aren't frozen at the market. I assume I could go ahead and give that?
I believe sardines would fine, but do they catch them fresh where you live? I'm stupid that way..
Crikey - I feed a lot of meat that hasbn't been frozen, straight from the butcher's shop, or freshly caught rabbit - eek!
Most of the Beef that we get is from our processor near us, and we get it straight of the cows on kill days, or they throw it into bags and leave it in the cooler for us to pick up the next day. we've gotten kidney that was still really warm when we got it, and we've never had any ill issues from it, it's a USDA inspected plant (doesn't count for much) so it's a bit more piece of mind that it's in good health.
food i get from the grocery store, i will feed.
food i get from the co op i will freeze....since i have to partially defrost it to divvy it up.....and it makes me feel better...
don't know if the dogs feel better. they'd rather i just throw that block of venison trim on the floor in the kitchen.
food i get from the co op i will freeze....since i have to partially defrost it to divvy it up.....and it makes me feel better...
don't know if the dogs feel better. they'd rather i just throw that block of venison trim on the floor in the kitchen.
I do both. If it is human grade I wouldn't worry about it as it will have been inspected. Possibly a worry is homekill meat from a farm that doesn't care for their animals or they are diseased but even that doesn't guarantee parasites that can be passed on.
Personally I don't worry about it.
Personally I don't worry about it.
I've only been feeding raw for a few months so just haven't had this come up yet and am glad to hear everyone's dogs are still kicking after eating meat that's only been chilled. Kinda defeats the purpose of feeding them the best if you accidentally kill them in the process.....:wink:
For me it depends on where I get it from!:smile: From the grocery store/co-op/local farmer/rancher...sure Ill tear open the package and feed, if/when I end up getting anything from my hunting friends Ill probably freeze for at least a week-just cause it will make me feel better!:wink: But like Re said...my boys would rather I just dump everything on the kitchen floor and leave it there!LOL :lol:
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