By tohme
Date 19.11.04 12:22 UTC
The adult variety:
Ingredients:
Chicken, Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken Meal, Oat Flour, Wheat Flour, Whole Egg, Fish Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Brewers Rice, Beet Pulp, Wheat Germ Meal, Natural Flavors, Flaxseed, Dried Whey, Brewers Dried Yeast, Lecithin, Monosodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A, D3, E, B12 Supplements, Choline Chloride, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Biotin, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Selenite.
I would not feed my dogs corn, wheat flour, beet pulp, whey, yeast, flaxseed.
This food is cereal heavy, ground corn, oat flour, wheat flour, brewers rice, wheat germ meal, flaxseed.
Flaxseed may cause itchies.
Dogs do not need added salt.
beet pulp is a filler
corn and wheat can be a problem with dogs intolerant of gluten.
whey is a milk product which may cause problems with some dogs who are lactose intolerant, it can produce gas, or dogs that are allergic to casein.
yeast can trigger yeast overgrowths.
But that is JMHO
There really is no comparison .............
By Robert
Date 21.11.04 18:39 UTC
Van
Beet pulp serves a purpose in dry foods and I do not consider it just to be a "cheap filler". The cost to a manufacturer of adding 5 % beet pulp pectin to a recipe would be far more expensive than increasing one of the existing ingredients to compensate. There are reasons for doing this.
I know of several quality foods that use beet pulp pectin or other forms of soluble fermentable fibre (e.g. chicory oligosaccharides, yeast cell walls, yucca extract). if it was just a cheap filler then this would seem to fly right in the face of conpany's such as Burns that claim to be 'natural'
It has been shown that these fermentable carbohydrates can modify the flora of the hind gut of dogs and cats so that several species of pathogenic bacteria are suppressed and beneficial bacteria are stimulated to growth. The results are that health, including gastro-intestinal health, is promoted. Risks of diarrhoea can be reduced and it seems general resistance to infection may be supported.
Every manufacturer has an obligation to list the ingredients on their food - check out the back of the bag or their website to find out what is in the food (although most only meet the statutory obligations).
By Robert
Date 21.11.04 23:21 UTC
It does say Sugar Beet Pulp! A significant portion of fibre in beet pulp is in soluble forms such as pectin.
As for pricing, cost per tonne of raw materials is part of the economics within process manufacturing but not the only consideration! the addition of fruit and vegetables, bones, hide and skin might escalate production and stoarge costs somewhat to a food manufacturer. Been a while since I spent some time in an animal feed manufactung company so I would hate to guess the current cost of sugar beet pulp. My guess is it is still one of the cheapest sources!
I don't get hung up on beet pulp in Commercial Dry foods provided the company selling has a clear label.
Whan selecting a dry food you are always going to get lots of views on this one or that one. If I know whats in it, and I am happy with contents then I buy the food. If the dog does well on it then he stays on that food.