Another Raw thread - Page 2

Don"t know if it would help anybody out but I live in a rural area where you can get an entire goat for 40-50, pigs entire for about the same price and if you use the bottle calfs you can get them for like 40.  It would obv have to be killed which I don't have a problem doing don't know how to get it there but if you do and it's something you are interested in pm me.

Not mine, but I can't resist haha:

http://rawfeddogs.net/Recipes/

Let's see, an average daily meal... it really varies depending on size of dog, activity level, size of meat cuts. You are trying to feed 2-3% of their body weight for a daily meal, but every dog's needs are different. Mine fluctuate from 2 to 3.5, depending on if I'm actively conditioning them with the bike, or just letting them play fetch casually in the yard. Let's say I'm trying to feed ~1.5 lb a day, totalling ~10.5 a week. I'd need a little more than a half pound of liver a week, and a little more than a half pound of other organs a week.

possible meals:

1 chicken leg quarter
1 marked down 8 oz steak
1 egg

1-2 chicken leg quarters (they really vary in size)
.5 lb beef liver

1 lb venison
some veggies (not necessary)
some tripe to mix with the veggies (I don't count it as organ)

1 chicken leg quarter
.5 lb beef kidneys/pancreas

If you're worried about balance, just try to get a variety of species fed in one week, and get a meal of liver and a meal of organs once a week. Or, you can do it daily...but it's unnecessary and too much work.

BTW, I'm a little more relaxed than some raw feeders...I strive for prey model raw, but don't see any harm in the occasional veggie.

Why does tripe not count as organ meat? Let's not forget that carnivores eat the WHOLE animal, not just muscle meat. That would include not just kidneys, liver, pancreas, bones and marrow, etc. but also the intestines, stomach, and a certain amount of their contents.

The dangers of feeding muscle meat only is it's not a balanced diet. I can show you the skeleton of a young ocelot that was fed nothing but raw meat (mostly hamburger). It was also deprived of sunshine (you can't exactly take your ocelot for a walk!) and developed such a severe case of rickets due to vitamin D deficiency that it had to be euthanized.

There are many reasons that I chose not to feed raw, but if I did, I would make sure all organs were included, and give a vitamin and mineral supplement as well, just to be on the safe side.

I would also give veggies, as dogs are no longer wolves, and have made their living for thousands of years scrounging through our garbage pits for whatever us humans throw out.

For the purpose of analysis and calculating amount of food to feed, tripe is not counted as organ meat. It is nutritionally different from liver, kidney, pancreas, etc., which have high levels of vitamins and minerals. OF COURSE, it is technically an organ. I feed it and include my feeding of it and certain other organs as part of the 80% muscle meat percentage.

Bringing up an ocelot that was kept in the dark and fed only one protein source (and ground hamburger at that) every single time there is a raw diet post, is a red herring AT BEST.

joined the yahoo group.  What about like the beef soup bones, and tails etc?? What kind of fish do you guys use?? My stepson loves to fish so I cld have all the catfish, trout, and bass I needed. 

Pm'd you.

mollyandjack, you have NO idea how ignorant people can be if you think that's a red herring! People DO need to be reminded that what we think of as meat is not what our canines need to keep healthy. Most of the people on this database are knowledgeable dog people, but that's the exception, not the rule. There's lots of folks out there that would be convinced throwing Fido a steak or a couple of raw burger patties every day would be a balanced diet.

If you're going to feed a raw or home made diet, you really, really need to do your homework.

Yeah, I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here...

I base my dog's diet on their needs, and what they're being expected to do.
Raw green tripe, direct from the abattoir usually forms about 50% of their diet, the other 50% comprises a mixture of heart muscle, ox cheek or beef trim about two or three times a week. Depending on activity levels/the status of the dog, the amount of tripe being fed can vary - I tend to give my 'higher status' bitch a little less tripe, and a little more muscle meat or heart - the lower status dog recognises her slightly 'better' diet from the smell of her and gives her more respect. That's not as daft as it sounds.

On other days, I'll feed the 'meat' part as chicken pieces with the inclusion of a few ounces of liver & kidney along with the tripe.  Once or twice a week they'll get a rabbit - intact with head, feet, fur, innards, the lot, and they'll eat everything. If rabbit's not available, I'll substitute with a whole chicken, just removing some of the feathers to give them a head start. Once the dogs are experienced in dealing with small whole prey, they quickly learn what to do with it.
Game birds in season are also useful, but most of my stuff comes straight from the abattoir.  In England, category 3 Animal By Products (tripes, lungs, heads, feet etc) foodstuffs can be sold by compliant abattoir operators for pet food without you having to have a licence, providing the category 3 material has come from animals passed fit for human consumption, and stored separately from the rest of the carcase. But they're not under any obligation to sell category 3 to you if they don't want to.

The dogs also get a couple of raw eggs two or three times a week, and occasionally a fish or a pig's trotter, but I don't often bother with fish unless it's left overs, the dogs aren't that keen.

In total, a 40kg shep gets about 1kg food a day. It's pretty varied, but with tripe forming the basis on most days.

I don't overdo the bony component - their faeces tell me if I need to feed a bit more, or a bit less edible bone.  I don't feed weight beariing bones from cattle, but their ribs and tails are useful as adjuncts to the immature skeletons of most poultry.
I don't feed any cereal, or extra vegetable matter - my dogs might pick at some sweet grasses if they want a bit of extra fibre, and at this time of year, they seem to enjoy the taste of blackberries or windfall apple, but they get this for themselves.
hth
maggie

I don't post here very often (I DO read and learn alot) but I thought I'd chime in on this thread since I do have experience in this.

I've been feeding raw for over a decade.  I currently feed 7 dogs (1 GSD, 3 Chinese Cresteds, 1 Cocker, 1 Corgi mix and 1 GSD mix).  Two of the Chinese Cresteds have NEVER eaten kibble - they were weaned to raw.  My GSD and my CC bitch were both switched to raw when they got here - at 8-9 weeks of age.  My Cocker is currently 12 and I've NEVER had ear problems with him.  I've fostered many dogs and they were all switched to raw the minute they walked in the house.

I'd say, over the years of feeding raw, I've probably handled over 10 THOUSAND pounds of raw meat!! :)

Here's a typical weeks worth of food for my guys (not amounts - just types):

Chicken Raw Meaty Bones (wings, backs, necks, legs, thigs)
Turkey Necks
Lamb Breasts and Necks
Pork Necks
Whole Fish (Tilapia, Trout and Whiting)
Shrimp
Ground Beef
Ground Lamb
Boneless pork, beef, turkey, lamb
Canned Mackerel (yes, it's not raw but it's a quick meal for when I've forgotten to defrost)
Green tripe

Some of the seasonal/occasional items include:

Venison (during hunting season)
Goat (when I can get it)
Emu - necks mainly
Rabbit
Bison

I have a website devoted to teaching those new to raw feeding what it is and how to get started:  http://www.rawdogranch.com

Organs are defined by their vitamin/mineral composition.  Liver, kidney, eyes, brains - those are organs.  Heart and stomach (what tripe is) - those are muscles.