Meat and bone meal for dogs. Meat and bone meal for dogs: benefit or harm

Have you bought a pet and don’t know what ingredients to include in food for a complete diet? Meat and bone meal for dogs will balance your pet’s daily nutrition, filling the menu with a mineral and vitamin complex.

There is a lot of information about this veterinary product on the World Wide Web, including conflicting information. About the scope and beneficial features We’ll tell you more about the substances in today’s article.

What is bone meal?

Processed products, mineral and protein nutrition, common in animal husbandry. The food is enriched with large amounts of calcium and phosphorus.

Presented in the form of a powdery mixture of dark or light brown with specific smell. When purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the color of the product. Low-quality feed can be recognized by the presence yellowish tint.

Flour is used in almost all branches of agriculture. As a fertilizer, it is mixed with humus and immersed in the soil where crops will be planted.

Can be added to pots with indoor plants. Nourish fruit trees. The mixture accelerates growth and saturates the soil. Thanks to organic property substances completely decompose in the ground for up to 8 months.

The additive is also intended for poultry, rabbits, pigs, animals, cattle, and fish. In accordance with quality standards, flour is divided into three classes.

The difference between them is only in the proportions of fat content. Its minimum concentration indicates good properties powder.

When purchasing, follow these tips:

  • the presence of putrefactive and musty smell speaks of a bad type of product;
  • the appearance should be of a uniform format, without noticeable lumps or granules.

Production is carried out at special recycling plants, hunting vessels, and meat processing plants. Manufacture occurs from materials unsuitable for human consumption, carcasses of dead animals or products of meat processing organizations.

Can be sold in stores and veterinary institutions. During production, there is a risk of filling the feed with bacterial pathogens, since raw materials of animal origin are no longer fresh during the processing process.

Possible infections:

  • botulism;
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
  • streptococci;
  • staphylococci;
  • aerobes.

Selected flour is obtained from fresh raw materials. In warm workshop areas more likely spread of various pathogens. The processed product is sterilized, destroying possible microorganisms as much as possible.

Sanitary standards require that processing systems be loaded with antibacterial additives at the end of each shift.

Once a week, mechanical cleaning of all parts of production machines is necessary. Failure to comply with the rules leads to contamination of a large volume of products and the production area.

Processing stages:

  • Boiling raw materials.
  • Cooling to 22-25 degrees.
  • The resulting porridge is crushed in special machines.
  • Sow the resulting powder through a sieve.
  • Impurities are removed from the metal by passing through magnetic separators.
  • To prevent spoilage quickly treatment with an oxidizing agent occurs.
  • Packaging of powder in bags and boxes.

List of technological mechanisms involved in the processing process:

  • chopper;
  • conveyor for moving raw materials;
  • crusher;
  • centrifuge;
  • metal bunker;
  • drying apparatus;
  • machine for packaging finished products.

Purpose of application

It is widely known that a growing body requires a supply of minerals for the full formation of the skeleton and bone tissue. Veterinarians do not allow growing puppies to give raw bones, especially it concerns small breeds.

This situation affects the formation of a lack of phosphorus and calcium. This will help compensate for the lack of microelements universal powder. The product is used as an additive to the main diet.

The composition of bone meal is wide. Up to 50% of the substance includes proteins, 15% fats, the rest is ash, water, acids, seratonin, dioxin, protein. Home distinctive feature Meat flour is high in calcium.

The vitamin complex is expressed by carotene, elements of groups A, B, D, E. Mineral composition includes manganese, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, calcium, potassium.

The addition of bone meal has:

  • increase in nutritional properties;
  • acceleration of growth;
  • boosting immunity;
  • normalization of metabolism;
  • saving of feeding elements;
  • increasing poultry productivity.

Instructions for use

The guide for using food states that you can buy it not only if you have diseases, but also if you lack vitamins. A puppy born weak needs for a long time in a complete diet.

The need to use the powder is prescribed by a veterinarian. A wide range of diseases that require food consumption:

  • strengthening and growth of teeth;
  • treatment of rickets;
  • after childbirth and lactation;
  • dystrophy, hypovitaminosis;
  • stabilization of metabolism;
  • increase in body weight of a growing organism;
  • increasing immunity;
  • rehabilitation period after illness;
  • nervous system failures.

Storage

The presence of fat in products requires special conditions content, since if basic measures are not followed, at a minimum the powder will be useless for your dog, and at maximum it will cause harm and poisoning to the body.

Basic Rules:

  • direct hits are prohibited sun rays, water;
  • the place should be well ventilated and clean;
  • the packaging is tightly closed;
  • the temperature should not reach 28 degrees. If the indicators are exceeded, the product should not be eaten under any circumstances, as toxic substances will be released;
  • After the expiration date, use is prohibited.

Pay attention to whether the packaging indicates the presence of antioxidants. They are necessary to slow down and prevent air oxidation of fats.

But on this score, manufacturers are divided on the need for their use.
The shelf life is indicated on the packaging. The standard period is 1 year.

Norm

Introduced into the diet four-legged friend product gradually, adding to the dog’s food no more than twice a week. When used, the additive is added to food once a day. Puppies and lactating animals can be used with soup.

There are contraindications for use - stomach diseases, it is forbidden to give food immediately after birth to animals whose diet includes both wet and dry food.

Subject to storage conditions side effects not visible. Not addictive. If you forgot to give the substance, increase the dose slightly the next time you use it.

Do not exceed the required portion. Involves the occurrence of amyloidosis and gout.

Dosage

  • For puppies large breeds 1 tablespoon, medium – 2 teaspoons, small – 1 teaspoon.
  • For dogs, one spoon more than for puppies.
  • Pregnant bitches are prescribed a double dosage compared to adult dogs.

The maximum norm is 100 grams per day. You can buy the product at retail either in a butcher shop, where supplies are produced by factories, or in a veterinary clinic.

The purchase of quality food is guaranteed by the availability of product certificates. Sales are carried out by weight, as well as in a variety of packaging - cardboard, thermal bags, jars.

The price ranges from 25 rubles per kilogram and above. Interesting fact. In Europe, this type of flour is used to produce energy and burn waste. It is possible to replace coal with a lower calorie content.

Self-cooking

For release at home, waste from animals and fish is used. Raw materials are taken that are not suitable for consumption - bones, eggshell. The accumulated waste is stored in freezer, to prevent rapid spoilage.

Then the raw materials are crushed and packaged in plastic bags. Consume as needed. Bone flour - indispensable product in livestock farming. Your pet's diet will enhance this product.

The dog will happily eat it like a treat. Before use, consult with veterinarian.

Your pet's food may be filling enough necessary elements and it does not need additional nutrition. Before purchasing, pay attention to the production date.

Admission rules

In this article we will talk about whether bone meal is really useful for dogs and how to use it correctly.

Bone (also called meat and bone) meal is a product that contains various minerals, necessary for the dog(calcium, magnesium, potassium and others), vitamins, amino acids, and protein. All this is well absorbed by the animal’s body, unlike synthetic vitamin complexes.

Due to its composition, bone meal is especially useful for puppies, as well as nursing or pregnant bitches. It allows you to qualitatively replenish the lack of calcium in the body during time and contributes to a faster and more successful restoration of the dog’s health and strength after bearing puppies or giving birth.

In addition, bone meal is often prescribed for:

  • weak immunity;
  • vitamin deficiency;
  • shortage minerals;
  • , paws, spine;
  • diseases of the nervous system;
  • heart disease;
  • treatment of rickets, osteoporosis.

Bone meal, which contains vital minerals, helps the puppy's bones to form correctly. Their shortage, as well as their excess, has Negative influence on the development of the animal's skeletal system. This is why it is very important to follow the recommended dosages listed below.

How to use bone meal: 1 teaspoon (equivalent to approximately 5 grams) for every 10 kilograms of dog's weight. For example, for a dog weighing 20 kilograms daily dose is 10 grams. For puppies and their nursing mothers (as well as pregnant women), the recommended dose should be multiplied by two. Increasing the dose for an adult dog is only possible in consultation with a veterinarian.

Through a short time after introduction into the diet pet With this supplement, the owners note that their four-legged pet has become more cheerful and active. This is easy to explain. Thanks to the normalization of metabolism, the dog begins to feel better. The minerals and proteins contained in flour also have an important impact on her health.

To produce flour, both whole carcasses of farm animals, which cannot be used for human food for any reason, as well as individual offal and bones are used.

Despite all the advantages of this product, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian before introducing it into your diet. Perhaps your dog does not need additional feeding at all and gets everything he needs from his main diet. Many modern high-quality foods are fully balanced and already contain all the necessary substances.

Be sure to pay attention to the expiration dates of this product, as after their expiration it can cause significant harm to your dog’s health.

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Meat and bone meal for dogs is a kind of “mystical” food supplement, which needs to be introduced into the diet, but few people know how and how much to give. Proper storage is also important; we’ll look into why below.

Meat and bone meal is a product of the nutritional supplement industry. According to the standard, composition meat and bone meal fluctuates within the following limits:

  • 45–50% protein.
  • 30–35% ash.
  • 8–15% fat.
  • 4–8% water.

The main purpose and use of meat and bone meal is the production of animal feed. The food additive allows you to increase the amino acid index of the food, which has a positive effect on the health of pets.

Not long ago, meat and bone meal was added to the food of commercial animals. However, studies have shown that the beneficial food additive can become a source of rabies infection in cows and other cattle.

It should be noted that countries that have abandoned meat and bone meal as a food additive for livestock successfully use the product to prepare cheap feed for small domestic animals.

The world record holder for the use of meat and bone meal for the production of dog and cat food is the USA. In some European countries, meat and bone meal is prohibited and is replaced by others, synthetic fillers. European countries that have abandoned meat and bone meal as a food additive continue to use it as a raw material for energy production and fertilizer.

Meat and bone meal is produced in the form of a powder, which is obtained by boiling, defatting, disinfecting, grinding and sifting waste from animal carcasses. In some countries, including the United States, the corpses of animals that died of their own death, from viral diseases, or under the wheels of cars are used to produce meat and bone meal.

Meat and bone meal is used as a dog food supplement, but what is it and how is it prepared?

  • Bone meal is a mineralized powder with high content ash.
  • Meat flour is protein powder after heat treatment.

For the production of bone meal, paired (fresh) bones are practically not used. Most often, bones from which gelatin or other substances have already been obtained are processed into flour. When using bone meal, leather, horns, hooves and wool are also used.

Meat meal is also rarely produced in pure form. Most often, whole carcasses of dead animals are processed. In this case, large fractions, including fragments of bones, which did not dissolve during cooking under high pressure, are eliminated from flour at the sifting stage. Meat and bone meal may contain so-called blood meal. To produce it, blood is collected at slaughterhouses, which is evaporated and sifted.

This is interesting! Blood meal is the basis for the production of a popular children's delicacy with the same name “Hematogen”.

IN Lately“Bone meal”, made from feathers, is in increasing demand. This is a cheap product of dubious usefulness. The problem is that birds at slaughterhouses are de-feathered using chemical solutions. Afterwards, the feathers are collected, dried, crushed and sifted.

Read also: The puppy does not eat dry food well - what to do?

Following research showing meat and bone meal could be a source of spread viral diseases, rules for the production and testing of food additives of animal origin have been tightened. In general, food additives of animal origin are divided into two categories:

These categories relate to bone meal, the production of which uses the carcasses of game animals. Meat and bone meal, the production process of which used animal carcasses of non-commercial origin, slaughtered as a result of epidemics, sanctions or other external factors, are divided into three categories:

  • Category 1– the product poses an immediate danger to animals and people. In fact, such a product is produced from the carcasses of animals that died from disease or were kept with the use of hormones. This category also includes food additives of animal origin, made from the carcasses of animals that lived in unfavorable territories (radiation, emissions, epidemics).
  • Category 2– the product may pose a risk to animal health. Meat and bone meal of the second category is produced from animal carcasses that have been removed from Food Industry for reasons of sanitation, epidemic prevention, killing using poisons and gases, toxic veterinary drugs, etc. Meat and bone meal of the second category can be produced from animal corpses that were collected by city municipal services.
  • Category 3– the product does not pose a risk to the health of animals or people. Category 3 meat and bone meal is produced from carcasses that have been determined fit for human consumption. Before production, carcasses undergo mandatory veterinary examination and only after that are they entered into production.

Note! According to the laws of the European Union, only meat and bone meal of the third category can be used for the production of animal feed; in fact, this rule is too often violated.

The benefits and harms of meat and bone meal for dogs

Any product or food additive can have benefits and harm. Meat and bone meal is a food additive of questionable usefulness, if only because the methods of its production are almost impossible to trace. Despite the risks, most owners with dogs on a natural diet use meat and bone meal as a source of minerals. Knowing that a dog can be injured or even die if fed bones, many owners prefer to play it safe.

Read also: Looking for a missing dog

Bone or meat and bone meal is a powder obtained from ground animal bones and flesh. Oddly enough, in most European countries meat and bone meal is sold in gardening departments as it is only used as fertilizer.

Meat and bone meal sold as a dietary supplement undergoes additional testing in a veterinary laboratory. In countries where veterinary laws are implemented “once in a while,” flour of the first and second classes can be sold as a food additive. Having understood the issue in more detail, many owners become tense and refuse to use the product as a dietary supplement.

Important! Having excluded meat and bone meal, a source of calcium, phosphorus, fats and proteins, from the dog’s diet, it must be replaced with something.

Most sellers do not hide the truth, but buyers rarely read the ingredients or are interested in the issue at the proper level. The recommendations of the International Veterinary Association are clear - it is recommended to add only third class meat and bone meal to dogs' food, that is, which was produced in compliance with all sanitary and epidemiological standards.

First and second class meat and bone meal is produced in several stages. One of the stages is intensive heat treatment under high pressure. After such treatment, the dog’s digestive system practically does not digest the additive, which significantly reduces the percentage of calcium and phosphorus received.

If meat and bone meal was produced in an area with a high epidemiological risk, the packaging must contain a warning.

Note! Depending on the category and specific production lines, the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in meat and bone meal is not always ideal for absorption by the dog’s body.

Meat and bone meal in a dog’s diet – how and how much to give

If you have the opportunity to purchase meat and bone meal of the third category, it can be added to your dog’s food without fear. How and how much to give meat and bone meal so as not to harm your pet? The good news is that it is almost impossible to overdose on meat and bone meal. Usually, flour is added by eye. A large dog weighing 30–40 kg can be given 1–2 teaspoons of meat and bone meal per day. The additive is added to food immediately before serving.

Note! If you add meat and bone meal to porridge during the cooking process, its beneficial properties will be significantly reduced due to heat treatment.

Alternatives to meat and bone meal

The highest quality alternative to meat and bone meal is raw bones with meat. Gnawing bones, the dog gives sufficient stress to the gums, and this is the prevention of diseases oral cavity. By gnawing on the membranes of the joints, the pet receives a sufficient amount of microelements. However, not all bones are suitable as a source of microelements and proteins.

Important! Never leave a dog chewing on a bone unattended. When gnawing on moslak, a dog can dislocate its jaw, especially for puppies who are very interested in the process. When the dog has removed all the meat, it is better to take the bone from it and, if necessary, exchange it for another one.

Dogs are strictly prohibited from tubular bones and all bones that splinter into sharp fragments. As a toy, your pet can be given large moslaks and spongy bones. Many owners large dogs give the pet a young duck or whole quail.

When feeding pets, people often use special mixtures. To provide complete diet for a pet (it could be a dog), poultry, it is important to use a bone or meat composition (the recommended dosage of the product is indicated below). A vitamin-mineral mixture will help balance the animal’s nutrition, which will have a positive effect on the productive characteristics of pets and poultry.

What is meat and bone meal?

The product is a brown, milky powder with a specific odor (remember that it should not be musty). Before buying meat and bone meal, pay attention to the uniformity (purchase a composition with no lumps) and the color of the mixture. It is not recommended to buy a product with a yellowish tint. Typically, this color is obtained by adding chicken feathers. If an animal consumes such a mixture, it will cause harm to its body. When using such a product, poultry egg production rates, for example, are reduced.

Compound

It is suggested to study chemical composition mixtures. It is made from:

  • water;
  • fat;
  • squirrel;
  • ash.

A 1st class product is often found on the shelves of specialized stores (the price for it and other types of complexes is presented in the special table below). It contains no more than 9% water, 13% fat, 50% protein, 26% ash. Class 2 mixture consists of 10% water, 18% fat, 42% protein, 28% ash. Class 3 includes powder containing up to 10% water, 20% fat, 30% protein, 38% ash. It is worth noting that, regardless of the classification of the product, its composition contains about 2% fiber. Please note that for full development For livestock, it is not recommended to buy powder that is too fatty.

Meat and bone meal production technology

Before making a purchase, research the production of meat and bone meal. When creating it, the carcass of a deceased animal is used (as a rule, the complex is often created from dead animals, the meat of which is suitable for consumption). “Raw materials” are checked for infections. Often for making vitamin complex meat from previously ill animals is used (meat from farm animals that have had non-contagious diseases is taken). Waste from a specialized enterprise can be used (for example, it could be a meat processing plant).

The “raw materials” are boiled, then cooled to a temperature of 25°. The product is crushed (special equipment is used for this) and sifted through a sieve. Metal additives are removed using magnetic separators. A food supplement containing potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, magnesium and other elements is carefully treated with antioxidants and packaged in bags (note that the price per pack varies).

Application of meat and bone meal

The diet of animals and birds must contain meat and bone meal (approximately 7% of total number grains, other products). If you give protein-mineral powder (check out its cost below), you will be able to improve the health of livestock, increase the level of poultry productivity, and normalize work immune system, increase protective functions body that will help fight various viruses and infections.

For dogs

The vitamin complex (its price can be from 16 rubles per kilogram) should be added especially to the feed of lactating bitches carrying puppies. The by-product replenishes the lack of vitamins during the period of change of baby teeth in puppies, and helps restore the dog’s strength after childbirth. Bone meal for dogs is recommended for rickets, osteoporosis, mineral deficiency in the body, problems with joints, spine, and heart.

Count on required amount mixtures as recommended: 1 tsp. powder (about 5 g) is used for every 10 kg of pet weight. So, if the dog weighs 20 kg, then the daily dose of flour will be 10 g. For puppies, nursing mothers, multiply the indicated value by two. Increasing the daily dose for adult dog should occur exclusively on the recommendation of a veterinarian.

For chickens

An experienced farmer knows that daily diet chickens should contain approximately 3-7% meat and bone product of the total amount of dry feed. If the bird consumes the powder in such quantities, it will facilitate the complete absorption of the necessary vitamins and nutrients by the body. It is recommended to add flour to concentrated feed, mixtures of grass, and hay. If bone meal is used for chickens, it should be added in an amount of 0.6-0.8% of total mass dry mixtures.

You should not exceed the specified dosage of the vitamin complex. Remember that if there is an excess of the product in chicken food, this will lead to the development of gout and amyloidosis. Make sure there is no soy in the powder. If chicken meal is used regularly, you will notice an increase in egg production, which will help save money on the purchase of feed formulations.

For pigs

If you are interested in animal husbandry, then make sure that the quality of the powder is good ( great options The compositions are sold by the companies presented below, the price of the powder is acceptable). For pigs, this product is a source of amino acids, calcium, and phosphorus. Meat meal with high content ash (in in this case the product contains the elements Ca, P, Na, Fe).

It is recommended to include the vitamin-mineral complex in the diet of animals in a volume of no more than 5% of the total amount of dry food. If you study carefully Agriculture, then be aware that it is not recommended to use the supplement for too small piglets (include the complex in the menu of two or three month old pets in the amount of 2% of the total weight of the food offered).

Experienced breeders know how important it is to provide pet dogs with the “right” and nutritious food. If for some reason it is not possible to choose a good diet from “pasture” products, nutritional supplements will come to the rescue. With some stretch, this is also meat and bone meal for dogs.

It is known that livestock products today are of particular value. After the slaughter of productive animals and their cutting, the only thing left “out of work” is bladder. Everything else is recycled. If not for food, then for pet food.

In addition, veterinary control constantly identifies raw materials that cannot be used for human food under any circumstances (meat, for example, contaminated with bovine tapeworm larvae). However, the carcasses of animals that died from infectious diseases(with rare exceptions) are not used for these purposes.

Therefore, all “trimmings” that are unsuitable for human and animal food (without preliminary processing), which are, nevertheless, a source of valuable protein, are processed into meat and bone meal. So, we figured out what it is. It remains to be seen how exactly this food supplement for animals is produced.

Meat and bone meal production technology

The production process of this product is so tough that worm eggs and harmful microorganisms are killed with a 100% guarantee.

It should be noted that “flour” in this case is not an entirely correct term. By appearance the product is more reminiscent of coarsely ground coffee. Since the product contains a lot bone tissue, in the thickness of the flour there may be numerous whitish-yellow grains (baked and ground bones).

Composition of meat and bone meal: what beneficial substances are contained in the product

The product contains the following substances and compounds:

  • Up to half of the total volume is pure protein.
  • Lipids – about 20%.
  • Ash fraction (essentially a mixture of macro- and microelements) – up to 38%.
  • The flour may contain a certain amount of water, but not more than 7%. Exceeding this indicator indicates poor quality product and its improper storage.
  • Adenosine triphosphoric and glutamic acids. Both of these substances play an extremely important role in metabolism. They have the ability to normalize metabolism, which is especially useful for animals recovering from serious illnesses.
  • Carnitine. This substance stimulates the growth muscle mass and, in principle, has a beneficial effect on muscle tone. Therefore, it is very useful to give meat and bone meal both to puppies of large breeds, whose bodies are growing at a faster pace, and to old dogs.
  • Bile acids (by-product, there are many of them in the blood and liver).
  • Seratonin, thyroxine, etc.

A distinctive feature of meat and bone meal (compared to meat meal) is the high calcium content in this product. This is due to the abundance of bone remains in the raw materials for production.

Despite this, meat and bone meal is considered (and is) a valuable protein product of animal origin. This is largely due to the large number of essential amino acids it contains. Meat and bone meal is often used to normalize animal diets for sodium, phosphorus and calcium.

Proper storage of meat and bone meal

Since this feed additive contains a lot of lipids and proteins, there are special requirements for its storage.

Storage must be carried out in accordance with the following rules:

  • Flour should be stored exclusively in rooms where there is a good ventilation system. There should be no strangers in the room, strong or strong odors, dust and other pollutants.
  • A prerequisite is normal air humidity. Meat and bone meal does not tolerate “swamps”, the product in such conditions deteriorates very quickly and becomes unsuitable for further use as intended.
  • Carefully isolate the product from direct sunlight.
  • During storage, constant temperature regime. Ideally, the room temperature should not exceed 20° Celsius, but the main condition is still to prevent it from rising above 30° Celsius. Under such conditions, the antioxidants contained in meat and bone meal no longer cope with their task, as a result of which intense oxidation of lipids and proteins of the product occurs.

Important! We have already written several times that the product contains a large number of proteins and fats. Their breakdown products are highly toxic compounds, the effects of which have a very bad effect on animal health. Therefore, the use of expired and spoiled meat and bone meal is strictly prohibited!

Determining Product Quality

Considering all of the above, it is necessary to separately consider the process of determining product quality. Of course, first of all you should look at the date of manufacture and expiration date, but this data (when purchased in bulk) is not always available. Since at home full-fledged chemical analysis It won’t be possible to do this for sure; you can focus solely on organoleptic signs:

  • The color of the normal product is brownish-red, with slight variations. It is not allowed to use flour that has turned green or yellowed, as well as in cases of other sudden and atypical color changes.
  • You also need to look at the consistency. When pouring flour, the grains should be evenly distributed, scattering with a slight rustle. The formation of large lumps and conglomerates is not allowed.
  • The composition should not contain any foreign inclusions in the form of sand, pieces of earth, scale, rust, etc.
  • Smell is important. If everything is in order with the quality of meat and bone meal, it should be pleasant, “meaty”, “baked”, etc. In cases where the additive smells rotten, musty, something rancid, etc., the use of such an additive is strictly prohibited (it must be disposed of as food waste).
  • Another quality testing technique is by touch. Good meat and bone meal feels like the same ground coffee. The grains are light and moderately hard. There should be no feeling of oiliness or “dampness” of the skin.

So the product normal quality characterized by dryness and a pleasant odor.

The benefits and harms of meat and bone meal

Meat and bone meal has both benefits and harms. Let's consider both cases. It's worth starting with useful qualities food additives:

  • It is an excellent source of protein and is recommended for improving physical fitness animals, to normalize their muscle tone.
  • High-quality meat and bone meal contains many micro- and macroelements, which also have a beneficial effect on the health of pets.
  • With the help of this supplement, you can quickly and without extra costs “tighten up” even the poorest diet in terms of nutritional value.

However, we should not forget about the other side of the coin:

  • Meat and bone meal with too high a fat content is often found on sale. Firstly, it immediately spoils (which manifests itself in the form of a rancid odor), and secondly, feeding it leads to a heavy load on the liver and pancreas.
  • We remind you once again that meat and bone meal is produced through very harsh heat treatment of raw materials. That’s why there are no vitamins in it. Accordingly, the nutritional value of the diet can be corrected with this supplement without any problems, but you still cannot do without the use of multivitamin complexes.
  • Meat and bone meal does not contain dietary fiber and other components necessary for normal digestion. Because of this, overfeeding can cause severe constipation in dogs.

Thus, meat cannot be completely replaced with flour (but it can be partially replaced completely). But at the same time, it is an excellent addition to an animal’s diet if used wisely.

Use of meat and bone meal: how to use the product and how much to give it to your dog

Thus, flour is used as a protein supplement enriched with micro- and macroelements. Despite some of the disadvantages described above, this is a very valuable product, the benefits of which greatly outweigh the hypothetical harm. Her regular use often practiced by professional breeders: puppies grow faster and develop more harmoniously, bitches bear offspring better, and the percentage of successful matings in males increases significantly.

There is one thing important rule: if the feed is exposed heat treatment, then meat and bone meal is added to it only after cooling. You cannot cook the mash together with it, as in this case the nutritional value of the product decreases greatly.

It is believed that dogs of small breeds can be given up to 7% of flour (of the total diet), dogs of medium breeds - up to 15%, large and giant breeds - up to 20%.

Indications for use

There are some cases in which veterinarians especially recommend adding meat and bone meal to food for preventive purposes:

  • Puppies whose teeth have begun to change. Your pet’s body needs especially a lot of calcium and phosphorus at this time.
  • For pathologies associated with metabolic disorders.
  • This supplement is especially important for large breeds, as it prevents the development of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

  • It is useful for old dogs to add it to their food to prevent arthritis and arthrosis.
  • Flour is very useful for bitches during pregnancy and after childbirth, as it allows you to quickly and effectively compensate for the lack of nutrients, micro- and macroelements. In addition, experienced breeders and veterinarians believe that such dogs have a much lower risk of developing postpartum complications and have a much stronger immune system.

How and how much to give to dogs

But how and how much flour to give dogs in grams? We have already described the percentage ratio above, but more often veterinarians advise adding up to 100 grams of flour per day per animal. True, we would still recommend that owners first consult with a specialist to adjust the nutritional value of the diet (to prevent obesity and other metabolic disorders).

When using flour, you need to remember that the additive should be introduced into the dog’s diet gradually, over about two weeks. This will allow you to “train” digestive system animal to a new source of nutrients and prevent the development of digestive disorders.


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