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Another 'Myth'?
Animal digest is often considered a substandard pet food ingredient. In some cases, this is because the word “digest” is mistakenly thought to describe the contents of the digestive tract.
-Purina
What is Animal Digest then?
AAFCO Definition:
Animal Digest: Material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and un-decomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed.
That's awesome.
So what is this used for?
A flavour?
Wouldn't using actual meat give it a meat flavour?
You do what with it?
You spray it on kibble?
So on the pet food bag it can be listed as Animal Digest, Added Flavour, Natural Flavour, Chicken Flavour..but only if you actually know it was chicken to begin with.
Was it chicken?
Or was it road kill?
Don't know for sure?
Sure it could be all those non horrible things you listed on your site.
But chances are higher that it would be bottom of the barrel
Which might actually be correct because it is a big barrel of slurry.
That is your unknown animal sources. From dead Zoo animals to euthanized pets.
You can be proud about using Animal Digest if you want.
I wouldn't be proud - I would be wealthy....but probably ashamed of myself.
- The word “digest” in “animal digest” refers to the digestive process used in production, not the ingredients.
I say may - because those things could be in there - the word is just not meant to signify the use of it.
In the wild, an animal gets some of its carbohydrates from the already pre digested foods inside their prey.
A cat gets this from a mouse - for example.
Digestion starts breaking apart the proteins and since Fluffy does not have the ability to pre digest something like - Corn - they use their prey to do it for them - then they eat the prey.
The mouse starts the process - The cat finishes it.
This does not need to happen with animal proteins - both dogs and cats are meant to eat these things - it is much healthier for them to get the starting item.. not the processed, paste or powder that is left after off this nonsense.
- The process starts with animal protein such as muscle and soft tissue supplied by USDA-inspected facilities.
Since both a cat and dog can digest muscle and soft tissue - there is no need for this action. Unless.. doing so allows companies to put in basically a blender - all of the left over things that are wasted money! No waste!!
Grocery store has some spoiled meat? Throw it in.
Animal control just went through a mass euthanization? - There's still room in the barrel.
City lack space for all the scooped up road kill?
Hey over here!
You guys know we can't say this is meat right?
Why not?
Well if we leave it as it is - and they find reason to test it....
Ahh yeah, they would have a hard time figuring out heads from tails with a paste.
Then we could package it and I bet you we will make more money this way. If it is in a powder it will last longer.
We don't have to refrigerate a powder.
Think of the savings!
Is it bad for them though?
For who? Us? no!
No for the animals.
What do they care, they are already dead.
The pets! The dogs and cats that we are feeding this to?
How would I know, do I look like a vet?
No, but that is a fantastic suit.
- That is just me having a made up conversation with made up people.
- These ingredients are hydrolyzed or “digested” to break down the animal protein into peptides in a manner similar to digestion in the body.
- The resulting digest is in a liquid, but can also be made into a paste or powder.
- Animal digest is extremely palatable and is an excellent source of high-quality protein.
You may have been bamboozled.
Though the first part is probably true.
In a powdered or sprayed form it may provide an aroma and taste that drives animals crazy - Of course... there are a few people that could probably state their Dog finds the litter box just as tempting.
Please explain to me how what was once meat - and is now nameless powder - can be considered 'high quality'. Who sets this standard?
If you say - According to Pet Food Institute - That means nothing.
You and the other large companies construct PFI. It's 'Big Pet Food' - similar to 'Big Pharma'
You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? Whoever has the gold makes the rules!
- It’s often used in small amounts to enhance the taste of dry pet foods.
Very expensive
I can understand using Saffron in small amounts (Spice- not for pet foods)
Rare - very expensive
I can absolutely understand using Wasabi in small amounts (Green Fire- not for pets)
It can be very hot
Using animal digest - which you state is a high quality protein - in such small amounts just does not make sense?
If it is so good then why not use more?
Why not use it as a something more then for flavour?
- Spraying animal digest on kibble or mixing it with the food significantly increases palatability.
I have never tried it myself - and have no intentions of every trying it
You can not really make grains taste like meat - well you can..
Yes you can because you did.
Good job at hiding the evidence.. ?
Just saying..
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