Organic Barf Or Not?

[alananddora]

Hi All,

Started feeding an all BARF diet a few weeks ago and it is going v.well to our 4mth GSD.

One question - of those of you that feed BARF who feeds free range/organic bones - especially chicken (necks, wings etc)? From what I have read organic is much better.. is this to pedantic and should I not worry?

Also, just read the thread on human versus puppy mince - guess I should think about a human grade meet - what about the fat content? Human mince is lean whereas puppies need higher fat content?

Thanks....

[Miranda]

By all means feed organic if you can afford it, I have 5 dogs and my dog food bill is already astronomical so personally I don't feed organic meats to my dogs although I do buy organic vegetables for myself and my partner. Regular beef mince (not the premium or 'heart smart' variety) is quite high in fat and is fine for dogs and puppies, I've been feeding it for years.

[TiffanyAmber]

All this organic talk is just that...........talk. If its good enough for you, its good enough for your dogs.

Organic meat just means that the animal that that meat came from was fed organic grains and no chemical was used on that land. Thats all. But you pay the prices.

[Joypod]

All this organic talk is just that...........talk. If its good enough for you, its good enough for your dogs.

Organic meat just means that the animal that that meat came from was fed organic grains and no chemical was used on that land. Thats all. But you pay the prices.

Not 100% right. Organic also means that the grains fed to the beef/chicken/whatever had no hormones added to it. Those hormones end up in the meat and the jury's still out on what those hormones do to humans (and therefore, dogs).

[westielover]

Organic would best for humans and pets - however, it's pretty expensive - which is a shame.

As far as mince goes - you could buy kilo's chicken necks and mince them thru a mincer - this is what I do to make my own chicken mince.

[Miranda]

Organic also means that the grains fed to the beef/chicken/whatever had no hormones added to it. Those hormones end up in the meat and the jury's still out on what those hormones do to humans (and therefore, dogs).

Are you sure that this correct? I was under the impression that no hormones are fed to livestock in Australia.

[Joypod]

Organic also means that the grains fed to the beef/chicken/whatever had no hormones added to it. Those hormones end up in the meat and the jury's still out on what those hormones do to humans (and therefore, dogs).

Are you sure that this correct? I was under the impression that no hormones are fed to livestock in Australia.

Yeah, you could be right. I'm certainly not an expert on the subject. I remember seeing a show on genetically modified food for livestock... which may well have only been in the US. Appologies if I've got it wrong (heheh, it's happened before!).

[Miranda]

I'm not sure either Joypod, I'm pretty sure that chickens aren't fed hormones, but I don't know about beef. I don't eat meat at all so I'm so I'm certainly no expert.

I would love to feed my dogs organic meat, but unfortunately the cost would be prohibitive.

[poodlefan]

Hormones have been banned livestock food additives since the 1970's I think.

I'm not so sure about antibiotics though.

[alananddora]

What I have read on organic versus factory farmed is that this meat lacks essential Activated Omega3's due to factory farmed being fed exclusively grain rather than natural grazing. This is the reason for my question on organic as this meat does contain activated omega three's (dogs do not produce the enzymes required to turn inactive to active).

In BARF is to be the best it can be, then it looks like facotry farmed may lack this essential ingredient. That being said I am adding cod liver oil to her diet which is high in activated Omega3s.

Thanks

Alan.

[poodlefan]

What I have read on organic versus factory farmed is that this meat lacks essential Activated Omega3's due to factory farmed being fed exclusively grain rather than natural grazing. This is the reason for my question on organic as this meat does contain activated omega three's (dogs do not produce the enzymes required to turn inactive to active).

In BARF is to be the best it can be, then it looks like facotry farmed may lack this essential ingredient. That being said I am adding cod liver oil to her diet which is high in activated Omega3s.

Thanks

Alan.

Cod liver oil would not be my choice for Omega 3's. I'd be using other fish oil or, if the dog tolerates it, flax seed or other vegetable oils. Cod Liver oil contains fat soluable A and, if fed in too high a quantity, can lead to a harmful excess of Vitamin A in the diet.

[alananddora]

Cod liver oil would not be my choice for Omega 3's. I'd be using other fish oil or, if the dog tolerates it, flax seed or other vegetable oils. Cod Liver oil contains fat soluable A and, if fed in too high a quantity, can lead to a harmful excess of Vitamin A in the diet.

Hi Poodlefan,

OK - so I am also adding ground flaxseed to her BARF, so maybe I should exclude CLO even if its small quantities?

Quote from DrB The BARF diet, pg 36 - "CLO is the one daily supplement I recommend above all else for the vast majority of pets"

[alananddora]

Cod liver oil would not be my choice for Omega 3's. I'd be using other fish oil or, if the dog tolerates it, flax seed or other vegetable oils. Cod Liver oil contains fat soluable A and, if fed in too high a quantity, can lead to a harmful excess of Vitamin A in the diet.

Hi Poodlefan,

OK - so I am also adding ground flaxseed to her BARF, so maybe I should exclude CLO even if its small quantities?

Quote from DrB The BARF diet, pg 36 - "CLO is the one daily supplement I recommend above all else for the vast majority of pets"

[CBL]

What I have read on organic versus factory farmed is that this meat lacks essential Activated Omega3's due to factory farmed being fed exclusively grain rather than natural grazing. This is the reason for my question on organic as this meat does contain activated omega three's (dogs do not produce the enzymes required to turn inactive to active).

In BARF is to be the best it can be, then it looks like facotry farmed may lack this essential ingredient. That being said I am adding cod liver oil to her diet which is high in activated Omega3s.

Thanks

Alan.

Cod liver oil would not be my choice for Omega 3's. I'd be using other fish oil or, if the dog tolerates it, flax seed or other vegetable oils. Cod Liver oil contains fat soluable A and, if fed in too high a quantity, can lead to a harmful excess of Vitamin A in the diet.

I just bought cod liver oil tablets for Patch to help with his coat. How much is too much? I was going to break a couple of them over his dinner each night.

[poodlefan]

Cod liver oil would not be my choice for Omega 3's. I'd be using other fish oil or, if the dog tolerates it, flax seed or other vegetable oils. Cod Liver oil contains fat soluable A and, if fed in too high a quantity, can lead to a harmful excess of Vitamin A in the diet.

Hi Poodlefan,

OK - so I am also adding ground flaxseed to her BARF, so maybe I should exclude CLO even if its small quantities?

Quote from DrB The BARF diet, pg 36 - "CLO is the one daily supplement I recommend above all else for the vast majority of pets"

In another book he recommends the supplement only be fed every other month. If you are feeding ground flax seed then you shouldn't need another source of EFAs in the off month. I feed a blend of oils I buy from the health food shop.

[Mooper]

I can't afford organic meat for me, let alone my dog.

But I do grow lots of parsley and silverbeet organically in my own garden, and he gets those in his BARF mix.

[alananddora]

I can't afford organic meat for me, let alone my dog.

But I do grow lots of parsley and silverbeet organically in my own garden, and he gets those in his BARF mix.

I had not checked the pricing - $7 for 500 grams of chicken thighs methinks Jasmine will get her supplements from another source as well (-;

[Mooper]

I'm sure she'll help you dig a new garden bed for leafy greens

[koolietas]

When I get the fruit/veg for Koolie's barf mix, I buy organic (usually about $30 and lasts 3-4 weeks). It's really hard to get organic meats/bones here in Tas - I would definitely get them if I could find any!