Letter from Merrick to the FDA re: downed stock in pet food (2004)

Timberwolf organics claims that their lamb meal is processed from what's left of the lamb after the cuts that humans like are removed. I suspect that is the major source of meat for pet foods. There's got to be lots more of THAT available than 4-D meats

 
   I agree, and as for the question of how can dog food companies know the source of the meat they use, it's a matter of visiting the plant that processes the meat meal they use and finding out where they  get the meat processed into meal. Really not that hard to do, and something every reputable company probably does.

I honestly don't mind if a company uses down cows, because most of the downer cows have diseases that wouldn't hurt my dog anyway. What I do care about is antibiotic residues, meat:bone ratios, nutritional content (liver vs. esophagus), and HONESTY.

I don't care if a company uses quality products from canned cows that don't make it into the human food chain, but if they lie, become hypocrites, or have quality control issues, then I really have to wonder if they care about producing a quality food, or making money by making you think its a quality food.

Bi-products have never bothered me in the least. Things that worry me is chickens that are hatched one day, and thanks to the "miracle growth" are huge chickens ready for the slaughter house in 6 weeks.  My husband has hauled loads of the chemical added to the chicken feed to the places that make the feed.  Is any of that chemical in the chicken meat?  I don't know and it bothers me.
 
I have never used organic dog food, but was under the impression it was the best out there.  How can it be the best if it actually uses less meat than the "lesser" dog foods?   that is a bit confusing.
 
I think it was Mudpuppy who said about dogs in the wild eating dead animals and that is true.  And someone else stated those dogs don't live to be 15 years old, and that is true.  However, those wild dogs do not have the advantage of being able to eat every day, more or less on a schedule, of having a nice warm house in the winter, or going to the vet if they developed any kind of illness or injury.  They are not protected against rabies, distemper, parvo and in areas where it exists, Lyme and Lepto.  They do not get flea/tick protection to precent diseases brought on by those nasty buggers.
 
If we took those same dogs and let them contine to eat their "found food", but reguarly, every day, twice a day, gave them shelter and proper medical preventatives and care, they could possibily live even longer than 15 years on that diet of nice, stinky meats.  Maye it is all the care, love, etc we give our dogs rather than what they eat, that make them live longer

sandra, how can you compare the resale cost of meat to you to the wholesale cost for a corporation buying in bulk???

 
I am sure grocery stores and meat markets buy far more meat than makers of dog food and would get a lower rate for it.  And I am sure if the grocery stores are paying $3 a pound, and charging us $8 a pound, then the makers of dog food aren't paying any less than the $3 a pound. .And then after they buy the meat, they have to process it and make it into the dog food and that is extra cost. So I have my doubts that any dog food, any brand from the cheapest to the most expensive uses the best of meats for it's food.  But I am okay with that also.  My dogs can much chicken thighs as well as they can munch cheicken breast and for a whole lot cheaper....and those thighs are just as good for them as the chicken breast.

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton

sandra, how can you compare the resale cost of meat to you to the wholesale cost for a corporation buying in bulk???

I am sure grocery stores and meat markets buy far more meat than makers of dog food and would get a lower rate for it.  And I am sure if the grocery stores are paying $3 a pound, and charging us $8 a pound, then the makers of dog food aren't paying any less than the $3 a pound. .And then after they buy the meat, they have to process it and make it into the dog food and that is extra cost. So I have my doubts that any dog food, any brand from the cheapest to the most expensive uses the best of meats for it's food.  But I am okay with that also.  My dogs can much chicken thighs as well as they can munch cheicken breast and for a whole lot cheaper....and those thighs are just as good for them as the chicken breast.

Ok, there's some problems with this logic.

Grocery stores and food manufacturers buy different things. In pounds, groceries probably do buy more, but they get the good meaty parts. The dog food manufacturers get what is left over after the groceries get their parts. Chicken thighs and breasts aren't the pieces used in dog food. It's chicken frames and other typically discarded parts, which have no other value to the majority of the public. So it's going to be dirt cheap to the dog food manufacturers. I've seen chicken frames in the ethnic market for $.39/lb. But ethnic markets can't sell all the chicken frames produced.

(most) Dog food companies aren't buying the meat, they're buying the meal already made, they don't have any extra cost there.

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton

I have never used organic dog food, but was under the impression it was the best out there.  How can it be the best if it actually uses less meat than the "lesser" dog foods?  

I'm confused why you keep bringing up organic food when that isn't the main topic here. And I don't think that you will find anyone on this forum that says organic dog foods are the best. Whenever anyone posts a food like Newman's Own Organics and asks opinions, I always post (and see everyone else post the same thing) that the food is too grain heavy. I don't see anyone on this forum saying that you should only feed organic meat. There is something in between organic and 4D.

But lets not forget Merrick is on the approved list of the whole dog journal and it got a 129 on the How to grade your dog food, and dogfoodanalysis.com gives it a 5 star, and really those are the only things that matter.

But lets not forget Merrick is on the approved list of the whole dog journal and it got a 129 on the How to grade your dog food, and really those are the only two things that matter.

Well, not to me.  I use the Whole Dog Journal as a guide to maybe get names of foods I might not have heard of to look into.  And, just to get a general idea of what's out there and what ingredients I might be able to use.  I don't always agree with what's on the list. 

As for that grade your dog food thing, it's completely out of wack in my opinion.  They rate what I would consider crappy food very well.  [sm=2cents.gif]

I use my own judgement as far as ingredients and name brands.  And, also take into consideration what's worked well for Willow and also what she likes to eat.
 
After seeing this though, I'm seriously wondering if we aren't all being taken for a ride by these companies who claim to be so above brands like Nutro and ProPlan.

ORIGINAL: abbysdad

But lets not forget Merrick is on the approved list of the whole dog journal and it got a 129 on the How to grade your dog food, and dogfoodanalysis.com gives it a 5 star, and really those are the only things that matter.

The grading thing and dogfoodanalysis are pretty much worthless, unless you're just beginning to learn about foods. The grading thing has a ton of flaws and the dogfoodanalysis reviewer is biased and doesn't share their credentials. WDJ doesn't even follow their own guidelines in choosing foods. I'm not sure where you got the idea that any of those held a lot of weight around here. They're basic - very basic - guidelines.

ETA: The thing that does matter is the whole package - the ingredients, the ingredient quality, the company, their ethics, their quality control, and the results from the food among other things.

and really those are the only things that matter.

They may be the only things that matter to you,but i have a far larger and indepth criteria when selecting foods.

Guys, I'm pretty sure he was kidding ha ha ha

He wasn't kidding exactly, he was being sarcastic. [] Taking another shot at people who believe in holistic foods.

Guys, I'm pretty sure he was kidding

Yeah i have no doubt that he was kidding.But the same,old sarcasm is getting really boring and old now..

ORIGINAL: sooner

The thing that does matter is the whole package - the ingredients, the ingredient quality, the company, their ethics, their quality control, and the results from the food among other things.

 
Totally agree!  I factor all those things into my decision.  With regards to the company, I prefer to support companies whose main or only product and interest is quality pet food, as opposed to huge conglomerate corporations that make household products, or candy or toothpaste.  Not to say those big companies can't make a good pet food, and they certainly have great quality control, but I do factor in where the company's main interest lies.

ORIGINAL: Luvntzus

He wasn't kidding exactly, he was being sarcastic. [] Taking another shot at people who believe in holistic foods.

 
Yep, just trying to get a rise out of people and start an argument as usual. [&:]