Bone meal for dogs is a high-calorie dietary supplement that is added to the diet of animals. From the first months of a puppy’s life, you should provide him with a number of useful substances. A growing body needs a constant supply of protein for a strong, massive muscle frame, calcium for strengthening bones and healthy teeth. These components are found in meat and bone meal for dogs. This is an addition to the basic diet, not a replacement for it. You cannot feed a puppy or an adult dog bone meal instead of a balanced food.
What is meat and bone meal
Meat and bone meal is a product of animal origin that contains only natural ingredients:
- cattle bones;
- meat left on the bone when cutting a carcass;
- tendons, ligaments, cartilage tissue.
When cattle die after slaughter or natural causes, the carcass is processed. The meat is used in the production of semi-finished products, sausages, smoked meats, and is sold fresh, after being cut. Skins are needed in light industry for the production of new collections of shoes and clothing. Natural gelatin is obtained from bones and tendons, and then they are sent for complete processing to produce bone meal.
These products are produced by large manufacturers. There are several types of meat and bone meal, which differ in composition, degree of purification, origin and purpose. When looking for nutritional and mineral supplements for a puppy or adult dog, buy such products at veterinary centers and pet stores, but give preference to safe, highly purified products from large manufacturers.
Compound
According to the standard, the chemical composition of this product is as follows:
- protein – up to 45%;
- ash components – up to 30%
- fats – up to 15%;
- water – up to 8%;
- other impurities – up to 2%.
Bone meal has a high calcium content - per 100 g of finished product there are 35 g of calcium, 16 g of phosphorus. It is phosphorus that is involved in the breakdown and absorption of calcium, so this combination is optimal for strengthening the bones, tendons, and joints of the animal. The composition contains a low content of B vitamins. Remnants of the hormones serotonin and thyroxine are acceptable in small concentrations, but excess levels of hormones indicate that the cattle were fed growth activators before slaughter. An excess of them can negatively affect the dog's health. This is another reason why you should trust only products from well-known manufacturers who provide guarantees of quality and safety.
Peculiarities
Dog meal based on dried cattle bones is produced in several stages. First, the raw materials are dried and heated in autoclaves. This is a mandatory procedure in which pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed - viruses, bacteria, helminths, and other causative agents of serious diseases. If a manufacturer ignores this step, its products cannot be considered completely safe. Processing is carried out under high pressure and hot steam.
The next stage is grinding the raw materials into fine flour, sifting it and drying it. The result is a homogeneous composition with a shade from light gray to red-brown. The color depends on the original composition of the raw materials.
An antioxidant is added to the finished dry mixture - a substance that prevents active protein oxidation and caking of the powder. Afterwards the finished products are packaged. To do this, it is recommended to use paper or cardboard packaging. This is due to the fact that paper has micropores through which excess moisture evaporates. There are no such microholes in plastic packaging, and the water content in the composition sometimes reaches 8-10%. If the mixture is stored for a long time, there is a possibility that over time the contents of the package will bloom and deteriorate. Some manufacturers package their products in plastic packaging, but the period for the sale and use of such animal food additives is short.
Properties
Bone meal intended for dogs has a number of beneficial properties. It helps strengthen the bone frame, normal development of the spine, and healthy joints. The high protein content has a beneficial effect on the formation of muscle mass in the animal. This is true for dogs of all breeds. They need sufficient physical activity every day. Dietary supplements, selected individually, which you give to the animal in the correct dose, will provide the dog with energy, health, and longevity.
Calcium is necessary not only for strengthening bones, but also for the normal functioning of the animal’s nervous system. And phosphorus in the right dosages prevents the development of anemia and rickets in puppies.
Production technology
The technological process for producing feed flour is as follows:
- First of all, the raw materials are placed in huge autoclaves, where under powerful pressure, using steam, they disinfect it, destroying various bacteria and parasites.
- Next, parts of the carcasses are dried under high pressure in special drying chambers. Under the influence of pressure, additional disinfection of bone raw materials occurs.
- Well, the next step, of course, is to start the crushing device.
- Then, the entire mixture is passed through a sieve. One of the main requirements for the consistency of the resulting product is the absence of fractions larger than 12 mm in diameter. If after the first stage of crushing there remain parts larger than 12 mm, they are again sent to the crushing apparatus.
- The next stage is the removal of metal impurities using magnetic separators.
- Only after receiving the required consistency of the raw material, in order to inhibit the oxidative processes of the fat contained in the product, it is treated with antioxidants and antioxidants.
- Only after this, animal feed flour is packaged in three-four-layer paper or used disinfected fabric bags.
Use for puppies and adult dogs
Meat and bone meal is allowed to be given to puppies after changing their milk teeth to permanent ones. The daily dose for a puppy over 2 months of age is higher than for an adult. Pregnant females also need increased amounts of calcium in their diet. Their daily dose of bone meal for dogs is up to 10 g per kilogram of weight. Adults can be given 5 g per day per kilogram of dry weight. Be sure to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Dosages are often listed here by breed, not just by dog weight.
Instructions for adding bone meal for dogs
Bone meal should not be given in its pure form. It is mixed with dog food, cottage cheese or diluted with water to a semi-liquid pulp. In this form, the composition is much better absorbed.
How and how much you can give
If you regularly let your adult dog chew on dog or beef bones, you may want to reduce the dosage of bone meal. The animal already receives all the necessary nutrients from a natural product. But small puppies need a source of calcium and natural protein, so they need a larger volume of this supplement.
Be sure to read the instructions on the package and adhere to the prescribed dosages. Don't disregard your veterinarian's opinion. If the doctor insists on increasing or decreasing the dose of dietary supplements, arguing his opinion, take into account his recommendations.
Advantages and disadvantages
With all its many advantages, the product also has some disadvantages and restrictions on active use. Dog owners should be aware of them in order to understand which supplements to give preference to, when to give them, and when to refuse additional sources of proteins and microelements.
Bone meal for dogs has significant benefits:
- natural composition;
- complete absorption by the body;
- safety;
- providing the growing animal with nutrients.
The disadvantage of bone meal is that this product is not suitable for everyone. It should not be given to an animal if there is an individual intolerance to the composition. If the product is abused, the protein level in the body may be exceeded, which leads to problems in the functioning of internal organs. For some gastrointestinal diseases, the dog should also not be given bone powder.
Self-production
This supplement can be made at home:
- Prepare the ingredients - poultry meat and bones, you can add fish.
- Cut into pieces and place in a large saucepan, fill completely with clean water and place on the stove.
- Simmer over low heat until the bone mass softens.
- Cool the finished dish.
- Grind the product into smaller parts using a blender or chopper. To obtain the powder, you need to use a mortar.
- The flour needs to be dried.
- Remove large and sharp pieces from it, if they remain after all the treatments.
Another way to create a dietary supplement is to use large bones from pork or beef. It is more convenient to cook them over an open fire - you need to make a fire. Wait for the first level of firewood to finish burning, then spread the raw materials onto the coals. Another layer of wood is placed on top and the fire is lit.
You need to carefully observe, and when the bones soften, cover them with a cloth. The final stage is grinding using heavy objects, for example, a rolling pin, a hammer. To get the consistency of flour, you should take a grain processing machine.
The additive is easy to make yourself from leftover meat and bones
How can I replace meat and bone meal?
You can replace meat and bone meal for an adult dog with natural beef and pork bones. But they need to be processed first. If you feed raw bones, there is a high risk of helminth infection.
As an alternative, you can purchase a balanced vitamin and mineral complex for a dog of a certain breed with sufficient calcium, phosphorus, protein, and amino acids.
Additive composition
Let's find out what this additive consists of:
- 45–50% protein;
- 30–35% ash;
- 8–15% fat;
- 4–8% water.
This food additive is necessary to increase the level of amino acids and is used in the production of animal feed. Its presence in comas helps to increase the immunity of pets.
Meat and bone meal has recently been used in the production of animal feed, but studies have shown that it can contribute to the occurrence of rabies in cattle.
Some countries have refused to use meat and bone meal in cattle feed, but will also use it in dog food.
Countries that have abandoned the use of meat and bone meal as a feed additive are successfully using it as an energy source. And other food additives are used in feed. The number one country in the use of meat and bone meal in feed production is the United States.
Meat and bone meal is obtained by heat treatment and disinfection and grinding of animal remains. In the USA, meat and bone meal is obtained from the remains of animals that died from viral diseases or died under the wheels of cars.
How to determine product quality
You can determine the quality of the finished product visually. If the powder is homogeneous, well dried, without lumps, mold, or foreign impurities, it can be considered for purchase. Be sure to read the labeling and information on the packaging. Here there is information about certification, safety class, degree of purification. Listen to the recommendations of consultants at the pet store.
Manufacturers offer products in different dosages. You shouldn’t buy too much at once; there is a risk that the supplement will deteriorate over time. If you have the opportunity to buy bone meal in small dosages and sealed packaging from the manufacturer, take advantage of it. If you buy the formula by weight, make sure that the opened package is stored correctly.
