What You Need to Know to Make the Right Food Choices for Your Pets
MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Oct 4, 2012) - (Family Features) Pet owners want the very best for their animals, but it can be hard to choose the right food. With hundreds of pet food products available, how do you decide what's best for your pet? It's smart to start with the label -- but labels can be confusing if you don't know what to look for. Here's what you need to know.
Pet Food Names
So what's in a product name? More than you might think. According to the manual produced by The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), if a pet food name says:
Ingredient List
The primary goal of pet food is to deliver key nutrients to your pet. The higher the ingredient quality is, the easier it is for your pet to absorb and use the nutrients they contain. Here's a closer look at pet food ingredients, the primary nutrients they deliver and the health benefits they offer to pets.
Chemical names in the ingredient list are most often vitamins or minerals added for complete nutrition.
What about by-products? A by-product is a secondary food item that is made from a primary ingredient production stream. A by-product like "chicken by-product meal" can contain organ meat that has a high nutritional value. In fact, it's a more concentrated protein source than raw chicken alone and contains high quality, highly digestible protein.
Not all by-products are created equal. For example, a high-quality pet food often recommended by veterinarians, such as Hill's (makers of Science Diet and Prescription Diet), only accept high quality by-product ingredients. However, bargain brands may use inferior ingredients that include feathers or other lower-nutritional parts of the animal.
Guaranteed Analyses
By law, pet food packaging must show the minimum percentages of crude protein and fat, as well as the maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture in the product. This is not an indication of the actual nutrient content or a guarantee of nutritional quality.
Remember, if the actual nutritional content is not clear on the packaging, you can always
contact the manufacturer directly via their product information toll-free number on the package.
Nutritional Adequacy Statement
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets the nutritional guidelines for pet foods sold in the United States. The nutritional adequacy is determined by one of two methods -- formulation and feeding trials.
Ages and Stages
The AAFCO guidelines only govern food for three pet life stages: growth and reproduction, maintenance, and all life stages. Foods formulated for all life stages must meet the most nutritionally demanding life stage -- growth and reproduction. So while getting an all life stages food to feed several pets of different ages might sound good, in reality, this food is designed for pets under a year old, or for nursing animals -- and may not be a good choice for the nutritional needs of pets in other life stages.
More information about pet food labels can be found online at www.fda.gov/animalveterinary under "Resources for You," and you can learn more about pet nutrition and choosing the perfect food for your pet at www.feedingisbelieving.com.
What Does "Natural" Mean?
AAFCO has developed some guidelines for natural claims for pet foods.
Organic terminology includes the following:
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