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feeding raw questions

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  ShelianDobe 
#1 ·
i've never fed raw before but i agree with the concept. i have several questions and hope someone on here can help me.

1. where do you buy?
2. what do you buy (ingredients ie., specific cuts, what animals, organs?)
3. how do you mix the different ingredients
4. would you suggest grinding (my local processing plant suggested this)
5 what percentage meat, organ, bone etc.?

i know there are many answers to these questions, i was just hoping to hear from some of you that are actually feeding and your experiences and hopefully some tips. thanks in advance for the help.
 
#2 ·
I follow a prey model diet and this is what I feed. I get most of this stuff from the hunters in my family. I also buy from local farmers that are USDA inspected. I do not grind anything.

5-10% organs (1/2 of this amount is liver)
10-15% edible bones
80-85% muscle meat

beef
venison
bison
elk
rabbitt
fish
turkey
goat
duck
mutton

Plus:
varieties of organ meat
tripe
 
#3 · (Edited)
I purchase from a meat distributor, local AG food stores & get lucky sometimes from friends that hunt.

bf heart
bf brisket
pork heart
pork tounge
ck leg quarters
ck breast
whole ck's
ck liver
bf liver
pork liver
bf kidney
pancreas
venison
turkey necks
pig feet
pig ears
pork butt
occasionally ground meat (sometimes friends have some that went bad)
raw eggs
pork & bf ribs
want to feed more turkey but cant find any not enhanced
I have some little fish...forgot the name of them
Doing more research on fish as we got a boat and will be doing some fishing this summer.

I do not grind anything nor cut off any fat or anything else. It is fed the way I get it. But if a wild kill I will freeze for approx 2 weeks before feeding. I do not feed veggies or grains as part of a meal but they do get that in treat form. I only supplement with fish oil. Would like to learn more about cocunut oil.

I feed 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% organ(5% liver and 5% other organ) bf & pork heart are considered meat not organ.

I started with leg quarters for the first 2 weeks then slowly added a small amount of new meat source a little at a time until the whole meal was the new meat source. Now they can eat mixed meats if I have a bit of this or that or all one thing. I am very careful with organs as they give Kyrah the runs. Very tiny piece! I switched the dogs with no transition period. One day kibble was just gone. Ck for two weeks and slowly added the rest. I overfed my dogs the first week and a half to two weeks and they pooped everywhere! Also tried too many new things at once...go slow. Most problems are caused by you!
 
#5 · (Edited)
I feed the same as Sam&MacksMom. It is important to note that heart, is considered muscle meat rather than an organ. Here is a great link to some basic information: RAW FEEDING 101

I purchase from a variety of places; MY PET CARNIVORE, My local grocery stores, ethnic stores are particularly good, and a local game processor. For instance I was at the grocery store today and they had split chicken breasts for $.89/lb, in 3-4# packages. I stocked up.

I pretty much purchase whatever cuts are available. I do buy a lot of beef, lamb and pork heart, as it is fairly inexpensive. I also buy beef tripe, beef chunks, mutton, lamb, ostrich, lama, rabbit, fish, muskrat, goat, venison, elk and pretty much anything else I can get my hands on. You will find many, if not most of these on the MPC website.

I don't feed much ground as a rule, although I do purchase it and keep it on hand. MPC grinds and mixes it in proper meat/bone/organ ratios. I send this along with Wheeler's handler when he is out at the dog shows. This is much easier on the handler....AND since she is one of the few handlers actually willing to lug a cooler and feed raw when on the road, I am happy to make it as easy for her as possible.

When I first started researching raw, I joined the Raw Feeding Yahoo Group. For me it was very helpful, I never asked a single question, but every question I had was answered.... because inevitably somebody else asked it.

On the MPC site there is also a Raw Feeding Links page, with some excellent information.

The biggest mistake I made was too much, too soon. When I want back to square one and started with a single protein source (in my case Chicken) for 3 weeks - with NO organ, and then gradually added in very small portions of organ and other types of meat, everything came together and went very well. Now, my boy can pretty much eat anything with no appreciable change in stool. The only thing that will loosen him up is too much organ.

It was a bit daunting at first, but once I got a clue, paid attention to what people told me, and stopped over thinking it -- it has been wonderful. I will never feed commercial kibble again.

Good Luck!
 
#6 ·
I too feed raw. A variety of what has been already stated. It is overwhelming at first. I started over 2 years ago. I tried it for a month, over thought and overwhelmed myself lol. Took a month to research and never looked back. Coco did not do well on kibble but has thrived in raw. Read up and give it a try. :butfly:
 
#8 ·
The only problem I have with bf heart is it puts weight on Kyrah. She has weight issues tho! Poor girl! :(

I agree a chest freezer will pay for itself within a month. :)

What I do is purchase a case of bf heart & ck with some of the extras and feed that until almost gone...then next a case of port heart or tongue...then maybe beef brisket...giving other things in between. But sometimes for a week they may eat the same thing.

Agree with others do some research and go for it. IMO once you do you'll never go back to kibble unless there is no other choice.

I am very excited my daughter is transitioning Dexter (her dog) to raw right now. :D
 
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