There are lots of conflicting advice around the two main types of meats used in pet food. With all FourFriends complete foods we use a named Meat Meal, but how does that compare with Freshly Prepared Meats?
In our previous blog we explained that vegetable sources of protein are often used as the main ingredient in cheaper pet foods. These are generally less digestible than meats and contain lower levels of important nutrients such as amino acids.
Freshly Prepared Meats (FPM) are added to the mixing bowl in exactly the same way as Meat Meals are. This means FPM’s still contains over 70% of its weight in water. Meat Meals are just Freshly Prepared Meats that have been dried, de-fatted and ground down before being mixed with other ingredients. This process makes Meat Meals a highly concentrated source of proteins.
What is more important is the quality of the meat before it is processed. This comes down to the type of meat cut used and how the ingredients are stored. Raw meats are prone to bacterial contamination if not stored correctly. The longer Freshly Prepared Meats are in a raw form and the more it is transported the greater the risk of bacterial infection. The process used in making FourFriends complete foods will always remove the risk of bacterial contamination.
Just because the ingredient panel on the packaging lists Fresh Meat doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better-quality protein source. Again, this comes down to the quality of the ingredients and not the description.
The digestibility of animal protein is also important. In order to digest, absorb and use the nutrients in the meat the quality needs to be high. By-products are unlikely to cause any harm to your pet, but they are not likely to be as easily digested as a high-quality meat meal or fresh meat.
Both fresh meat and meat meals can come with a high bone content. This will create a diet high in ash and this will not be as digestible as a lower ash meat. Diets with a high percentage of meat may use poorly digestible animal protein, so you could be paying more for the food, but your dog or cat may not be benefiting.
Want to know more about FourFriends complete foods? The simply call us on 01302 637377 or email sales@fourfriendspetfoods.co.uk we are always happy to help.