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Dog Food - CANS Why can I see fat in the can? Dog Food - DRY What is Biogestion5? Q: Why can I see fat in the can? To answer this we need to point out dogs need higher levels of protein (from animal origin) in their diet and this also includes higher levels of natural fat (from meat) for their digestive system, skin, coat and overall wellbeing. If a dog is given a diet low in protein and fat then they are susceptible to skin conditions, hot spots and a dull coat. Because natural meat fats are an essential component of a healthy dog's diet, we do not disguise our food with any artificial stabilizers or colourings which are renowned to be allergy inducing. This makes our formulas very suitable for pets with food allergies or skin problems. So why can you see the fat on the outside, top or bottom of the can? To understand this, we need to explain how we make our canned food. We take all the fresh ingredients (meat, vegetables and whole grains) and mince these together. The can is then filled with these fresh, now minced ingredients. A lid then seals in the natural goodness and then the whole can is slow cooked in a retort – like a pressure cooker. During the cooking process, natural meat juices are released from the meat. These meat juices look similar to what you would see if you cooked a piece of meat in the oven. Since there are no fillers or bulking agents to absorb the fats and oils throughout the can they can be seen on the outside of the product. Remember this is completely healthy for your dog’s diet as they need more fat in their diet than humans do (about 10 – 15% more fat). It is also these fats and oils that provide the essential fatty acids, which like amino acids cannot be produced by the dog. The role of fatty acids is to assist with proper metabolism of other fatty acids taken into the body and to carry important fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E & K. However, if a dog eats too much, the food is converted to fat and stored within the body and like us you get fat if you consume more calories than you can use. We do not add any seperate fats or oils, the fat content in our formulas is all naturally occuring from the fresh meats. Therefore the fat you see in the can is simply natural meat juices and essential fatty acids that have become liquid during the cooking process. As mentioned above because we do not use fillers as we believe in being a 100% All Natural Food this fat will be seen as 'runny' or like an oil in the warmer months or may appear more solid sitting on top or the side of the can in cooler months, if this is the case all you need to do is mix back into the can. For individual product information and fat percentage; go to the Products section of our Website and if you click on each product it will bring up the Typical Analysis which will show the minimum fat % (as is the regulated code of the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia {PFIAA}). The actual fat content is never greater than 10% more (as in 3% is never more than 3.3%) than the minimum shown in the typical analysis. Q: Why can’t I find the ingredient listed on the can? Our ingredient list is certainly listed on each can. The reason it’s hard to find is because it’s not an extensive list of fillers and artificial ingredients. Our recipes are very simple and contain 70% real meat fresh vegetables (carrots & Potatoe) with whole grains, vitamins and minerals to ensure a healthy pet for life. All our products are free from colours, additives and preservatives. Yes we do use fresh meat in all our products. We don’t believe your pet benefits from other protein sources and requires muscle meat protein to maintain peak condition. Q: What type of meat do we use? We use human grade meat that we specifically mince. Depending on the variant we use Australian beef, Australian chicken, Australian Lamb, Austrlain Pilchards and Kangaroo. We don’t import any of our meat and enjoy keeping our Australian farmers employed. You also won’t find any offal or by-products in our cans and all our meat suppliers operate under the same Quality Assurance Program as our ourselves which is regulated by the Australian meat Authority known as PrimeSafe. Q: Are there colours or preservatives? No colours, preservatives or artificial additives are used in our canned food as the can itself is non-porous and therefore airtight. The contents are sterile when sealed and cooked. Our canned pet food should therefore be refridgerated after opening, the same way as any left over freshly cooked food. Q: Why does our food look different to other canned foods? Our canned food is made from fresh ingredients, so like any real food it should not look highly refined and processed. This is the reason why sometimes during different seasons you may notice very slight colour variations. Be rest assured the recipe never changes and it always contains 70% fresh meat with the remaining 30% being fresh vegetables and some whole grains, vitamins and minerals. Q: What vegetables and herbs are used in the can? Fresh, locally sourced Potatoes, Carrots with a dash of Garlic. No, we never use corn in our canned food. No, we don’t use bulking agents in our canned food because our product is a very high meat content we do not need to add fillers or bulking agents to add substance. Using fresh meat is higher in meat protein and is more digestiable for dogs, thus not storing the carbohydrate as stored fat. Q: Is the can food better suited to big or small dogs? Nature's Gift is a complete and balanced food suitable for dogs of all Breeds and ages. You might find you can feed them less than other brands as our food is nutrient rich and therefore less is more! TopQ: Do we use any Horse Meat in our products? A: There is a misconception by many people that the commercial pet food industry uses horse meat in their pet food products. Under the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) horse meat is not permitted in the manufacture of pet food. Members of this Association, such as Nature’s Gift Australia do not use horse meat in any products and this position is very clear. However, the PFIAA does differ from other individual states Pet Meat Associations which allow the use of horse meat (normally sold as fresh meat) to be sold through retail outlets such as pet shops. Horses are still slaughtered throughout knackeries to feed this retail requirement. Not only is this issue a horrid concept, but it’s morally disturbing for all who work with and for Nature’s Gift. Nature’s Gift never has and never will use horse meat in any of our products. It is our firm corporate belief that pets should have healthy, fresh ingredients free from artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and fillers. Our fresh meat comes from reputable abattoirs who pride themselves on supplying quality meats. We use human grade ovine, bovine, poultry and kangaroo meat. When we say a product contains beef and chicken, that’s exactly what your pet will be eating. The PFIAA is in the process of preparing a statement which will advise that its members do not use horse meat in their products and the practice will be frowned upon and dealt with in the appropriate manner. Q: What is Biogestion5? How much meat is in the product? Biogestion5 is a herbal blend that enhances the health benefits of our Semi Dry dog food. We use 70% meat and meat meals (which is a powdered form of meat). So you can be assured your dog is getting the correct type of protein. Please see our products page for more detailed info. Q: Why does my dog need pre-biotics? For the same reason pre-biotics are good for humans, they are also good for dogs. In Layman’s Terms, pre-biotics create a healthy environment for good bacteria to thrive. This inturn allows for good mineral absorption and overall health. Wheat is not our base ingredient so we only need about 20% wheat flour to bind the fresh meat into a dry kibble form. No, we don’t use corn in our dry food. |