One popular raw diet is the BARF model, an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food.
The BARF diet, which includes non-meats and numerous supplements was designed by Dr Ian Billinghurst. Billinghurst claimed that commercial kibble does not allow domestic animals to thrive as their wild ancestors did on a raw diet.
Why BARF diet ?
- BARF diets are commonly opposed to commercial pet foods, which they consider poor substitutes for raw feed. The intense heat used to process commercial pet food reduces nutrients.
- Some dry foods contain preservatives (BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin) which may be harmful. They also often contain a large amount of grains, which raw feeders feel are inappropriate for dogs and cats.
- It also often contains meat by-products — typically offal, skin, bones, etc. not normally consumed by humans, but readily consumed by animals in the wild.
- No doggy odour
- Naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
- The time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bones give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
- Much less stools produced - and they are firm, and turn chalky after a couple of days
- Decreased or non-existant vet bills (your dogs are healthier!)
- Less cost for dog food - commercial dog foods are ludicriously expensive
- Mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild
- Puppies develop at a more appropriate rate - and quick growth spurts are avoided.
- The ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial dog foods will never assist in this important muscle development.
Points against BARF
- Raw meats may contain bacteria that are unsafe for both dogs and cats.[3] Because of the high incidence of bacteria, some experts and enthusiasts believe that the risks inherent in raw feeding outweigh the benefits when compared to a manufactured pet food with high quality ingredients.
- Raw meats may contain harmful parasites. As with bacteria, these parasites are destroyed during the heat processing manufactured pet foods. Some raw diet recipes call for freezing of the final product, which greatly reduces (but does not necessarily eliminate) the potential for parasites.
- Raw food diets can be low in calcium and phosphorus and have abnormal calcium-to-phosphorus ratios In some raw diet recipes, whole bone is used. Some experts believe that the use of whole bone creates a risk of dental fractures,[9] intestinal obstruction, gastroenteritis, and intestinal perforations
Links
http://www.barfworld.com/
http://www.barfworld.com/html/barf_diet/barfdiet.shtml
http://www.auntjeni.com/barf.htm
Posts
