[ColtFellow]

In theory, which meat animal would have a lower cost for dog and/or cat food production, pound for pound: beef or horse?

-on American soil?
-on Aussie soil?
-on Latin American soil?

What are the most cost-effective (for consumers) domestic livestock species for dog food production? The meat still has to be nutritionally sound for pets or working/hunting dogs.

I believe in having animal products, not cereals, in dog and cat foods. These animals we find so cuddly on our laps or by our fireside are meat-eaters by nature.

 

[Ghost1958]

I know folks who grind their own dog food. Most use chicken or beef. Mostly chicken with some veggies.

Be careful with beef. There is a about a 6 hr window between beef being good and spoiled that it produces a toxin that will paralyse and kill any dog.

Folks around here used to get meat scraps from the butchers here for dog food . Until several killed their dogs feeding it. Butchers stoppef giving out the scraps after that.
Chicken is safer.

 

[ColtFellow]

I know folks who grind their own dog food. Most use chicken or beef. Mostly chicken with some veggies.

Be careful with beef. There is a about a 6 hr window between beef being good and spoiled that it produces a toxin that will paralyse and kill any dog.

Folks around here used to get meat scraps from the butchers here for dog food . Until several killed their dogs feeding it. Butchers stoppef giving out the scraps after that.
Chicken is safer.

I was thinking for the production of commercial store-bought dog food. Most people feed their dogs that way.

 

[Ghost1958]

I was thinking for the production of commercial store-bought dog food. Most people feed their dogs that way.

Oh . My bad . Sorry. I thought you meant you were going to start makjng yourbown dog food for your dog. Sorry.

 

[BullMoose429]

It’s hard to say- but since you’re talking about still having good nutrition- I’m guessing you want to raise your cattle organically with a grass only diet. It’s kind of hard to compare the three regions as far as analyzing land prices with native soil/vegetation with a whole bunch more factors. But I will say this- cattle are not native to any of those three regions, but bovine (the class of animal to which cattle belong) are native to only one- bison are native to the American and Canadian Plains. The Plains are naturally vegetated with grasses that bovine can easily survive on. Also- the Plains are not forested- so any land you buy would be good to go as far as having to clearing it. Land prices are relatively low, and there is a strong cowboy culture out there already. Australia has a strong cowboy culture- but it’s mostly sheep. Latin America certainly has a large amount of cattle production, but the land generally needs to be cleared, and you wouldn’t have access to the economic opportunities that you would in the US, Canada, or Australia

 

[BullMoose429]

Horse meat is illegal in the US- so it’s a no go here. As far as in other countries- I couldn’t tell you which meat is cheaper.

 

[ColtFellow]

It’s hard to say- but since you’re talking about still having good nutrition- I’m guessing you want to raise your cattle organically with a grass only diet. It’s kind of hard to compare the three regions as far as analyzing land prices with native soil/vegetation with a whole bunch more factors. But I will say this- cattle are not native to any of those three regions, but bovine (the class of animal to which cattle belong) are native to only one- bison are native to the American and Canadian Plains. The Plains are naturally vegetated with grasses that bovine can easily survive on. Also- the Plains are not forested- so any land you buy would be good to go as far as having to clearing it. Land prices are relatively low, and there is a strong cowboy culture out there already. Australia has a strong cowboy culture- but it’s mostly sheep. Latin America certainly has a large amount of cattle production, but the land generally needs to be cleared, and you wouldn’t have access to the economic opportunities that you would in the US, Canada, or Australia

I'm trying to figure out if horse really makes economical sense of over beef specifically for pet food production. Are people paying higher prices for supermarket dog food these days on account of the sentiment of pony huggers?

 

[MisterMcCool]

I don’t think the horse population is near that of cattle or swine.

 

[BullMoose429]

I'm trying to figure out if horse really makes economical sense of over beef specifically for pet food production. Are people paying higher prices for supermarket dog food these days on account of the sentiment of pony huggers?

While I myself am a horse lover, I understand that to others they are livestock. Just as I see a deer or bear as food, others see them as I do horses. That being said, it is illegal to slaughter horses in the US, so if you raised them here- you’d have to have them slaughtered and processed in Canada (it’s legal there) before bringing the dog food back to the US- that may increase your costs.

 

[Oldoutlaw]

In theory, which meat animal would have a lower cost for dog and/or cat food production, pound for pound: beef or horse?

-on American soil?
-on Aussie soil?
-on Latin American soil?

What are the most cost-effective (for consumers) domestic livestock species for dog food production? The meat still has to be nutritionally sound for pets or working/hunting dogs.

I believe in having animal products, not cereals, in dog and cat foods. These animals we find so cuddly on our laps or by our fireside are meat-eaters by nature.

Search for Pet Food manufacturers in your nearest area. Contact them. I doubt anyone can really help answer your questions here.
I can tell you this though, I have a lot of Purina Pet Food plants near me.
For Chicken, Turkey, and Beef, they buy only the by products of meat packing plants. It is every thing processing plants cannot sell to the Public. It looks like dried animal feed and usually hauled in by semis with tarped covers. Cheap as dirt for plants to buy.

Horsemeat???? Fed and State banned in the US since the 70's. Now, if you have an Exporter contact and he buys cheap horses from you, he can export them to Canada and Mexico. He makes the most money by exporting to France and other areas of Europe where many of the Public eat horse meat. Pretty common to see these guys buying any cheap horse they can at any Auction Barn.

So, stay away from trying to sell any horse to a pet food plant. The Media would cut you to ribbons. Then off to a State or Fed lock box.

 

[freefall]

Pork is the most cost effective way of turning vegetation into meat that I'm aware of.
Maybe rabbits, but what a lot of little bones to deal with.

 

[BullMoose429]

Search for Pet Food manufacturers in your nearest area. Contact them. I doubt anyone can really help answer your questions here.
I can tell you this though, I have a lot of Purina Pet Food plants near me.
For Chicken, Turkey, and Beef, they buy only the by products of meat packing plants. It is every thing processing plants cannot sell to the Public. It looks like dried animal feed and usually hauled in by semis with tarped covers. Cheap as dirt for plants to buy.

Horsemeat???? Fed and State banned in the US since the 70's. Now, if you have an Exporter contact and he buys cheap horses from you, he can export them to Canada and Mexico. He makes the most money by exporting to France and other areas of Europe where many of the Public eat horse meat. Pretty common to see these guys buying any cheap horse they can at any Auction Barn.

So, stay away from trying to sell any horse to a pet food plant. The Media would cut you to ribbons. Then off to a State or Fed lock box.

Horse meat isn’t illegal in the US, but slaughtering them is. Also- you have a very good point about the media and public opinion- I can’t imagine many people buying horse meat dog food.

 

[ColtFellow]

Search for Pet Food manufacturers in your nearest area. Contact them. I doubt anyone can really help answer your questions here.
I can tell you this though, I have a lot of Purina Pet Food plants near me.
For Chicken, Turkey, and Beef, they buy only the by products of meat packing plants. It is every thing processing plants cannot sell to the Public. It looks like dried animal feed and usually hauled in by semis with tarped covers. Cheap as dirt for plants to buy.

Horsemeat???? Fed and State banned in the US since the 70's. Now, if you have an Exporter contact and he buys cheap horses from you, he can export them to Canada and Mexico. He makes the most money by exporting to France and other areas of Europe where many of the Public eat horse meat. Pretty common to see these guys buying any cheap horse they can at any Auction Barn.

So, stay away from trying to sell any horse to a pet food plant. The Media would cut you to ribbons. Then off to a State or Fed lock box.

I don't want to get into the dog food business. I think American consumers with dogs are getting ripped off maybe because horses are mostly now out of the equation. Some ranchers here must know how much it cost to take care of a horse vs a cow. The thing is, feral horses could also contribute to pet food production to maybe lower the costs to customers. Back in the 1980's I saw "horse meat" printed on dog food cans include the Kal-Kan brand. You are wrong though. It is still legal to raise and slaughter horses in America for pet food production. You just won't find it printed on dog food labels here anymore. It's more of a "PC" thing for dog food makers than a legal thing. It's just taboo now to use horse meat for dog food. Chances are a horse will occasionally still make it into your can of dog food today but they won't dare print it on the labels.

 

[BullMoose429]

I don't want to get into the dog food business. I think American consumers with dogs are getting ripped off maybe because horses are mostly now out of the equation. Some ranchers here must know how much it cost to take care of a horse vs a cow. The thing is, feral horses could also contribute to pet food production to maybe lower the costs to customers. Back in the 1980's I saw "horse meat" printed on dog food cans include the Kal-Kan brand. You are wrong though. It is still legal to raise and slaughter horses in America for pet food production. You just won't find it printed on dog food labels here anymore. It's more of a "PC" thing for dog food makers than a legal thing. It's just taboo now to use horse meat for dog food. Chances are a horse will occasionally still make it into your can of dog food today but they won't dare print it on the labels.

I was unaware that it was only illegal for human consumption. But as far the cost of raising horses for meat. I only know about cattle, pork, chicken, goats and sheep.

 

[TankTop]

Sheep or lamb is common in dog food.

 

[BullMoose429]

Sheep or lamb is common in dog food.

Lamb is common in my food

 

[ColtFellow]

Lamb is common in my food

What is the cost of sheep/lambs vs beef?

 

[winds-of-change]

Why isn’t there pork fog food?

 

[BullMoose429]

What is the cost of sheep/lambs vs beef?

Lamb is much more expensive

 

[TankTop]

Pr

Why isn’t there pork fog food?

My guess is because people eat it all driving the price up.