Human Grade Vs. Natural Meats: Affordability Vs. Quality

Human Grade Vs. Natural Meats: Affordability Vs. Quality

What's the difference between our "regular" line and our "natural" line? We get this question a lot. I wanted to address it so people understand the differences in meat quality across the board, not just with our products but with commercially prepared raw pet foods in general. 

There are several "grades" of meat that you can purchase for your pet. 3P uses only 2 grades: human-grade (our regular line) and natural-grade. There are other grades of meat as well, but we will talk about these two first. Below are the differences so that you can make the most informed decision about what to feed your pet.

Human Grade or Regular Meat

Our regular line, or human-grade line, is the same grade of meat you would buy for yourself at the grocery store and we order from the same suppliers as they do. These meats go through a processing protocol to be deemed as fit for human consumption. These meats are not guaranteed to be hormone or antibiotic-free. In regards to our regular chicken and turkey blends, we use a blend of whole birds, wings, legs, and necks. We do not just use carcass (frames) in our blends so the protein percentage is higher, the fat content lower, and the calcium to phosphorus ratio is more accurately proportioned than some other brands of commercial raw pet foods that might just use the frames. Our beef and organ formula is 90.5% lean because we believe that lean muscle meat is an extremely important part of the raw diet for dogs and cats. We do not just use trim (the leftover meat ) in our beef formula which can be very high in fat and will contain much less lean muscle meat. These 3 proteins (chicken, turkey, and beef) are the only 3 selections from our regular line but they are great quality and more cost-effective for those who have a more stringent budget for their pet`s food. It's still of great quality and will reflect in your pets` health. You can see nutritional analyses for each of our bone-in and boneless regular canine and feline meats here.

Natural Meat

Our natural line is guaranteed by each of our suppliers to be a hormone, antibiotic and by-product-free. These meats are all of the highest quality and are all grass-fed too. Our natural line includes:

Chicken

Turkey

Beef

Lamb

Venison

Elk

Rabbit

Kangaroo

Camel

These protein blends are all carefully thought out to provide the most well-rounded muscle, bone, organ, and fat ratios so that you can offer your pet the most balanced and customized diet possible. You can also take advantage of our free nutritional guidance provided via email (see below).

Organic?

We do not carry any certified organic meats. The reason? Simply, the price point. Our natural line is very close to organic without having to pay for the label of certified organic. You may be able to supplement your pet’s diet with organic foods wherever possible but feeding our natural line will be the best bet for your pet and your wallet!

Pet Grade

Basically, this is all the skin, fat, bone, carcass, organs, and a small amount of muscle meat that is left after the human-grade cuts are taken. This is not always a bad thing BUT if it’s the only thing you’re feeding, the diet will not be balanced. There will too little protein, too much fat, and possibly too much bone as well. It will vary depending on what is being used. It is vital that you know what parts of the animal are being used so that you can balance the diet accordingly. Raw meaty bones are a staple of the raw diet but should not be the only food source. Too much fat on a long-term basis can be detrimental, especially if there are any underlying or known pancreatic or hepatic issues. Your pet food manufacturer should be able to give you this information readily. Hopefully, the product is consistent even if it’s not based on whole prey. You can then add the missing pieces accordingly.

 

Categories: dogs cats

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