SUMMARY:

 

Rotation is one of the most important elements in providing 'balanced' nutrition for our companions. While cats need many nutrients daily, they are not designed to get the exact same amount each day. The processed pet food industry has guidelines for the minimum nutritional requirements involved in a 'complete and balanced' diet. The notion that pets can eat the same thing every day for years and be healthy, however, is a myth. It would be comparable to a human eating only cereal (complete and balanced in its available form) every day and expecting good health, energy and vitality.

 

The amounts and products you feed your pets will vary, depending on the age, activity level and environment of your pet. You can easily adjust the meat content, protein source, organ meat or whole bone products for your companionís needs.

 

Butcher's Blend makes its quality raw pet foods using only the best natural ingredients free from all hormones, chemicals and pesticides. All of this ensures that no unwanted chemicals are being introduced to your  pet’s diet. All of the meat products are fresh or frozen from the farm and are handled with the same or higher level of care that would be given to food products in a farm that prepares food for human consumption. Every product is manufactured under complete sanitary conditions and kept fresh/frozen from the farm to your pet’s dish.

 

Green Tripe:

Unwashed (or "green") tripe includes some of the stomach’s last content, giving it an unpleasant odor and causing it to be considered unfit for human consumption. However, this content is desirable to dogs and many other carnivores and is often used in pet food. Though it is called "green" because it has a high chlorophyll content. In reality it is often greyish brown as a result of other undigested compounds.

 

Green tripe is highly recommended by the advocates of raw food for dogs. In an analysis of a sample of green tripe by a Woodson-Tenant Lab in Atlanta, Georgia, it was discovered that the calcium:phosphorus ratio is 1:1. The overall pH is on the acidic side which is better for digestion. Protein is 15.1, fat 11.7 and it contained the essential fatty acids, Linoleic and Linolenic in their recommended proportions. Also discovered, was the presence of Lactic Acid Bacteria. Lactic Acid Bacteria, also known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus, is a beneficial intestinal bacteria and common ingredient in probiotics.

 

Rations can vary. Big dogs can handle about half a can a day. Though that is not necessary every day. Sometimes it's good just to add a couple tablespoons, sometimes none at all.

 

Variety, much like your diet is critical to a balanced diet for your pet. Do your research on it if you aren’t familiar with using it; you will find a lot of information on the internet.

 

Cal-C-Yum

There is a big difference in forms of calcium. Most calcium supplements come in the form of ground up rock! It is hard to get people to understand how difficult it is for animals to absorb ground up rocks... calcium carbonate is the worst... only two percent of it is absorbed. Calcium citrate is a little better but not by much.

 

Butchers Blend's Cal-C-Yum is made from USDA approved antibiotic-free and Hormone-free raw beef bones. It is an excellent and natural source of Calcium and phosphorous. Just sprinkle this ìtastyî supplement on top or mix into your pet's food for good health. (Keep Frozen)

 

Calcium must counter balance the phosphorus entering the body.

 

Therefore, the amount of calcium you give must be enough to counter Balance the phosphorus in the meat you are feeding your pet.

 

A lack of calcium will lead to health problems such as kidney stones and even renal failure. It’s not just a lack of calcium, one must also consider the inability for the body to absorb the calcium it is getting. Commercial pet foods and cooked meat diets cause your pet to produce less acid in the stomach which ultimately causes a calcium absorption problem. Only a raw meat diet produces enough acid in the stomach to allow the body to properly assimilate and utilize the calcium in the food.

 

The calcium given to your pet should help the body have about twice as much calcium as it does phosphorus. Some will say that dogs and cats only need a 1:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. Others will give different ratios but people like Dr. Pitcairn, DVM and others say 2:1. That is, 2 parts calcium for 1 part phosphorus. It’s arguably better to have more calcium than to have too little calcium. Since calcium is needed in such high amounts, it is far easier to give too little than too much. Too little calcium is something we definitely want to avoid. Dogs and cats need essentially the same amounts of calcium. People can argue or debate over the exact amounts, but the reality is that you will never obtain a perfect 100% balance because we don’t know exactly how much phosphorus is in our food. We can only guess based on average nutritional values of the meats we eat.

 

Based on the average phosphorus content of meat, adding 1 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of ground egg shells helps to provide the body with enough calcium to create the ideal 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus.

To learn more, I would suggest the following pages:

 

Butchers Blend has confirmed the following (Dec 21,2012):  Official lab testing by Midwest Laboratories has revealed the following HEAVY METAL REPORT (Download PDF here).  The total heavy metals are the sum of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Tin, Copper, Silver, Molybdenum, Antimony and Bismuth. Butcher’s Blend Calcyum has a total Heavy Metal count of “NO-Detection”

 

However when you dissect the results, there was One third of 1 part per million of lead (0.30 ppm).  What this means is that 1/3 of a drop of water combined with a 30 gallon tank (size of your car’s gas tank).  That is 0.30 ppm.  How much is too much?  That is a decision everyone must make for themselves.   Maraschino cherries contain red dye #5.  How many would or do you eat?  When you talk about lead, you want to know how much is too much.  A measuring stick is that the current laws for paint manufacturers allows 600 ppm of lead in paint, a far cry from years past where paint contained 5000 ppm or more.  We are talking a 1/3 of 1ppm.  It comes from natural sources form earth and is completely non-avoidable.  It is not an additive.  Every marrow bone your dog chews on contains this heavy metal content - NO Detection - proved by laboratory results.

 

Chicken Necks

Fresh or frozen Chicken Necks are ideal as a healthy alternative to other chews and treats. Great for the teeth and gums, and includes the bones as an excellent source of protein.

 

Key Benefits

• Great for Animalsí Teeth and Gums

• Healthy Alternative to Biscuits or Treats

• Includes Bone, excellent source of minerals

• 100% Meat Product, is very high in quality protein

• Nothing but Pure USDA Certified Free Range Chicken

 

Chicken Liver

Chicken liver is an ingredient of many pet foods and treats. It can also be cooked or dehydrated as a snack that most pets love. While it isn’t inherently bad, there are some considerations to consider when feeding your pet liver.

 

Significance: The liver is the part of the body that filters and stores excess toxins before they are released from the body. As such, chicken liver may contain small amounts of toxins.

 

Features: Chicken liver contains significant amounts of protein, fat, and vitamin A. In moderation, these are good supplements, but when too much is administered, a dog can suffer ill effects.

 

Effects: Hyper-vitamintosis A is the most common side effect of too much chicken liver. This can manifest as anorexia, weight loss, deformed bone structures or excess bone growths on the spine and legs. It is occasionally fatal.

 

Prevention: Chicken liver should comprise less than 10% of your pet's meat consumption per day to ensure that your dog is getting all of the health benefits without the ill effects.

 

Beef Liver

People usually ask about the safety of liver in particular of all of the organ meats. It is the liver’s job to neutralize toxins in our body (or an animal's body) from drugs or other chemicals. Obviously the best choice for liver is the "without antibiotics or hormones".

 

Sourced from USDA inspected facilities this high quality liver powder is USDA and FDA approved and used in human food. The inspections ensure that it is not somehow contaminated, making it one of the safer cuts of beef available.

 

Beef liver is the highest in Vitamin A and can be used with all types of meat in dog and cat food preparation.

 

Beef liver has long been one of the most popular organ meats of the cow/steer. While it may be somewhat specifically localized in the dishes that contain this particular part of the beef cut, there are nonetheless a number of health benefits of eating beef liver. In fact, beef liver is oftentimes seen to be healthier as an alternative to steak and other more common cuts of beef.

 

Beef liver is rich in a number of minerals, vitamins and nutrients:

 

Low in Calories: Beef liver is one of the lowest cuts of meat in terms of the density of calories found within it. A single serving of beef liver contains only about 150 calories of nutritional value. This places it squarely below most cuts of steak and other types of beef that are commonly consumed. This means that you can eat (or feed your pets) liver and enjoy the benefits of eating beef, while not being worried about the various caloric consequences that oftentimes come along with eating beef.

 

Low Fat Content: Beef liver is lower in fat than many other types of beef. This makes it generally healthier, although it still has more fat than a number of other alternative cuts of meat and alternative animals. If you're searching for a relatively lean cut of beef, beef liver is a good choice.

 

Maximal Nutrient Load: Beef liver is packed with a number of different nutrients. Beef liver in a single serving size portion can fulfill the nutritional requirements for a number of different vitamins and nutrients for a single day. Namely, beef liver contains a load of copper, riboflavin, vitamins A and B12. All of these various nutrients and vitamins are necessary to the proper functioning of your pets various bodily systems, and beef liver can help to meet the daily requirement to ensure that your pets remain healthy.

 

Other Nutritional Benefits: Liver also has a number of other nutrients in it. While it is not capable of providing a full dayís supply of each of these, it is nonetheless rich in protein, thiamin, Vitamin B6 and many other types of nutrients as well. In each of these cases, a single serving of beef liver will provide your pet with roughly one half of their daily recommended intake of those nutrients.

 

Liver is known to be one of the most concentrated sources of natural vitamin A.

 

Natural vitamin A works to aid digestion, keeps reproductive organs healthy, and is a powerful antioxidant in the body.

 

Liver is a great source of folic acid, B vitamins and especially vitamin B12. This helps with fatigue, mental ability, nerve health, depression and preventing anemia.

 

Liver also contains one of the best, most usable sources for the body, iron. Iron is necessary for many functions in the body including formation of hemoglobin, brain development and function, regulation of body temperature, muscle activity and catecholamine metabolism, to name just a few. A lack of iron will have a direct effect on the immune system; it diminishes the number of T-cells and the production of antibodies.

 

Iron is essential to oxygen in the blood cells. The primary function of iron is oxygen transport and cell respiration.

 

Did you know that liver contains an anti-fatigue factor, which is probably why endurance athletes have always liked liver to maintain stamina and energy? The improvement in endurance is likely to do with improving the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood cells; increasing endurance and strength.

 

Liver contains many nitrogen-containing compounds that are building blocks for DNA & RNA. While liver is highly nutritious, its precious nutrients are very much affected by heat, so never cook it.

 

Liver is the most concentrated source of vitamin A. Liver is an excellent source of the minerals zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. It also contains all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts

and is a good source of vitamin C. Liver provides a source of good quality protein.

 

It's a fantastic food for your dog or cat!

 

Beef Heart

Did you know that most predatory animals instinctively eat the organ meats from their kill before moving to the muscle meats? What do the animals know instinctively? They know THAT’S where the highest nutrient density meat is located, and is best for them! We’re talking liver, kidneys, brains and hearts.

 

Compared to regular cuts of muscle meat, organ meats are more densely packed with just about every nutrient. They include heavy doses of B vitamins such as: B1, B2, B6, folic acid and vitamin B12.

 

Organ meats are also loaded with minerals like phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium and iodine, and provide the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

 

One of the few natural sources of Vitamin D

 

You’ve probably heard how Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins (actually a hormone precursor) and regulates more functions in your pets than you can even imagine. It’s also one of the nutrients that many pets are deficient in, especially those that live at higher latitudes and receive less sun (since sun exposure is your best source of Vitamin D).

 

Organ meats are known to have some of the highest concentrations of naturally occurring vitamin D of any food source. Including a source of organ meats into your petís diet once or twice a week, can especially help in the winter times, when they may otherwise get a vitamin D deficiency.

 

Organ meats also contain high amounts of the essential fatty acids such as arachidonic acid, and omega-3 fats, including EPA and DHA. Yep, despite popular belief, fish and fish oils are not the only source of the important EPA and DHA. Organ meats are loaded with these important nutrients.

 

Even if you donít eat large servings of organ meat, you can add smaller amounts of organ meats to your favorite ground meat dishes, and help your family supercharge their nutrition. This is true with your pets as well.

 

Beef heart—because it is a muscle—is somewhat similar to other cuts of meat like steak, ground beef, roasts, etc. Although the heart is a heavier, more dense muscle than other cuts, heart meat carries a bigger punch of protein and unique nutrients.

 

Beef heart is a very concentrated source of the super nutrient, Coenzyme Q10.

 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is produced by your pet's body and is necessary for the basic functioning of cells, as well as optimizing the heartís rhythm. CoQ10 levels are reported to decrease with age and to be lower in some animals with chronic diseases such as heart conditions, muscular dystrophies, cancer and diabetes.

 

CoQ10 has been shown to be very effective for improving cardiac function. Scientists have also found that CoQ10 provides benefits to other organs whose cells require this high-level energy metabolism such as the brain and kidneys.

 

Beef heart contains Selenium, Phosphorus & Zinc, along with essential amino acids that help build muscle, store energy, boost stamina and endurance. A meal of organ meats will charge you with extra energy, noticeable right after it is eaten.

 

Beef heart is a great natural source of amino acids and good high quality protein. It does contain some essential fatty acids and a little vitamin A. Heart contains large levels of taurine, which is an important food... for the heart!

 

Rabbits

 

Butchers Blend only uses farm raised rabbits from local sources known to be antibiotic and hormone free facilities. 100% USA. Beware, there are large amounts of imported rabbit products from the Far East where pesticides, and feed supplements are not controlled.

 

Source of Nutrition: Rabbit meat is well known for its high protein content. A 3-oz. serving of rabbit meat contains 28 g of protein, more than beef or chicken. Rabbit is also a concentrated source of iron. A serving contains more than 4 mg. Additionally, the meat provides a wide

range of minerals. The highest levels include 204 mg of phosphorous and 292 mg of potassium.

 

The calories in rabbit meat are low and one serving contains only 147 calories.

 

Other Facts:

100% of the recommended daily allowance of B12 can be found in just 3.5 ounces of rabbit meat according to askDrSears.com. Many people will like the fact that rabbit meat is an all white meat, making it suitable for many diets. Rabbit meat also has 33% less sodium than chicken.

 

To summarize, here are the benefits of rabbit meat:

 

• low in cholesterol

• low in calories

• low in saturated fats

• high in protein

• low in sodium

• all white meat

 

100% of the RDA for B12 These facts led the USDA to proclaim that rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man. Although we are not doctors and you should check with your veterinarian, rabbit meat is recommended for a variety of health specific specialty diets.

 

Conclusion: Thrive vs. Survive

Quality of life depends on optimal vitality, and optimal vitality is not derived from a bag of dry pet food, but rather from a diet based on natural, wholesome ingredients. History is an excellent teacher, if past experience is any indicator our company history has seen many success stories. For the past three years our customers have witnessed improved health in the hundreds of dogs who have been fortunate enough to have been provided with the most wholesome canine diet available. We have been witness to improved health in such areas as arthritis, IBD, diabetes, allergies, dry, itchy skin, tartar control, weight control, etc. Puppies have been raised, geriatrics has renewed energy, and almost without exception, pets have heartily enjoyed their meals! As with any health concern, if your pet is being cared for any conditions, consult a veterinarian about switching diets. Do your homework, research your specific breed, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to call your local dog trainer, breeder, pet store professional or veterinarian. Don’t be fooled that some people choose dry or can food for convenience, higher profit margin, or simply they can’t afford a raw diet for five dogs.

 

If money, freezer space, or profit margin were not factors; what food would you choose? Does a pet store want to sell the o food because he makes more money? Does the breeder feed their best dog raw and the litter a bunch of kibble because they are selling all of them? Or do they mix half kibble and half raw because it’s just the best they can do under the current economic circumstances?

 

This chart is an accumulation of products butchers blend has sent to the laboratories for analysis. You may use this chart to evaluate your own decisions on choices of foods to feed.

 

 

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Suet for the birds

Butchers blend does not offer suet for raw pet food, We offer this product because we are a meat market and this is a natural item, hard to find in any other industry. Many pet stores find it impossible to source the real product, Look no further!

 

Suet is raw beef fat from around the kidneys and loins. Suet is one of the best foods to attract nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, titmice, creepers, kinglets, chickadees, thrashers, cardinals and even bluebirds. ìReal Suetî is not the external fat trimmed off your steak type cuts. It is the internal fat around the kidneys and loins.

 

As winter approaches, you may need to change some of the foods you offer backyard birds. Suet is an essential source of energy for birds during long, cold winter months. So if you've avoided serving suet in the past, or have been unsuccessful at attracting birds with suet while

keeping squirrels away, here are some suet secrets to get you on your way this winter:

 

While many species like robins and sparrows will migrate south, many stay put, like cardinals and chickadees. These birds rely on high-calorie, high-fat foods, like suet, to help maintain their increased metabolic rate during a season when their normal food sources, such as insects and berries are scarce. If you want to attract a bounty of birds to your backyard during cold months, fat is your friend.

 

Birds love suet, the solid fat rendered from beef, venison or vegetables that provides concentrated energy to help birds make it through freezing winter days and nights. Typical suet-eating birds include woodpeckers, bluebirds, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches, but you never know who might show up, like a kinglet or warbler.

 

Feeding birds through winter can actually improve traffic at your feeder. Many birds will find and stay where there is a reliable food source.

 

Supplement suet with seed: While birds need suet during winter, they also need a variety of foods that normally constitute their diets as well.

 

Supplement your suet feeding with plenty of seeds, presented in a variety of feeding styles. Variety and reliability will attract birds and keep them coming back to your yard throughout the year.

 

One way to cater to birds that love seeds, nuts or berries is to try a suet-seed mix like Nutberry Suet Blend, offered by your local hardware store, which mixes human-grade cherries, apples and blueberry-flavored cranberries, preferred nuts, nutritious insect suet kibbles and whole

kernel sunflower meats into an energy-packed powerhouse feed.

 

Squirrels love suet too, and can quickly consume a cake that would otherwise feed dozens of birds for days. To discourage squirrels, local hardware stores offer suet cakes, which uses a patented technology tested by scientists at Cornell University, consisting of rendered beef suet, red chili peppers, sunflower meats, corn, and oats. Birds love it but canít taste the heat that squirrels hate.

 

 

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