Biomagnification | Raw Feeding Advice and Support (2024)

Carnivores probably have a higher incidence of parasites that can be shared among other carnivores, but the biggest hazard comes from biomagnifications.

Biomagnifications has its roots in the energy loss between tropic levels in the food chain. Plants are at the very bottom - they get their energy from the sun, which, for the most part, is inexhaustible. The next level up is consumers, like cows, rabbits, and so on. They consume the plants. The plants use energy for their own, for growth and maintenance... which means that there is an energy loss between the sun and the consumers. The next level of consumers (the carnivores) must eat even more herbivores, because the herbivores use energy from plants to grow, move around, and reproduce... which is another chunk of energy lost.

This means that, as you go up, each level of the food chain must eat an increasing amount of mass from the level below it. Rabbits can survive on a kilogram of grass, while a fox would need 2 kilograms of rabbit, and a wolf would need 3 kilograms of fox, and so on and so forth (we just pulled the numbers out of thin air to demonstrate the concept - they're not accurate).

The problem is, organisms acquire heavy metals, radioactive compounds, and other toxins from the environment. Some of these are human-made, while many occur naturally. They mainly enter the food chain through plants (which absorb water and nutrients from the soil, along with the toxins). The plants get eaten by herbivores, which get eaten by carnivores and so on. Since each level of the food chain must eat an increasing mass of the level below it, the concentration of these toxins *increase* as you go up.

As a result, carnivores would have a higher level of heavy metals, radioactive isotopes, and carcinogenic compounds than the herbivores would have. These can't be destroyed or removed by cooking and this is why carnivores shouldn't eat fellow carnivores.

Simple right? However, there seems to be a little confusion over whether you can feed omnivores/insectivores to your carnivores, these eat meat also right?! Whilst this is true, meat isn’t their only food source. Chickens, for example, will eat insects and sometimes each other, but also eat vegetables, grains and other ‘primary’ energy sources. Pigs will eat meat also, but also consume vegetables, plants, etc., again these are ‘primary’ energy sources. Biomagnification isn’t an issue with these foods, because plainly and simply meat isn’t their only food source.

It is perfectly safe to feed omnivores and insectivores to your carnivore.

Biomagnification | Raw Feeding Advice and Support (2024)

FAQs

What is the 80 10 10 feeding guide? ›

The 80:10:10 diet represents the ratio of a prey animal if a dog were to eat the entire thing. Ideally, if they had just eaten their prey they would get the 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% offal and 5% liver, containing all the vitamins and minerals they need.

What are the guidelines for raw food for dogs? ›

The recommended guidelines for a BARF diet consists of 70% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ, 2% seeds or nuts, and 1% fruit.

Do I need to add anything to 80-10-10 raw dog food? ›

That is a balance of meat, bone, and offal within the meal. Whilst a well-varied 80/10/10 diet may contain enough nutrients for your dog they will benefit from the inclusion of some green vegetables. These provide some of the harder-to-find minerals such as manganese and magnesium.

How long to freeze meat before feeding to a dog? ›

That's why you should freeze any supermarket meat for at least a week before feeding it to your dog, to kill off any harmful parasites. This is especially important when considering feeding your dog supermarket bought fish.

Is 80-10-10 good for dogs? ›

We've found that the 80:10:10 ratio does not include all the nutrients and vitamins a modern day dog needs, such as Omega 3s, Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese, Iodine, Vitamin E and Vitamin D.

What is the 80 20 approach to eating? ›

The 80/20 rule is a guide for your everyday diet—eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time and have a serving of your favorite treat with the other 20 percent. For the “80 percent” part of the plan, focus on drinking lots of water and eating nutritious foods that include: Whole grains. Fruits and vegetables.

How many times a day should I feed my dog raw food? ›

How Much Raw Food to Feed a Dog? Feed approximately 2-3% of your dog's weight daily and split this between two meals. For example, a 50 pound dog would need ½ to ¾ of a pound raw dog food per meal.

Do vets recommend a raw diet for dogs? ›

The AVMA recognizes public interest in feeding raw diets to dogs and cats. However, the AVMA discourages feeding any raw or undercooked animal-sourced protein (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, egg, milk*) to dogs and cats because of their risk to human and animal health.

How many times a week should I feed my dog raw food? ›

If you are wondering how often you should feed your dog, we recommend 2-4 times per day for puppies and 1-2 times per day for adult dogs. Again, this will depend on if your dog has any specific requirements set out by your vet. Learn more about how to feed your adult dog a raw food diet by clicking here!

What is the 95 rule for dog food? ›

The 95% Rule

At least 95% of the product must be the named ingredient, for example, “Chicken for Dogs,” or “Salmon Dog Food,” must include at least 95% of chicken or salmon, respectively. In addition, this main product must be at least 70% of the total product when counting the added water.

Can you overfeed a dog raw food? ›

They really can have too much of a good thing. A high calorie count affects growth both directly through the excess of nutrients and indirectly through excess growth hormone activity. Overfeeding increases the risk so 'free feeding' is not recommended.

Is it OK to add water to raw dog food? ›

There shouldn't be any issue between this being dried being onto of the food or it being mixed with water prior to it being fed. Adding the water to it just helps it to be softer and most likely more palatable.

Is rice good for dogs? ›

Yes, dogs can eat white rice. Although lower in nutritional value than brown rice, white varieties of rice can be included in a dog's diet. Since it's fairly bland, vets often recommend white rice for dogs with an upset stomach.

Can I feed my dog raw chicken from the grocery store? ›

Yes, all dogs—even small dogs—can eat raw chicken, and it can be part of a raw diet for dogs. However, raw chicken all by itself doesn't automatically make for a complete and balanced diet. Dogs need the right amount of muscle meat, organ meat, and bone to get all the nutrients they need.

Can dogs eat cheese? ›

In most cases, yes, dogs can eat cheese. When given in moderation, it can make a great high reward training treat (particularly when there's lots of distractions). Most dogs adore the taste of it too! It's important to remember that some cheeses have added ingredients, which need to be avoided.

What does 80-10-10 mean in raw dog food? ›

In simple terms…

80/10/10 Raw meal is based on 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% Offal (usually split 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ). For example, our Beef 80/10/10 is 80% beef (skirt, trim etc), 10% bone (non-load bearing), 5% liver and 5% secreting organ (kidney, spleen etc) which makes up the 10%.

What is the 80-10-10 summary? ›

What he recommends here is to get at least 80% of your calories from carbohydrates, and a maximum of 10% of your calories from fat and the remaining maximum 10% from protein. He advocates getting this primarily from whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic, seasonal, sweet fruits, plus a large raw green salad every night.

What is 80-10-10 raw feed? ›

Each meal contains 80% human-grade, prime cuts of meat, 10% bone, 5% kidney, 5% liver. With no vegetables, grains or fillers, these recipes are perfect all dogs, especially those with allergies, itchy skin or for owners who want to add their own vegetables, fruits and supplements to meet their dogs needs.

What is the meaning of 801010? ›

An 80-10-10 mortgage is a loan where first and second mortgages are obtained simultaneously. The first mortgage lien is taken with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, meaning that it is 80% of the home's cost; the second mortgage lien has a 10% LTV ratio, and the borrower makes a 10% down payment.

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