Selecting Nutritious Pet Foods
My-Dog.info > Dogs, Diet & Food
The following consumer information is provided by David A.
Dzanis, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVN Division of Animal Feeds, Center for
Veterinary Medicine.
November 1997
Most pet owners have heard that it is better to feed their
animals specially formulated food for pets rather than table
scraps. An occasional treat is fine, but table scraps used to
excess may unbalance a pet's diet. Purchasing pet foods labeled
as "complete and balanced" can help ensure that your
pet's diet is nutritionally adequate.
Dog and cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced"
must meet standards established by the Association of American
Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient
profile or by passing a feeding trial. The AAFCO's Canine
Nutrition Expert (CNE) Subcommittee and Feline Nutrition Expert
(FNE) Subcommittee have established new nutrient profiles for
"complete and balanced" dog and cat foods. Dog Food
Nutrient Profiles were established in 1991 and Cat Food Nutrient
Profiles were established in 1992. Both were updated in 1995 to
incorporate new scientific information.
The new nutrient profiles replaced the recommendations of the
National Research Council (NRC) as the AAFCO-recognized authority
on canine and feline nutrition. Dog and cat foods labeled as
"complete and balanced" based on the AAFCO Dog or Cat
Food Nutrient Profile must meet all the nutrient minimum and
maximum levels as established by the Subcommittee. The
Subcommittee set these levels after considering the most current
information on good nutrition for dogs and cats. The profiles are
designed to provide practical information for manufacturers of
dog and cat foods.
There are now two separate nutrient profiles -- one for growth
and reproduction and one for adult maintenance, instead of just
one for all lifestages. This allows dog and cat foods made for
adult animals only to contain lower amounts of some nutrients,
eliminating unnecessary excesses. Also, maximum levels of intake
of some nutrients have been established for the first time,
because of concern that overnutrition, rather than
undernutrition, is a bigger problem with many pet foods today.
The protocols for conducting the feeding trials for dog and
cat foods have also been updated. With these improvements, label
reference to either the AAFCO nutrient profile or AAFCO feeding
trials better assures the consumer of the validity of a
"complete and balanced" claim. Endorsements, seals of
approval, etc., from other organizations do not add assurances of
safety and may be misleading.
Below is a table which list the AAFCO nutritional profiles for
dog foods. It must be noted that the levels of nutrients
are expressed on a "dry matter" basis, while the levels
listed in the guaranteed analysis on the label are expressed on
an "as fed" basis. To allow for meaningful comparisons,
the "as fed" guarantees must be converted to "dry
matter." For a canned product that is 75 percent moisture
(25 percent dry matter), multiply the guaranteed level times 4.
For a 10 percent moisture dry product, multiply by 1.1.
Table 1 - AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles a
| Nutrient |
Units DM Basis |
Growth and Reproduction
Minimum |
Adult Maintenance Minimum |
Maximum |
| Protein |
% |
22.0 |
18.0 |
|
| Arginine |
% |
0.62 |
0.51 |
|
| Histidine |
% |
0.22 |
0.18 |
|
| Isoleucine |
% |
0.45 |
0.37 |
|
| Leucine |
% |
0.72 |
0.59 |
|
| Lysine |
% |
0.77 |
0.63 |
|
| Methionine-cystine |
% |
0.53 |
0.43 |
|
| Phenylalanine-tyrosine |
% |
0.89 |
0.73 |
|
| Threonine |
% |
0.58 |
0.48 |
|
| Tryptophan |
% |
0.20 |
0.16 |
|
| Valine |
% |
0.48 |
0.39 |
|
| Fat b |
% |
8.0 |
5.0 |
|
| Linoleic acid |
% |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
| Minerals |
| Calcium |
% |
1.0 |
0.6 |
2.5 |
| Phosphorous |
% |
0.8 |
0.5 |
1.6 |
| Ca:P ratio |
|
1:1 |
1:1 |
2:1 |
| Potassium |
% |
0.6 |
0.6 |
|
| Sodium |
% |
0.3 |
0.06 |
|
| Chloride |
% |
0.45 |
0.09 |
|
| Magnesium |
% |
0.04 |
0.04 |
0.3 |
| Iron c |
mg/kg |
80.0 |
80.0 |
3000.0 |
| Copper d |
mg/kg |
7.3 |
7.3 |
250.0 |
| Manganese |
mg/kg |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
| Zinc |
mg/kg |
120.0 |
120.0 |
1000.0 |
| Iodine |
mg/kg |
1.5 |
1.5 |
50.0 |
| Selenium |
mg/kg |
0.11 |
0.11 |
2.0 |
| Vitamins |
| Vitamin A |
IU/kg |
5000.0 |
5000.0 |
250000.0 |
| Vitamin D |
IU/kg
|
500.0 |
500.0 |
5000.0 |
| Vitamin E |
IU/kg
|
50.0 |
50.0 |
1000.0 |
| Thiamine e |
mg/kg |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
| Riboflavin |
mg/kg |
2.2 |
2.2 |
|
| Pantotheric acid |
mg/kg |
10.0 |
10.0 |
|
| Niacin |
mg/kg |
11.4 |
11.4 |
|
| Pyridoxine |
mg/kg |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
| Folic Acid |
mg/kg |
0.18 |
0.18 |
|
| Vitamin B12 |
mg/kg |
0.022 |
0.022 |
|
| Choline |
mg/kg |
1200.0 |
1200.0 |
a Presumes an energy density of 3.5
kcal ME/g DM, based on the "modified Atwater" values of
3.5, 8.5, and 3.5 kcal/g for protein, fat, and carbohydrate
(nitrogen-free extract, NFE), respectively. Rations greater than
4.0 kcal/g should be corrected for energy density; rations less
than 3.5 kcal/g should not be corrected for energy.
b Although a true requirement for
fat per se has not been established, the minimum level was based
on recognition of fat as a source of essential fatty acids, as a
carrier of fat-soluble vitamins, to enhance palatability, and to
supply an adequate caloric density.
c Because of very poor
bioavailability, iron from carbonate or oxide sources that are
added to the diet should not be considered as components in
meeting the minimum nutrient level.
d Because of very poor
bioavailability, copper from oxide sources that are added to the
diet should not be considered as components in meeting the
minimum nutrient level.
e Because processing may destroy up
to 90 percent of the thiamine in the diet, allowance in
formulation should be made to ensure the minimum nutrient level
is met after processing.
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