Barf

[EAD]

At long last after a lot of pondering I am going to feed raw

 

I have concerns about Lily choking so im starting her off on minced meat and will see how she goes.

Kyla also will be fed separately as she can get extremely cheeky over a stuffed kong never mind a raw bone.

 

I did notice in a few other threads that people mentioned Landywoods and AMP (who are obviously in a different country) but how do I find a local supplier I have googled and checked the phone book but can find nowt

 

Im sure i'll be back with loads more questions

[EAD]

Bumping this up.

[blackmagic]

I am a member of the raw feeding forum [email protected] and there is someone from Dublin on the list.

 

If you join, she may be able to help you

[Guest TWS]

i worked in a pet shop at the weekends many moons ago and think AMP is part of Forthglade or vice versa i could be wrong this was years ago.

[Spins4me]

Glad to hear that you want to feed BARF - I'm sure you won't regret it.

 

There's a group called BritBarf on yahoogroups.com which has info about suppliers etc and very knowledgable people who can answer questions about feeding. You need to join yahoogroups to join the group. It's very friendly.

 

OOPS! just saw the other post about BritBarf - sorry.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Spins4me

[EAD]

Thanks all

 

Im already a member of the yahoo group though I thought I'd ask here as theres so many feed raw.

 

Have posted on there too so hopefully someone can help.

[Pouchie]

AMP stands for Anglian Meat Products and is based in Norfolk, the do deliver on orders over £50 but do not think they would to Ireland Apparently someone on an irish forum said you can get AMP from Pets at home (or irish equivalent) in Northern but not Southern. Unfortunately Landywood is also a UK based supplier.

 

You could go to a butcher and get them to mince you up some whole chickens and lumps of beef and lamb, not sure if they would do tripe, could possibly get poultry necks too and you can buy value chicken wings from supermarkets.

 

Well done for changing over definately the write move

 

Pauline

Edited May 18, 2007 by Pouchie

[EAD]

Thanks for that Pauline

 

Pets at Home is about 7 miles from me so will have a nosey. I wonder would they be a lot more expensive than a supplier like Landywood

 

If all else fails i'll go to the butcher.

 

Got offered a very large chest freezer on Freecycle tonight so theres nothing stopping us now

[Mrs B]

I would say that the minced meat from Pets at Home is approximately twice the cost and not nearly such good quality as that supplied from Landywoods - I appreciate that doesn't help you as you can't get it! I think I pay from 22p to 38p per pound for minced meat from Landywoods, and similar prices per pound for raw meaty bones. Packs from Pets at Home are probably 54p for 400g (?)

 

Setting the standard, Landywoods meats are from DEFRA approved sources, and if it says "lamb" or "chicken" on the pack, that's what it is. AMP meat is, from memory all mixed with chicken, whatever is says on the pack. I do buy this when we are on holiday to keep mine feeding on raw when we're away, but I just don't think it's nearly such good quality - personally. Oh, and don't be put off by it saying "For Working Dogs Only" on the packet - they have to put that on by law .......... for some reason.

 

I agree with the suggestion of joining BritBarf - although no-one on there was able to help me to source what I needed locally - so you might have the same problem. The other thing you could do is walk around your local butchers, and have a chat to them to see if any of them would let you have chicken carcasses and the like for a nominal or reduced price - particularly if you took a lot at once. Butchers have to pay to have their waste meat products taken away - so you would be doing them a favour, and someone might recognise that! Again, I tried this locally, but I didn't get any joy - having said that, we really don't have many "proper" butchers left locally. Yet I know someone in another area who has a butcher who gives her fantastic trays of meat bits for her dogs.

 

Apart from Pets at Home, there are other pet shops who do stock frozen meats - they're not always on "display", so it could be worth asking in a few places if they do them, or ringing up AMP and asking where your nearest stockist is.

 

You'll still need to find a source for the RMBs though.

 

Do you belong to the Pets Ireland Forum? If so you could also ask on there.

 

Good for you for trying - let us know how you get on.

Edited May 19, 2007 by Mrs B

[EAD]

Mrs B

 

Im starting to find this unbelievable that Northern Ireland doesnt have a Landywood equivalent

 

No-one as yet has replied on Britbarf though hopefully someone will have an idea and I dont think im a member on Pets Ireland but will also try there.

 

We do have a couple of local butchers so I could call in with them. I do have a contact number for someone who can supply chicken wings though.

 

I ordered Ian Billinghursts book so im hoping it will arrive soon.

 

Sort of excited about trying this and nervous at the same time.......stupid eh?

[EAD]

I have been searching the Barf threads for info and found this link

 

Linky

 

It mentions not to feed beef initially to dogs with skin or bowel problems incase of hypersensitivity. Would that apply to Lily who has allergies and (itchy skin) to different weeds, grasses and trees.....not food as far as im aware

 

Also Kyla has had a bit of diarrhoea lately so should I avoid giving it to her too

[cockergirl]

I've never had a problem with giving beef mince to my barf fed boy although other than the odd bit of oxtail he doesn't get beef bones as they are very hard and can wear down their teeth. Generally though I stick to chicken, turkey or lamb mince or sardines and egg or fresh tripe plus veggies for his breakfast and then chicken wings, chicken backs, lamb ribs, pork ribs, breast of lamb or half a rabbit carcass for his evening feed.

 

I would definitely speak to a few local butchers for your rmb supply. I can get a big bag of mixed chicken wings and backs for about £1 here so I buy a few at once and shove them in the freezer.

[kats n greys]

Some people Laura (elric) being one have an arrangement with their local butchers that get them a far better deal and they also know the source of the meat they are feeding.

[Mrs B]

Don't think there's anything wrong with being nervous - I know I was!

 

By the way, bit of a reality check this weekend, as I had to buy some AMP mince to tide me over to Landwoods delivery on Tuesday. 62p and 64p for 400g packs.

 

I can't really comment on the likelihood of an intolerance to beef. I would perhaps try some one day, leave it a few days and feed some more. Personally I've used beef from the outset - but just ensure a variety between lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit (if I'm lucky) and offal and oily fish less often.

 

Hopefully someone here has the knowledge to advise you more fully on intolerances - and I'm not aware that beef is particularly difficult for them to digest, but am always prepared to learn.

 

Pork is more difficult for them to digest - although I have just managed to obtain a small supply of certain pork bits for my dogs, and these have been going down very well.

 

I do think that the scariest thing about BARF feeding initially is (a) getting supplies and (b) working out proportions and worrying what they will eat.

 

It all comes with time. Honest.

[EAD]

I noticed the price today of the AMP mince as I bought 3 different packs to try, left the mince out to thaw and then didnt give it to them after what I read about hypersensitivity honestly im such a coward

 

Going to chat with the butcher tomorrow as I definitely couldnt afford to feed them on P@H meat prices.

 

Thanks for the helpful replies