Hare Today grinds, bone percentages?

[peaches08]

Update:  I put in an HT order!

• Pork Trim, 5 lbs
• Whole Carcass Ground Cavies, 1 lb.
• Alnutrin for Cats, For 35 lbs. Ground Meat/Bones/Organs
• Ground Duck/Bone/Organs, 2 lb
• Ground Goose/Bone/Organs, 1 lb
• Ground Turkey/Bones/Organs, 2 lb
• Ground Mutton/Bones/Organs, 2 lb
• Ground Rabbit, Whole Carcass -Fur and All, 5 lb
• Chicken Hearts, 2 lbs
• Ground Llama/Bones/Organs/Tripe, 1 lb
• Ground Goat/Bones/Tripe/Organs, 1 lb

I'm pretty excited about it.  Other than the rabbit, I opted to try the smaller amounts just to give it a try.  I probably should have with rabbit to, but I figured I'd probably push the rabbit on them due to the healthy fats in them.  I also decided to get the Alnutrin since I can dose it to the lb. 

So, just these grinds, Alnutrin, and water...right?  That seems too easy. 

 

[abby2932]

oh yay!! Yes, it is too easy! Just the Alnutrin and water. Then I add krill oil to every meal and an egg yolk or two every week.

One thing about the Alnutrin from HT is that if you're going to use the scoop, it needs to be VERY heaping. I actually don't use the scoop but I measure out 4 grams per pound on a small scale that goes down to .01 grams.

You got quite the selection! My cats have only tried the cavies and rabbit (from the items on your list) and both are well tolerated. The whole ground rabbit, fur and all is a permanent item on our menu but I am not getting the cavies anymore due to excessive fur and I think it contributes to hairballs

I'm excited to hear how fatty the pork trim is so please let me know when you thaw that one!

 

[peaches08]

oh yay!! Yes, it is too easy! Just the Alnutrin and water. Then I add krill oil to every meal and an egg yolk or two every week.

One thing about the Alnutrin from HT is that if you're going to use the scoop, it needs to be VERY heaping. I actually don't use the scoop but I measure out 4 grams per pound on a small scale that goes down to .01 grams.

You got quite the selection! My cats have only tried the cavies and rabbit (from the items on your list) and both are well tolerated. The whole ground rabbit, fur and all is a permanent item on our menu but I am not getting the cavies anymore due to excessive fur and I think it contributes to hairballs

I'm excited to hear how fatty the pork trim is so please let me know when you thaw that one!

Thank you about the scoop, I did plan on using the scoop for ease of measuring.  I'll tare the scale when measuring it too since mine also goes to 0.01.

I was mixed about ordering the cavies, but figured I'd give it a try.  My cats have been good about hairballs recently, so we'll see if that was a good move or not. 

GoHolistic mentioned the pork trim to me, and if the cats don't like it I can probably still use it for cooking so I figured I'd give it a shot.

 

[alistair]

Let us know how they like the assortment [emoji]128522[/emoji] Cavities is the only grind I have gotten from HT that my cats don't like.
I also ordered a scale to weigh the Alnutrin. I feel better knowing they are getting the correct amount.

 

[peaches08]

Gadget and Freckles LOVED the rabbit (fur and all)!  The picky polydactyls Mason and Julie won't touch it.  Everyone loves the pork trim:

IMG_20140922_204707_999.jpg

• peaches08
• Sep 22, 2014

IMG_20140923_192729_754.jpg

• peaches08
• Sep 23, 2014

I'll be trying other grinds soon!

 

[sophie1]

Thanks for posting the photos of the pork trim.  It looks lovely but how much does each piece weigh?  It looks like just 4 in the 5 lb package = more than a pound each, which means I'd have to thaw it and then split it up into meal portions.  Did you end up doing that?

I calculated that Alnutrin adds something more like $0.60/lb which adds up over time.  Tossing together an egg and a few vitamin capsules isn't that much work so I opted for that.  Note that you still need to add fish oil, although maybe you can get away without it since many of Hare Today's meats are pastured and you're being generous with the eggs already.  I don't always add it.

Have fun with your different meal options and let us know how the exotic meats are received!

 

[peaches08]

 
Thanks for posting the photos of the pork trim.  It looks lovely but how much does each piece weigh?  It looks like just 4 in the 5 lb package = more than a pound each, which means I'd have to thaw it and then split it up into meal portions.  Did you end up doing that?

I calculated that Alnutrin adds something more like $0.60/lb which adds up over time.  Tossing together an egg and a few vitamin capsules isn't that much work so I opted for that.  Note that you still need to add fish oil, although maybe you can get away without it since many of Hare Today's meats are pastured and you're being generous with the eggs already.  I don't always add it.

Have fun with your different meal options and let us know how the exotic meats are received!

I didn't think to take a picture before opening the package and removing one of the chunks 

; there were 5 chunks in the package and I defrosted only one.  So they weigh approximately 1 lb each.  Because I'm adding just a little to the food for Freckles some extra fat, I just ground it then portioned and put in the fridge/freezer.  FWIW, chicken hearts are done the same way as far as packaging, not in chubs.

I'm probably going to use my homemade vitamin/mineral supplement once I use up this bag of Alnutrin.  I'll definitely keep everyone updated on how they like the other meats as I use them.

 

[alistair]

Alnutrin is expensive considering the individual ingredients are not.

I add around 1/4 teaspoon of wild salmon oil to my cats first meal each day

 

[peaches08]

Alnutrin is expensive considering the individual ingredients are not.

I add around 1/4 teaspoon of wild salmon oil to my cats first meal each day

I prefer oils from smaller fish, and I add it to the whole batch.  But a fresh squeeze occasionally isn't a bad idea for sure!

 

[peaches08]

Everyone but Freckles LOVED the chicken hearts.  Freckles may not like them due to still being whole/chunks, he prefers ground things. 

 

[alistair]

I prefer oils from smaller fish, and I add it to the whole batch.  But a fresh squeeze occasionally isn't a bad idea for sure!

Yeah I read that Salmon oil should not be frozen so I give it to them fresh. No farmed fish for my kitties, always go with wild caught. I plan on trying krill oil sometime. Have you used it?

 

[peaches08]

Yeah I read that Salmon oil should not be frozen so I give it to them fresh. No farmed fish for my kitties, always go with wild caught. I plan on trying krill oil sometime. Have you used it?

I have, and I didn't notice a difference for myself.  I already show a response to fish oil, so I guess I was looking for a bigger response to krill oil and was disappointed when I didn't see one.  However, I know several here use it for some of their kitties and do see a big difference between krill and other oils.

 

[alistair]

From what I have read the advantage with Krill is just lack of potential contaminants, not so much as it being a better source of essential fatty acids

 

[peaches08]

OMG the smell of the mutton grind!  It's hasn't gone bad, I just can't tolerate the smell.  It smells like urine to me.  Everyone but Julie liked it, and even if Julie comes around, I don't know that I can order it again.  Yes, what I do for a living involves interesting smells but this just about took my head off. 

The kitties loved the duck, so it's definitely on the re-order list.  May try duck hearts too next time.  I think I'll try rabbit without the fur next time, to see if the picky polydactyls will eat it.  I'll continue updating the thread on what they like and what they don't, even if it is just to have a place to tally up preferences vs no-go's for the next order.

From what I have read the advantage with Krill is just lack of potential contaminants, not so much as it being a better source of essential fatty acids

Have you tried it yet?

 

[sophie1]

I'm going to guess Tracy's numbers are more accurate than the USDA - that might be after organs are removed, and also maybe not the same breed/type of chickens that Hare Today uses.

Peaches, no need to tie yourself up in knots over the bone percentage!  Just keep an eye on the poop.  If the cats get constipated or the poop starts coming out whitish or very dry, then increase the amount of boneless.  You may find you need more than 1/6 boneless.  Also don't forget organs...although I guess you can get away with just the boneless meat if you're only using it as 1/6 of the total recipe.  When I make up packages of boneless meats, I weigh the meat and then throw in 10% of that weight in liver & kidney.  That's a bit complicated but Hare Today sells organ grinds that would undoubtedly make that easier - I plan to try that one of these days.

Odd about the mutton.  I never noticed any odor, and my cats just inhale the stuff.  I ordered chicken from My Pet Carnivore once that came in smelling sort of like cow patties, very strong.  I contacted them and they explained that in the spring they use a particularly gamey type of chicken.  Fortunately the cats got used to the smell after about a day.  Maybe something like that happened with the mutton - you might want to email Tracy.

 

[mschauer]

 
I'm going to guess Tracy's numbers are more accurate than the USDA - that might be after organs are removed, and also maybe not the same breed/type of chickens that Hare Today uses.

I'm not sure what exactly you are referring to here but the USDA bone percentages are for a carcass without organs, head, etc. In other words they are for what you would buy from a grocery store as a "whole chicken". If you are looking at HT grinds that are whole carcass the bone percentage will be less than the USDA bone percentages. 

 

[mschauer]

From what I have read the advantage with Krill is just lack of potential contaminants, not so much as it being a better source of essential fatty acids

I don't remember off hand what it is that is different about krill oil but it is much more than just a contaminants issue. 'Fish oil' did absolutely nothing for my arthritis inflammation where krill oil is freakin' magic.  My brother and a co-worker had the same results.

 

[sophie1]

Yes sorry I didn't write that very clearly.  I figured the USDA percentage considered only the parts that are typically bought in grocery stores, and not the organs or other parts - but probably minus feathers.  The point is, I really didn't think that the Hare Today chicken grinds were likely to be 30% bone.

 

[peaches08]

Well, I guess my thoughts were centered around too much bone and ending up throwing off blood calcium?  I don't know if that can ever be done, hence I ask the experts here and more or less use this thread to update what my cats liked vs. didn't.

I don't know which one, but someone left a dry crumbly poop in the foyer for me.  These kitties NEVER go outside of the box, so that says constipation to me.  No biggie, this last batch of chicken thighs I made has less bone than I usually make it with and up until recently that is the main part of their diet.  I haven't used it much recently because frankly I was out of room in the freezer!  I got another freezer so now I have room for more kitty food and made chicken thighs again.

 

[peaches08]

No more accidents, so I'm guessing no more constipation.  Poop in the boxes look normal.

So I got a shock.  Gadget, who will eat ANYTHING, turned his nose up at goat.  The others liked it.  Maybe this is something I can buy and serve when I feed rabbit to those that like rabbit?  The cavies were as another poster described, much more hair than the rabbit with fur and all and none were crazy about it.  So cavies are off the list.