Raw diet costs....?

Question

how much it would cost to feed a 50 lb pit and a 70lb lab all raw diet including a veggie slop...just an estimate would help from someone who knows. this is my only concern... that im going to go broke if i feed raw to two dogs. i have read about BARF online and that really answered most of my questions so i would be using their guidelines

i do know how much to feed and i would be mostly interested in chicken and turkey necks maybe ground beef but adding in all the veggies and fruits im looking for maybe a weekly or month estimate....or some suggestions...do you buy bulk and freeze? No?

ok so why is barf so bad? what about Embark i do know some people who will use that and add veggies and meat....could i still use raw meat? maybe ground beef or chicken breast? Should i just stick with Holistic dry and canned mix? AHHHH so many options i need some guidence...

and im not going near any greyhound track to ask them where they get meat are you crazy! those people do horrible things to greyhounds

Answer 1

It costs me just over $100 a month to feed 3 Bernese and a Samoyed.

*I* do not feed vegie slop but I do feed leftovers. I do NOT feed my adult dogs chicken necks because they swallow them whole.

To do it cheaply you MUST have a large freezer.

Sources for meat:

Grocery store- right now they have whole chickens at 69 cents a lb.. I strip off the breasts for humans (and sometimes the legs or wings if my son wants to make buffalo wings) and part out the rest to the dogs. Some small town grocery stores will allow you to buy nearly out of date meat.

Grocery store is a good place for you to get vegies that are past their prime. *I* grow bean sprouts and add them to the dogs butcherground raw meat.

Butcher- I get a ground meat w/ liver added that the butcher makes with all his "nearly out of date meats" every so often. 59 cents a lb if I buy 100 lbs... no bones but good stuff.
Butcher- I get bones free when he works with wild game. I freeze it before using.

Meat wholesale locker- has chicken backs at 49 cents a lb, pork neck bones (meaty) at 50 cents a lb... turkey necks etc etc... right now they have leg quarters MORE expensive than buying a whole chicken at the grocery store.

When I lived in the country.. the DNR guy would call me regarding deer hit by cars. Win win solution for everyone.. I paid $15 to the DNR (if the deer was fresh enough for me to take) and my dogs had basically free meat.

Hunters- ask for livers and hearts as well as all the bones. Free meat/bones and they don't have to deal with disposal.

I hope Freedom chimes in...

http://www.eastwooddanes.com/Getting-Started-101.htm
http://www.eastwooddanes.com/SampleMenu.html

Answer 2

I feed my sled dogs a mix of raw ground chicken and a high quality dry food with a little fish oil and fish meal added.Each dog gets about one pound of chicken and 1-1/2 cups of dry food. This is their diet during their working season. In the summer they eat dry food. It costs me a little less to feed chicken than straight dry food. The cost depends where you get your meat. If you live near a greyhound track you could ask there about getting meat. If you know any mushers they would know where find meat. Another option is to find a poultry processing plant and ask about necks, backs and skin. Buying from the grocery store or buying a frozen raw dog food is expensive and grocery store meat is not fresh enough to feed raw. It has been in coolers not frozen for days. I get mine from a poultry processor in 40 pound boxes. Then I package it in daily portions and freeze it. The meat is in my freezer the same day it is killed. I buy 800 pounds at a time because that is what my 20 cubic foot freezer can hold. The safest way to feed your dog is not to thaw it. Straight from freezer to dog does not give bacteria time to grow.

Answer 3

I run a pet food store. A giant bag of urban wolf would last about 2 months. this is $120. Also add a large bottle of salmon oil $25. Then you will go through 2lbs of meat per day at least. This will add up but just look at all the vet bills you will save! No visits for allergies no digestive problems no cancer! You will also have very well mannered pets due to the lack of sugar in the diet! Good luck and I hope this helps in your decision! If you need any more help please email me!

Psst~ there is no corn in these diets so ethanol does not effect it. also urban wolf is a Canadian company and the Canadian dollar fluctuates a lot.

Answer 4

General costs can be $30 to $40 weekly bi/weekly according to my friend who use to feed her dog the Barf Diet. (Her dog was 100lbs however.)

Tho she has said she pays more now for her high quality dog food than she did for her barf diet.

But it will depend on where you shop, what kind of food you're buying... there are choices in the BARF Diet on brands, kinds of meats, so on.

(EDIT) I mis read your question. I thought you meant how much to feed based on weight.

Since I don't believe in the BARF diets and have seen ill effects of it, I do not feed my dog the barf diet. (See my reasons towards the end of this answer)

however, those I have talked to who are avid BARF diet advicates say they do not buy in bulk as most suppliers give enough to last quite a while naturally, and bulk is unnescissary.

If you add in veggies please

NO CORN.

Many people don't know/forget corn is not digestable in humans and worse in dogs and cats... whole corn and corn on the cob in certian quantities can lead to bloat and/or death.

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I personally am not a fan of BARF diets. Let me just say this. Make sure you're comfortable where you're getting your meats.

While Salmonella usually doesn't cause a dog to become ill, some can get sick

and those that don't can shed the virus which is easily transmittable to humans. There have been several cases in my area alone of owners getting sick with Salmonella from poorly processed meat products they fed to their dog while on the "barf" diet.

Dogs can pick up other bacteria from raw foods that can make them ill.

Dogs are meant to eat raw meat... its what they eat in the wild?

how many wolves do you know who shop in Sentry's frozen foods section for several day old processed meats thats had all the good nutrients and antioxidents bled and processed out of them.

many of the good things wild animals get from raw meat is from a fresh kill while the blood is still pumping/just stopped pumpin.

the fresher, the healthier.

Answer 5

It's can be easier to buy bulk frozen raw dog food. I would highly recommend Oma's Pride.

http://www.omaspride.com/

Costs can vary one what it is you are looking to buy for your dog. The more you buy the cheaper it is.

Example:

OMA'S PRIDE MIX 5 LB Chicken ea. 9.35
OMA'S PRIDE MIX 10 LB Chicken ea. 16.48

I feed my Great Pyrenees male 2 - 4 Cups of the Meat Mix a day (He is a Male and unaltered because I show him, and a Pyr so he is picky and decides when he wants to eat or not LOL). The nice thing about high quality food is you don't have to feed as much for them to receive all of the nutrients they need.

Answer 6

120 Raw Diet Food Recipes - http://Go.StayEatingRaw.com/?sOpp

Answer 7

Here's what I know about beef costs, they're going to sky-rocket in the next few years. All the ethanol plants are taking the silage that used to be fed to cows. The ranchers/feedlot around my hometown are horrified at the cost of corn now that new ethanol plants have gone in. Some are talking about going out of business. All this means is that the cost of beef is going to rise.

Answer 8

It depends on many factors, your protein source and if you are able to find a source to buy in bulk. Check your availability in your area.