All about holistic food

For owners of cats and dogs, the problem of feeding is one of the most important and costly points in the context of keeping a pet. Nutrition is the basis of the pet's health and longevity, the key to its well-being. It is a properly selected diet that will allow you to go to veterinarians as little as possible, save you from expensive treatment and reduce the likelihood of the need for surgical intervention. One of the good quality feeds is products marked "holistic". Not only is it natural, it also has many other benefits. Read everything about what a holistic feed is, as well as about popular manufacturers and much more in this article.

Holistic food differs from the usual food in that it has a richer composition. A distinctive feature is also the use of more expensive components. The word "holistic" comes from the Greek holism, which means "whole". Such products belong to the class of animal feeds of a new generation.

The production of similar products was initiated by Joseph Coquith. He believed that proper nutrition was just as important for pets as it was for humans. He was also convinced that only natural products can be useful. The ingredients of this kind of feed are selected taking into account how they will affect the health and genetics of the future offspring of the animal.

As already mentioned, food of this class is made only from products intended for human consumption.To do this, use lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, fish fillets. The food is richer in trace elements and vitamins than conventional counterparts and even premium food. In particular, it always contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Holistic do not contain flavor enhancers or preservatives. Unlike most other feeds, they practically do not include ingredients of plant origin (less than 10%).

Holistic class products are not easy to find on the free market. This can be done only in expensive pet stores or purchased through an online order. The products are priced at two or three times that of the middle class feed. Despite all their advantages, they are practically not advertised, while large-scale advertising campaigns are carried out for conventional feed.

In some Western countries (in particular, in the USA and Canada) there are veterinarians who specialize in the selection of the correct nutrition for pets. Doctors are fans of a systematic and complete approach to nutrition.

It is worth remembering that in the presence of diseases, you cannot feed the animal with holistic food without the permission of the doctor. Not all sick animals are suitable for such products, regardless of the degree of naturalness.

Obviously, this product has many advantages.

1. The composition of such feeds is the most balanced and complete among all products in this category. They contain only the amount of useful elements that the animal's body is able to assimilate.

2. As already mentioned, the raw materials are of a fairly high quality. In addition, it is distinguished by its natural origin.

3. The meat part of the production is almost 70%. The composition does not contain offal.

4. A special manufacturing technology allows products to preserve their original appearance and composition to the maximum, as well as not to lose their useful properties.

5. Dry products are produced in the form of small pieces that the animal can consume without risk to health.

6. The consumption of a holistic is less than that of a conventional analogue. Since the first version does not contain flavor enhancers and preservatives, animals eat it almost twice less. On average, a small animal can absorb about 90-100 grams of holistic per day. In terms of money, this can be about 30 rubles. This calculation is only suitable for animals weighing less than 5 kg.

It should be noted the disadvantages of such a feed.

1. The rich composition and special manufacturing technology imply an off-budget price. However, often the owners and not only purchase a wholesale lot at lower prices.

2. Small assortment. Usually, most manufacturers do not produce special products for certain breeds, as well as dietary rations or feed for animals with health problems.

3. Difficult to find on sale. Such food is definitely not sold in a regular supermarket. Not every pet store sells holistic food.

4. Often, an animal that used to eat conventional food has a hard time switching to such food. The reason for this is trivial - the pet gets used to flavor enhancers and flavors.

Below are the names of manufacturers whose products have received positive reviews. Most of the items on this list are Western firms.

1. Pronature is a Canadian manufacturer which manufactures its products on the basis of modern developments in biotechnology. The manufacturer claims that in addition to meat, it uses only brown rice, barley, and oats in the manufacture.

2. Another Canadian manufacturer ACANA, producing products related to the category of quality feed. The manufacturer focuses on protein in the composition. The food is made from fresh meat, but also includes a variety of herbs, vegetables and even fruits.

3. Manufacturer GO! also includes a large amount of meat and fish in its products. The food contains vitamins, antioxidants and prebiotics. A similar Canadian manufacturer in terms of product quality is Orijen. Uses the meat of only those animals that have been fed in their natural habitat.

4. Grain-free hypoallergenic dry and wet food with low cholesterol content is produced by the Italian brand of Russian production Grandorf... Food is best suited for older pets. The manufacturer even produces liquid food in the form of spiders. Other Italian brands Almo Nature and Farmina also received positive reviews. The latter produces grain-free feed. Instead of grain, they use pumpkin, quinoa.

5. Returning to the Canadian manufacturers, it is worth noting the Blend brand.... The company produces grain feed with a high meat content. The composition mainly contains lamb. And also feeds include salmon fillets, brown rice, barley, vitamins and other useful elements.

6. The Canadian manufacturer Now also occupies a not quite top place.... In its feed, the brand uses poultry meat (but no chicken) - turkey and duck, and also adds fillets of deer, trout and salmon. The food contains vitamin E, which has a beneficial effect on the quality of the coat - it becomes soft and glossy. Suitable for obese pets and sterilized animals.

In general, the choice of holistic food does not differ from the purchase of a conventional analogue. However, there are some important nuances to pay attention to.

1. First of all, the food must be selected according to the age of the pet. Products for kittens contain an increased amount of protein, probiotics, as well as a number of trace elements necessary for the proper formation of muscles, skeleton, hair and for proper growth in general. Products for adults contain more meat, as well as berries and fruits that they can already digest. The composition of vitamins and enzymes may differ slightly. There are even foods for seniors that are lighter in composition.

2. As already mentioned, such products are not intended for sick animals. But it is often used as a preventive food. Pedigree animals are most susceptible to various diseases. For example, large dogs are prone to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, while small breeds are often allergic. You need to select food in accordance with the diseases that the animal suffers from.

3. Composition. It is necessary to avoid products, the composition of which is described as follows - "a complex of essential minerals and vitamins." You cannot take feed that does not have an accurate description of the composition (for example, the names of the minerals and vitamins they contain). Also, the feed should not contain meat flour or too many plant products (rice, peas, herbs, etc.).

4. Pet preferences. Often, animals have their own “favorite” foods. This, for example, can be chicken or beef. Cats prefer fish more. When choosing feed, this item can also be taken into account as one of the criteria.

5. Dry food is suitable for any pets, and is also stored for a long time and does not have a very pronounced odor. Wet ones have a pronounced aroma and are more suitable for animals with problems with the urinary organs (kidneys, bladder), as well as for pets with dehydration.