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Module 4 Prepared Pet Foods
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In the early days of domestication, the ancestors
of our pet dogs and cats may have been offered leftovers from human meals,
but they would have been able to supplement these through a combination of
hunting, scavenging and foraging.
In this way, they would have achieved a
balanced diet. This option is no longer available to pets in today's society
- they look, instead, to their owners to provide them with a diet which is
tasty and nutritionally complete.
Home-prepared Foods
Some owners like to prepare at least some of their pet's meals themselves.
Home prepared diets require a thorough understanding of the specific nutritional
needs of the animal, of the nutritive value of different foodstuffs and of
dietary interactions and methods of preparation and storage which may affect
the availability of individual nutrients. It is difficult, therefore, be able
to feed your pet a consistent and adequate diet without considerable time,
effort and expertise.
Commercially prepared pet foods
Prepared pet foods from reputable pet food manufacturers, on the other hand,
come with a guarantee of nutritional adequacy, quality and safety. There is
a wide variety of recipes, varieties and textures to choose from, and they
are convenient to use. This is why the majority of pet owners in Australia
feed commercially prepared pet foods as at least part of their pet's diet.
In this module we look at the different types
of prepared pet foods, how they are made
and the regulatory issues and labelling
relating to pet foods.
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