To AAFCO or not to AAFCO

[yonae12]

I thought I would start a thread about AAFCO as it is so widely discussed.

Here are some interesting things I have read so far about AAFCO online:

*At the federal level, pet foods are subject to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

*AAFCO does not make the laws governing pet food - they simply provide guidelines and 'nutrient profiles' for stages of life for dogs - including 'all stages' in which the US or Canada state governments then make the laws surrounding whether a pet food manufacturing company can sell their grub on the pet store/market shelves. They issue a booklet to the companies to help them comply with the laws the states make if the state so happens to adopt the AAFCO's guidlines..

*Not all states have taken AAFCO as their gospel, most states have

*'All stages' of life profile has not been tested by AAFCO and the 'all stages' wording equates as 'puppy to adult'.

*AAFCO's guidelines are a 'minimum' standard of dog nutrition for each profile. The AAFCO protocols were NOT designed to examine nutritional relationships to long-term health or disease prevention.

*AAFCO tests/trials and issues 'golden seals of approval' to those dog food companies that pass the minimum standard requirements using AAFCO's testing process.

*AAFCO's seal (and non-tested seal) of approval wording can be found here:
Frequently Asked Questions

*The exact wording of the AAFCO's 'seal of approval' statements above that gets written on the dog food, can only be ratified by the state government. However, the statements are generally uniform between states.

*AAFCO feeding trials consist of at least eight dogs being fed the same diet for a mere 26 weeks (approximately six months). During this time, 25% of the dogs (so, two animals) can be removed from the test and the dogs eating the food can lose up to 15% of their weight and condition; the food will still pass the test and be labeled "complete and balanced.

*AAFCO would not pass a company trying to promote a BARF diet.

*A dog's average life span has declined / has been cut in half since commercial dog food came into existance. Or perhaps some other factor?

Agree / disagree with the above statements? Discuss!

[ColColt]

From what I've read in times past, the commercial dog food companies have only been in business since the 1930's and generations of dogs lived to ripe old ages way before the onslaught of Purina Puppy chow and Gravey Train came along. I'm under the opinion that nothing will beat home cooked fresh food for us as well as our pets, but; with such hectic lifestyles as many have, that's almost an impossibility anymore. Moreover, most of us don't know what all too fix since few are dietary or nutrition experts and we may be found wanting when it comes to supplying them with the proper nutrients.

We all know how to look for better ingredients in dog food now and and shun those that don't live up to that knowledge and our expectations of what the proper ingredients should be.

This statement bothers me ...

*AAFCO's guidelines are a 'minimum' standard of dog nutrition for each profile. The AAFCO protocols were NOT designed to examine nutritional relationships to long-term health or disease prevention.

So many people I've spoken with feed the same food (commercial) month after month without any additives such as pumpkin, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.- just plain dry kibble, or a rotation of another known good food product. Couple that with a lesser quality food and sooner or later there's bound to be health issues.

I don't think I would put a lot of stock into the AAFCO's guidelines or expertise.

[glencorgi]

I've been going through all the cans and bags and sample bags of dog food around here and it is quite an ecletic collection. I have only 2 cans/brands that do not have AAFCO statements on them. One is a canned food - an all natural homemade food which contains: chicken, carrots, celery, yellow squash, zucchini, chicken liver, green beans, pasta, turkey, rolled oats, barley, soy sauce, dried kelp, garlic powder ... and looks like a soup served in a restaurant. The other one is a sample of a meat roll with an excellent reputation.

In looking at the approval "stamp" of the AAFCO I think it is a good idea to remember what was stated in the Merck Veterinary Manual. (And for those who don't know this is the equivalent of the Physician's Desk Reference found in any MD's office; this one is for vet's. They are about as objective and impartial a statement that one might find.)

Merck Veterinary Manual

Additionally what Linda quoted from the FDA's website about Pet Food Labels:
Pet Food Labels - General
is also very relevant.

There are no AAFCO-approved nutrient profiles for geriatric, senior, or weight loss stages.

Likewise, as any number of the food threads have illustrated here or anywhere else for that matter, There is NO UNIVERSAL CONSENSUS on feeding protocols..

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Debbie - the AAFCO charts I have had access to do indeed have min/max standards for senior dogs - they happend to be the same as for puppies as per the charts produced in 2004 and 2006.

[glencorgi]

You mean like these?
Debbie


Current AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles

For Adult Maintenance

Unless otherwise listed, all values are minimum requirements:

Protein.........18%
Fat..............5%
Calcium......0.6% (maximum 2.5%)
Phosphorus...0.5% (maximum 1.6%)
Potassium.....0.6%
Sodium........0.06%
Chloride.......0.09%
Magnesium.....0.04% (maximum 0.3%)
Iron............80 mg/kg (maximum 3,000 mg/kg)
Copper.........7.3 mg/kg (maximum 250 mg/kg)
Manganese........5 mg/kg
Zinc...........120 mg/kg (maximum 1000 mg/kg)
Iodine.........1.5 mg/kg (maximum 50 mg/kg)
Selenium......0.11 mg/kg (maximum 2 mg/kg)
Vitamin A.....5000 IU/kg (maximum 250,000 IU/kg)
Vitamin D......500 IU/kg (maximum 5000 IU/kg)
Vitamin E.......50 IU/kg (maximum 1000 IU/kg)
Thiamine.........1 mg/kg
Riboflavin.....2.2 mg/kg
Pantothenic Acid..10 mg/kg
Niacin..........11.4 mg/kg
Pyridoxine.........1 mg/kg
Folic Acid......0.18 mg/kg
Vitamin B12.....0.022 mg/kg
Choline.........1200 mg/kg

For growing puppies, pregnant and lactating bitches

The majority of nutrient minimums are the same except for the items listed. The maximum for those listed does not change.

Protein...........22%
Fat................8%
Calcium............1%
Phosphorus.......0.8%
Sodium...........0.3%
Chloride........0.45%
Vitamin B12....0.022 mg/kg

[glencorgi]

From a raw perspective:

Myths About Raw: What about raw diets and the AAFCO standards?

Debbie

[yonae12]

The main reason why I see not to put faith in AAFCO's guidelines or 'golden seal of approval' is because :

A. Tested or not tested. There is no long term scientific data to back up their profiles.
B. I get the impression there are more dog food manufacturing representitives within the organization than neutral government members, which means that they wouldn't necessarily have the consumers best interests at heart.... now fill AAFCO with a majority of animal activists, unbias vetinarians and unbias dog nutritionists and their seal of approval would be very golden and shiny indeed!

But I do appreciate the standards that are defined so it makes it slightly easier for the every day person to understand what is written on a can or packet of dog food.

Nice links Debbie!

[Fluffypants]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Debbie - the AAFCO charts I have had access to do indeed have min/max standards for senior dogs - they happend to be the same as for puppies as per the charts produced in 2004 and 2006.

They must give you the DOUBLE SECRET charts!

[glencorgi]

Okay here's a quiz, pick the puppy food based on AAFCO statement.

Food 1:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearl barley, egg product ...
Crude Protein: 28% minimum
Crude Fat: 17% minimum

Food 2:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearl barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and Vitamin E) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Okay, second quiz - pick the puppy food, the adult food and the gestation food


Food A:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Food B:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Food C:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Just for fun.

Debbie

[Fluffypants]

Originally Posted by glencorgi

Okay here's a quiz, pick the puppy food based on AAFCO statement.

Food 1:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearl barley, egg product ...
Crude Protein: 28% minimum
Crude Fat: 17% minimum

Food 2:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearl barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and Vitamin E) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Okay, second quiz - pick the puppy food, the adult food and the gestation food


Food A:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Food B:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Food C:
Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that _________________ Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.

First five ingredients: chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine) ...
Crude Protein: 26% minimum
Crude Fat: 16% minimum

Just for fun.

Debbie

hmmmm . . . all of the above?

[yonae12]

Puppy food quiz 1 is Food 1 because it has more protein and fat. The second I am betting is the adult product line of the same food.

Second quiz... hmm..gosh they are all so different! ;D

Food A - Puppy, Food B - Gestation and Food C - Adult.

Is there a third quiz for the brand? *g*

[glencorgi]

Pretty much. In the first two, Food 1 is labeled puppy food on the bag. Food 2 is labeled adult.

Foods A,B & C are the same bag of food. It is the only one out of the MANY <LOL> around here that even mentions gestation on the bag.

Debbie