The Avontuur line is very popular and has some very dominant genes in it. Also Anton is said to be one of the highest producing males in the BB world. Boerboels are very dominant but will bend to a good strong master without being broken down.
The stuff in plant matter may very well be good in a sense but none of it is needed. And the cellulose is hard on them.
I only worry about worms or parasites with wild meat or pork so I deep freeze (0F or below) for a week or 2.
As for the plant matter deal. I did a write up a few months ago and had a discussion with some Boerboel folks about it. It is a little long of a read but it has some very useful information in it. If you skip over any of the link I would recommend you at least have a look at the last link. It explains how your dogs will get every vitamin and mineral they need from meats alone.
My RAW feeding write up.
I have been feeding RAW for years now and have been a member of a few different groups dedicated to feeding prey model
appropriate diets for our dogs. My last 2 dogs (not mastiffs) lived to be 17 and 18 years old with almost no health issues. I
see a lot of great info here and some not so great info. I hope my input will lead you to follow up and check out what I have to say.
First off RAW is RAW, you do not steam or cook your meats except for picky dogs a fast braising is tolerable but do not heat up the bones.
Next is veggies or plant matter. They don't need it for anything, except as a treat. There is nothing in plants that a dogs requires to survive and the same goes with grains (still a plant). If you choose to give your CARNIVORE plant matter make sure it is well cooked or pureed. Because dogs do not produce the enzymes required to break down plant matter into usable nutrients.
Grains, starches and carbs lead to diabetes in dogs. Have you ever heard of a wolf or coyote with diabetes? If you must give any of those do it in moderation and make sure they are well cooked.
Meat, any kind of meat is great and I understand in some countries there may be some issues or fears of salmonella and people are steaming their meat. We do not do this in the U.S. and I do not know of any instances of dogs with salmonella. Also here in the US we do not fear feeding pork to our pets. In some other countries this may be an issue. So freeze it below 0 for 2 weeks before using it for your dogs.
Fish, it's great for them but salmonid type fish (fish that swim upstream to breed) can carry a parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola which can cause salmon poisoning which if left untreated will likely lead to death in about 14 days. Deep freeze for 7 to 10 days before feeding any salmonid type fish (trout and salmon) to your dogs. Mostly this is for the Pacific North West of the US.
Organ meats, all of it is good for them and green tripe is supposed to be the bomb but I read it is just another organ meat. It may help in gut flora though. Heart is not organ meat, treat it as muscle meat.
Bones, of course they love the bones they are packed with nutrition and give them something to crunch on, but never feed a cooked, smoked or sun dried bone to your dogs. The bone may fracture a tooth or poke holes in the digestive tract of your dog.
Weight bearing bones (legs ankle to hip) should not be fed to your dog, they are too hard and can cause slab fractures in the teeth. Barry Lategan white stool means the bone content in your dogs diet is too high, cut back or add more muscle meat. If the stool turns white on the ground in a day or so that's fine, but not when it's coming out of the dog!
Eggs! Give as many as you want as long as you don't separate the white and yoke and feed the shell if they will take it.
Last thing is not RAW but is really good for the dog or you. Bone Broth, Google it. It is better than any joint supplement you can buy over the counter. When I make my bone broth I use feet, joints, chicken backs and carcasses, and egg shells. This is also good for humans for many health issues. Really, look it up.
I researched about the starches and plant matter and found overwhelming data that says they don't NEED it. Dogs produce vitamin C by themselves. Do they don't need the fruits. They burn fat and protein like we do starches. Just like wild carnivores only sample plant matter it's the same way our dogs should be fed. But I do sneak in some pasta or rice once in awhile just as a treat.
I feed my dogs twice a day as adults but when they were puppies the got 3 meals a day.
Q:
Elizabeth Mienie Thank you Mike! One more question please lol! You are now the RAW tutor how much RAW do you feed when only feeding meat? Is it still 2 to 3% of the body weight? And is it all RMB or do you split it into RMB say 60% and 40% Muscle and organ as an example?
A: I feed 2 to 3% and watch for ribs to show or fat to develop and adjust accordingly. I do not worry about the organ meat because my dogs won't eat it unless I hide it somehow. So I mince a little and mix it with raw hamburger once a week.
Q:
Yvonne Du Randt "Mike Moore.... I have been off line to day...so I would just like to mention...as you have researched and found "overwhelming data" that says dogs don't need starches, plant matter, fruit and vit C...but there is just as much overwhelming data that says the opposite.??"
A:
Mike Moore "Yvonne Du Randt to each there own which is why I encourage people to check for themselves. I base my feeding on what a wolf would eat without mans influence. I read articles written by wolf sanctuaries and scientists that study wolves eating patterns in the wild. The total plant matter consumption was barely a percent of their total intake. I will share a couple links here for you. Also you mentioned that you feed your dogs parsley regularly? Are you aware that parsley increases the estrogen production in female dogs? Just a heads up. All your dogs look very healthy so what you do is obviously working for you. I will be reading some articles on meat only diets today and will share what I find later on."
Here are some helpful links.
Supplements
http://www.rawlearning.com/supplementmyths.html
Jane Anderson's - Myths of Supplments
Some of these people genuinely mean well, but most don't. They already know the supplements and vitamins won't do anything for your dog (or cat, or ferret), but will be more than prepared to take your money.
RAWLEARNING.COM
Do they need fruits and veggies.
Raw dog food - Do dogs need fruits and veggies? | Thatmutt.com
By the way I did read an article that says dogs will get every vitamin or mineral they need from meat alone. In the article I found that if you fed only Chicken, Eggs and Beef your dogs would get every vitamin and mineral they need not only to survive (kibble) but to thrive (RAW).
Raw Diets For Dogs: Getting Enough Vitamins And Minerals | Dogs Naturally Magazine
