Raw feeding

Barf or BARF diet is a method for carnivorous pets, which was developed primarily for domestic dogs. The developers of Barf oriented themselves to the feeding habits of wolves and other wild dogs. In this sense, only raw meat, bones and vegetables are fed, the pet owner must ensure the balanced composition itself. Meanwhile, commercial products under the name barf are available on the market.

Barf is now no longer limited solely to dogs, even cats with Barf it to be fed.

Origin

The first time this term popped up in the USA. It was used by Debbie Tripp, both to denote a dog owner who feeds his dogs by this method, and the lining itself The acronym Barf made ​​over time by a change of meaning. First, this abbreviation stood for " Born Again Raw Feeders " ( born-again Rohfütterer ), which also demonstrated the ideological aspect of this movement, then " Bones And Raw Foods " ( bones and raw food ), the German was for the backronym " Biological Appropriate Raw food " invented. Barf is a pun for " uninitiated " because it also means vomiting in handling English.

Criticism

Among veterinarians, this method is controversial. Critics and nutritionists see increased deficiencies, stomach / intestinal problems including constipation and diarrhea, tooth fractures and foreign bodies by bone diseases and the possibility of transmission of various diseases (eg, pseudorabies, neosporosis and toxoplasmosis ). Zoonoses such as salmonellosis, Escherichia coli infection, dysentery or Campylobacter enteritis provide rather represents a threat to the prompt with the animals people, as dogs rarely suffer from these infections, but may be shedders.

It is difficult to compile a needs-based ration. So take wolves for example, crude fiber in the form of rare plants, but to eat pre-digested vegetable matter from the digestive tract of their prey as well as berries and herbs. Still it is possible to deficiency symptoms even with wolves. Is particularly critical in the creation of Barf - rations the supply of calcium, copper, zinc, iodine, vitamin A and D. In particular, young dogs are sensitive to nutrient deficiency, but also over - supply.

A " stripped down " Barf method is the combined feeding with frozen meat and frozen animal by-products, partly also with ( little) bones and professionally produced grain and vegetable flakes. Here are the ingredients of plant feeding " technically predigested " before, what the processes in the digestive tract of the prey mimics well. The claim of " raw " is satisfied about the carnal frozen food, fast freeze the producer also reduces the hygienic concerns of Barf opponents.