Cheap Dry Food For Christmas $ Struggles

[sugar]

Seeing threads on people falling on hard times this christmas, I found a 10 kg bag of dry food for $9.98. I bought a bag, now, I don't know if its any good or its crap! I just thought I would buy a bag, for just incase, because something is better than nothing. I hope I never fall on hard times, but as an emergency for my dogs or someone elses.

I bought it at The Warehouse. Here is what it says on the bag, I would be curious to know if its bad or ok etc..

KENNEL MIX, VERY YUMMY DOG FOOD.

BALANCED NUTRITION FOR ADULT DOGS.

INGREDIENTS;

WHOLEGRAINS, MEAT AND MAT BY PRODUCTS, DERIVED FROM SHEEP AND BEEF, GRAIN BY PRODUCTS, POULTRY MEAL, TALLOW, OIL FROM VEGETABLE SEEDS, IODISED SALT AND MINERALS, PRESERVATIVE AND ANTIOXIDANTS ADDED. NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS.

PROTEIN MIN. 15.0%

FAT 6.0%

SALT 1.5%

FIBRE 6.0%

THE GREAT AUSSIE PETFOOD CPMPANY PTY LTD.

[espinay2]

If I had a choice, I wouldn't feed it. In hard times though, anything is definitely better than nothing.

If you can afford $10 a week, there are much better things you can buy depending on local resources.

For example, $20 here will get you 2x 10kg box of chicken frames, a bag of lamb offcuts, 4 cans of home brand cat food fish (sardines or tuna with no additives to speak of), a bag of rice or rolled oats to 'pad out' the fish meal and a few trays of organ meats like liver, kidney, heart etc. Enough to feed 2 medium to large dogs for 2 weeks or even more on what is quite a healthy diet (and similar to what many feed even without major monetary restrictions).

[sugar]

Where do you get chicken frames in Melbourne? My butcher is expensive.

[JENCOL]

Chicken Frames are available from most chicken butchers, they are often sold 4 to a bag for a $1 or I get 1 box a week (which I order) for $10. You just have to ask

[Mel 45]

Sugar - chicken necks and frames from any butcher (shop around though - some are $$$ some are cheap) or go to Leonard's - even if they don't have then in the window they'll have them out the back.

1.5kg of chicken necks at Leonard's costs me $2

[goldielover]

Hi Sugar,

I usually buy my chicken frames from Lenards and you get 3 or 4 for $1. Poultry farms or butchers sometimes sell them even cheaper, but i buy the Lenards ones as they leave more of the good stuff attached!

[katetk]

$10.00 could just about feed my boy for two weeks albeit he is only a little guy.

Lenards and cheap greens (mostly asian greens) are fantastic plus other fruit and vege - he likes zuchini at the mo , a couple of tins of homebrand sardins and he is set... and loves it.

*ahh that reminds me.. have to get some carasses tonight and make up some food

for 1 kg of pet mince (ground chicken carcass) from lenards it cost me $1.00, the vege, well, that depends on what i get and the fish is about .60c or less per tin. I buy a a few necks/wings while i am there for him and his cat for some added crunch and stock up on the meatier bones when i have a spare few dollars and when the butcher has them to get some lamb necks etc.

Edited December 19, 2005 by katetk

[nobul]

I realise some people do struggle at christmas time and many other times over the year, believe me i do at times, but instead of that feed i would be feeding virtually what i eat and shop around for fresh pet meat and bulk bags of vegies, with a bit of time you can feed real cheap and quality is still there. Feeding sorts of products like that IMO only leads to problems down the track and we all know how expensive vet bills are.

[curlyking]

Where do you get chicken frames in Melbourne? My butcher is expensive.

Sugar,

If you are anywhere near Keysborough go to Star Poultry in Kirkham Rd West. They used to sell bags of frames for $5 - to be honest it is about a year since I had any from there. In the bag there would be anywhere between 20 and 36 frames depending on the size of them and most had the necks attached.

They also sell seconds chicken wings for $1.80 kg.

Now I usually get necks from Superior Eggs in Chapel Road and they cost me $1.75kg

but chicken pet mince (cascasses minced) for 6o cents a kg at Norm Oliver butchers or my local poultry shop.

The dry food you bought for my liking has too much in the way of grain. If you look at the ingredients 3 of the first 4 are grain. JMO

BUT having said all of that and as others have said it is better than nothing and I'm sure many a dog lives quite comfortably on this quality of food.

[Meg_Ed]

I buy bulk for my guy and it last about a month or so.Keeping in mind he's a 11kg Norfolk x foxie terrier.....

1 kilo of chuck steak at $6.95 a kilo makes approx 7-8 portions

1 kilo of lamb forequarter chops $5.95 a kilo (or when on special at woolies)makes 6-7 portions with bones cut out.

1 kilo if chicken wings at $1.99

1 kilo of chicken necks at $1.99(has either 2 necks or 1 wing for brekky)

1 kilo of Vip pet mince makes about 6-7 portions at $2.98

10 or so sml portions of Nature's Gift dog food(no offel or preservatives) at $.98each and the Natures Gift Dry food Portions (comes in 10x100g bags per bag)for $4.50,he has about half a portion a night.

I bulk up the meat meals with rice or sml pasta

I do admitt though,if he was a bigger dog I would not be able to keep up.But i figure between $30-$35 a month is reasonable to keep him healthy and happy :cool: and iam going to give the sardines a try,might help with his dryish skin and coat.(stinky breath thou)

Cheers Megs

Edited December 19, 2005 by Meg_Ed

[Lozzie]

Sugar, i get chicken frames from bilo - its about $1.20 for 5, or you can get trays of mixed chicken portions for about $2 - last time i bought 2 trays and got 1 maryland bit, 3 frames (2 with most of the breast attached!), a heap of wings and a few necks. You can also get the necks from there - a big tray for about $1. They also sell lamb flaps occasionally, and always have chicken liver and giblets.

I have never got the chicken giblets though, I don't know what they are and whether they are any good for dogs since they have no bone

[Derharv GSD'S]

Tasman Meats in Berwick sells all sorts of really cheap dog stuff and also their is a great chicken place in Fountain Gate shopping centre, I think its called chicken creations

[Meriment]

I love these dog food threads. I never fail to come away with another new idea!

Thanks everyone

[sugar]

Wonderful guys! THANK YOU :cool:

[fido666]

I'd heard that the stuff from "The Great Aussie Petfood Company" was pretty good. They recently donated a quantity of dry food to Cordy and the donation is ongoing. It might be cheaper than the premium dry foods but that doesn't mean it's bad.

Cheers,

Corine

[goldielover]

Forgot about Tasman Meats. We head there every fortnight to stock up. They have chicken frames, necks, lamb/beef soup bones, flanks, lambs necks etc - quite cheap.

[TigerJack]

'd heard that the stuff from "The Great Aussie Petfood Company" was pretty good. They recently donated a quantity of dry food to Cordy and the donation is ongoing. It might be cheaper than the premium dry foods but that doesn't mean it's bad.

I just finished trying a bag of their premium food on my nine dogs after seeing it mentioned as donating to Cordy. The dogs certainly liked it, no-one wouldn't eat it. However - the poo increased alot from what I'm used to and when you've got nine dogs, poo isn't something to be disregarded. I'd estimate that the poo doubled from what was produced by feeding Eukanuba. The consistency of the poo was also kind of crumbly and looked exactly like the kibble before it got eaten only as if it had absorbed some liquid. (Sorry for gross images) Made me think it was going through without much being absorbed.

If I was strapped for cash I'd certainly use it to get me through a rough patch but it had too many grains and meat byproducts listed on the ingredients for me to be happy to use it all the time. Definitely not a premium brand, more like your average supermarket style quality.

[Hedds]

Sugar, I get my chicken frames from a meat supplier in Dandenong.

I pay 50 cents for a bag of 4, but they are much cheaper if you buy the whole box. Oh, for a bigger freezer.

[sugar]

Went to leonards, out of frames, but bought pet mince for $1 1kg. Is is any good? Dogs seemed to like it

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

I avoid pet mince but that's b/c I prefer to feed raw, meaty bones. It's better for my dogs. You should be able to bulk buy chicken frames, here they're $6 for 10 kgs. That feeds three dogs 14 meals or so. Not bad.

Butchers and supermarkets will often mark their fresh foods down near closing time, as do markets. If you shop close to then, you should find some great prices. Example? I saw marked down lamb's fry today for $1 when it's normally $4 or $5 (depending on weight) and the reason it was marked down is the use by is 22nd Dec. So, you can find bargain foods!

I wouldn't feed any processed foods, but that's b/c I've found raw to be far better than cooked. But everyone has to do what they feel is the best thing for their dog/s. My opinion is that fresh is better and less expensive and I've had that proven time and time again.