General feed discussion/flock raiser/starter/and more

[Folly's place]

'Natural' actually has no legal meaning, BTW. It's marketing! It's like "is it artificial corn?" Or artificial chicken? 'Organic' means something, but 'natural', not so much.
Mary

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

'Natural' actually has no legal meaning, BTW. It's marketing! It's like "is it artificial corn?" Or artificial chicken? 'Organic' means something, but 'natural', not so much.
Mary

Ok I was just saying what I buy, if the label says natural then I tell them it's natural. I don't know what it means!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Ok I was just saying what I buy, if the label says natural then I tell them it's natural. I don't know what it means!

The Nutrena labeling has an asterisk next to the word Natural* and then at the bottom it says: *As defined by AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials)

This is from the AAFCO website:

"Presently, AAFCO’s definition of natural is:

a feed or feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur in good manufacturing practices."

https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/natural

I don't know if that's helpful or not, lol, but I thought I'd throw it in the discussion.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

The Nutrena labeling has an asterisk next to the word Natural* and then at the bottom it says: *As defined by AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials)

This is from the AAFCO website:

"Presently, AAFCO’s definition of natural is:

a feed or feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur in good manufacturing practices."

https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/natural

I don't know if that's helpful or not, lol, but I thought I'd throw it in the discussion.

Thanks, I think that's a good definition but thats just IMO

 

[Folly's place]

So as read, additives are fine as long as they are part of 'good manufacturing practices'. Exactly! As if a manufacturer will throw in anything not needed, because of additional costs, if nothing else.
Haven't yet seen color additive in poultry feeds, fortunately, unlike what's in some pet foods...
Sorry I brought this up, anyway. Labeling is so interesting sometimes.
Mary

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Thanks, I think that's a good definition but thats just IMO

I think so too . I plan to feed my chooks Nutrena All Flock when they're a bit older. I like their nutrition label (high protein, lysine and methionine - which is important, so I've read). I don't really care about organic. IIRC, @U_Stormcrow has stated that the Nutrena is a decent brand (and I value his opinion on feed).

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think so too . I plan to feed my chooks Nutrena All Flock when they're a bit older. I like their nutrition label (high protein, lysine and methionine - which is important, so I've read). I don't really care about organic. IIRC, @U_Stormcrow has stated that the Nutrena is a decent brand (and I value his opinion on feed).

I have, and I've used it before with satisfaction. My birds seemed to enjoy. Locally, its the most expensive of the "standard" tier off the shelf products - but during a pandemic, you make the best of what's available.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Labeling is so interesting sometimes.

True! It's really difficult to know what's best. I scoured and researched and read forum upon forum here, and it's mind numbing trying to figure out what to buy.