Do some ask why pet food nutrition label is important? Well, we love our pets and we want to make sure that all that we are doing for them make them happy and healthy. One of the elements that have a direct effect on your pet is the food they eat. Therefore, you have to make sure that they have a well-balanced and nutritional diet.
However, with the increasing number of various brands specializing in pet food, you may get confused and overwhelmed as you cannot choose what is the most appropriate one for your pet. Here the Pet food nutrition label is what you need to consider. What this label can tell you is our subject today. So, let us dig deep down!
1. Why It Is Important to Read Pet Food Nutrition Labels?
It is highly essential to read the pet food nutrition label as it contains a number of important pieces of information that you need to be aware of before giving your pet that food. It highlights the main nutrients that will have a direct impact on your pet. Moreover, it helps you to know which food contains more or fewer nutrients so that you can provide your pet with what they need.
2. What Can the Pet Food Nutrition Label Tells You?
Pet food nutrition label provides you with a vast of important information. These include the following:
The product name is included on the pet food nutrition label
The product name is one of the most important reasons that push customers to buy a given product. For this reason, manufacturers have started to include the name of a given ingredient to encourage people to buy it.
Manufacturer’s Name and Address
You will find on your pet food nutrition label a statement that says “ manufactured by…”. This phrase shows the party responsible for the product between your hand. You will also find the address of the manufacturer.
Ingredient List
You will find a number of ingredients included on your pet food label. Remember that the list of ingredients does not imply the quality of each ingredient. Therefore, you have to know how to read the label.
To help you, the items that have large amounts of moisture are likely to be listed first. These include fish, beef, poultry, and others. on the other hand, water-content ingredients come at the end of the list.
Moreover, you may find something like a “by-product”. While you may think that these are harmful, they may, in fact, be highly digestible as well as nutritious organs.
Guaranteed Analysis (GA)
Because the Association of American Feed Control Officials has set some regulations, all the manufacturers are required to list the minimum amount of protein and fat. in addition to the maximum amount of fiber and moisture. This is what we call guaranteed analysis.
Statement of Nutritional Adequacy
You must pay attention to the products that are labeled as “complete and balanced”. They have to include a nutritional adequacy statement that demonstrates that the food, in fact, contains the minimum amounts of all the nutrients that your pet needs.
Feeding Directions are found on the pet food nutrition label
This section is responsible for giving you instructions on how much you should offer the product for your pet. These guidelines may be your starting point. However, you need to know that other factors may have an influence on your pet’s food intake. These include the environment, breed, temperament, and others. The best way to follow here is to start with the prescribed amount first. Afterward, you can increase or cut back based on what your pet needs.
Who Can Take The Food?
You can also find the answer to this question included in your pet food label. You may find a statement based on the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), showing for whom the food is designed. Whether it is for pregnant dogs or cats, adults, seniors, or others.
Moreover, as said before, other AAFCO statement says that the food is “complete”, which means that it contains all the nutrients that your cat or dog needs. Others also show that the food is “balanced” indicating that all the nutrients are found in the most proper ratios for both cats and dogs during their various stages of life.
3. What Do You need to Know?
When you find an AAFCO statement on a pet food nutrition label, it means that the products underwent some experiments before it starts to be sold.
All the products that have been tested usually have more health benefits than those that have not been tested. You have to be aware of the fact that some companies spend much time and effort to generate healthy food for our pets while others do not.
4. What Do You Need to Do?
If you feel that you cannot take any single decision by yourself when it comes to your pet’s food, you can simply ask your vet to guide you all the way. It is true that pet food nutrition label includes hundreds of pieces of information. If you are not familiar with all these terms, you may not what to do in the middle of the process. While you can ask for the help of your vet, as a pet parent, you must have some knowledge as you are responsible for these pure souls.
The first step you should take then is to try to educate yourself to understand more about what your pet needs and how to find that on your pet food nutrition labels. The latter is extremely important to know what exactly your pet is eating.
Also, you need to know everything about your cat’s food and that of your dog.
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Last Words
Having a cat or a dog is not an easy task but it is worth it. The love they provide makes you go every time to that store and bring the most appropriate food for them. Now after you read this overview of your pet food nutrition labels, you have to make sure to read it next time you go to the supermarket.
