Advances in feline nutrition 1: commercially available beef and horsemeat-based raw meat diets for captive exotic felids

Citation

Kerr K. 2011. Advances in feline nutrition 1: commercially available beef and horsemeat-based raw meat diets for captive exotic felids. In Ward A, Coslik A, Maslanka M, Eds. Proceedings of the Ninth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Kansas City, MO.

Abstract

The predominant diet types fed to captive exotic felids are raw meat supplemented with vitamins and minerals, raw meat-based commercial diets, and whole prey. There is a paucity of information on the nutritive value of many of the dietary options. In the US, commercial rawmeat based diets are the main diet type fed (Pearson, et al., 2005). Reported values for apparent digestibility of raw meat diets are highly variable (DM: 66-89%, CP: 73-96%, fat: 73-99%) (Barbiers, et al., 1982; Crissey, et al., 1997; Edwards, et al., 2001; Wynne, 1989). Data can vary due to diet composition, species examined, housing conditions, etcetera. It is expected that dietary ingredient and nutrient composition for these dietary types vary overtime, and examination of contemporary diets is needed. The objective of our studies was to examine commercially available raw meat based diets for captive exotic felids.

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