Topics on this page include: General Information and Ingredients Dog Food Information Cat Food Information

GENERAL INFORMATION AND INGREDIENTS

AAFCO NUTRIENT PROFILES (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Their Profiles and Protocol testings are the recognized industry authority on dog and cat nutrition for the purposes of substantiation of nutritional adequacy in commercial pet foods. All Flint River Ranch pet diets are formulated to exceed their requirements for nutrition. FLINT RIVER RANCH DIFFERENCE All formulas are made from human quality ingredients and none contain meat or grain by-products, color additives or chemical preservatives (B.H.A. BHT, or Ethoxyquin). High quality vitamins and chelated minerals are added. The food is naturally preserved with mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamins E & C). While a number of lower cost ingredients are available to all manufacturers, we elect to purchase only from those quality companies that can provide certification to our specific requirements. In addition, all shipments are tested at the plant when received and then stored in sealed metal silos. Mixing and blending is monitored by computerized controls with a printout every 10 minutes as to the ingredient mix, protein, fat, and moisture content. This printout, along with product samples from each production run is maintained for our own, as well as regulatory agency review. The transfer of product through the final packaging is completely enclosed. There is no possibility of any type of infestation. TYPE OF RICE Combination of Brown and White Rice. The white rice for digestibility and the brown for its added nutritional value. A diet product that is 100% Brown rice can be somewhat hard for some animals to digest. WHEAT Wheat flour is fine ground whole wheat grain. A coarse ground whole wheat is also added for texture, along with a quality wheat berry. CORN Corn is an excellent grain; however, it is more difficult to digest - either by humans or dogs. Therefore, corn is not an ingredient in our dog food. The feline digestive systems better utilizes corn and supplies important diet benefits to cats and kittens. Therefore, corn is included in the feline formula. DO WE USE ORGANIC CHICKEN It is possible to put one chicken in 50 tons of food and legally say we use organic, range fed chicken. Some manufacturers take this option. While we purchase as much organic chicken as possible, we prefer to more correctly say we use human quality chicken. The major volume of our chicken is hormone free. Like all of our ingredients, we pay a premium price for the very best available. LAMB Lamb is range fed. FISH Our fish is a generally a combination of ocean white fish and shark flesh. There is no tuna. It is cooked, some water removed, mixed with Tocopherols (E) and Ascorbic Acid (C) and reduced in size to a meal. SOURCE OF GRAINS Grains are purchased from major commercial suppliers like General Mills fully tested and retested by the finest labs. This testing insures the very best quality and reduces the possibility of toxic molds. Grain is cheaper when purchased direct from the farm - however, the risk of toxic mold is greater. MINERALS Minerals are Chelated - easy to absorb. MEAL Meal means reduced in size. The flesh is cooked, some water removed and reduced in size (ground) in order for a uniform mix of the meal, ground grains, vitamins and chelated minerals. There are no rendered by-products, feet, heads, intestines or other meat products not fit for human consumption. MEDICAL ADVICE We do not provide medical advice, this is left to your Vet who knows your animal. Most professionals are following the national trend for a healthier lifestyle and have upgraded the quality of any pet food they recommend. The quality of professional work being provided to our companion animals today is very impressive. Regardless of professional advice, it is up to each pet owner to read and understand pet food labels. Much of the widely advertised pet food contains by-products and the remains from the human garbage chain with harmful chemical additives. These packages should have a skull and crossbones insignia added to the label. BAG CODE INFORMATION: The code on the bag is the purchase order date when ingredients are combined and scheduled for a production run. With the average production run of 50 to 75 tons, along with the extreme challenge of obtaining quality ingredients, considerable planning is required. An example: 110397 followed by several letters - Letters are internal references. The numbers indicate production to follow the purchase order dated 11 March, 1997. The production run usually follows in 10 to 20 days. Food feeds best for a period from 45 days after the bag code and up to 6 months following the code. From 6 months to 11 months food will be fine provided it is properly stored. Extrusion vs. Quality Oven Baking: Most dog food is prepared by being steamed as quickly as possible, usually less than 3 minutes, then extruded under extreme pressure through a metal die - a steam extrusion process/ This process expands the food with air creating a uniform shape. This method does not product the highly digestible food that your dog's system requires. In these extruded foods, the grain is usually almost raw. In this form, grains are much more difficult for animals to digest. YUCCA: Yucca Schidigera is derived from the healing yucca plant, pulp, and juices. In the food, it reacts with enzymes to reduce ammonia production - reducing the level of ammonia production significantly reduces urine and stool odor. FLINT RIVER RANCH CHICKEN MEAL: Raw chicken meat has a high percentage of moisture and does not "cook" properly when blended with other ingredients in the process of oven baking. Therefore, it must be "cooked" separately, some moisture removed and reduced in size by grinding for better blending and baking. Flint River Ranch properly calls this product "Chicken Meal". After this process, it is added to the other ingredients. Flint River Ranch chicken meal is considerably different than rendered chicken meal found in most extruded pet products. Some other foods use the term "whole chicken" as the first ingredient. "Whole chicken" includes everything from meat and bones through feathers and intestines, and may include carcasses of culled and dead chickens, and avoids the need to add the word "by-products" to the label. 4D Law - California: Briefly, California law states that animals cannot be Dead, Dying, Disabled or Diseased when they arrive at the slaughterhouse. California is a large population center, and people have often asked why there are not more pet food manufacturers in California. While a number of companies have California offices, their pet food is made in other states that have less regulations and they accept the fact that pet food is made from the end of the human garbage chain. Flint River Ranch is pleased to be located in California and is subject to stricter regulations. Return to top of page

DOG FOOD

KIBBLE - Small / Fine PIECES - DOG FOOD Twice oven-baking is the finest method of manufacturing dog food as it turns hard to digest starches into easy to digest dextrins. The small broken "cookie" crumb pieces of various sizes are the nature of an oven-baked product - this is in part what determines the premium quality that is easily digested by the dog. Each bag of the kibble will have a wide range of sizes from very small to 1/2 inch in size. Food that is uniform size and shape is an extruded food. Our food scores in the high 90's for digestibility and palatability - while most extruded food is in the low to mid 80's on a scale of 100. Ordinary dog foods are extruded under pressure and temperature and then sprayed with fat, liver, sugar and other products to encourage dogs to eat. The good value of Flint River Ranch dog food is baked-in, not sprayed-on to make the taste acceptable. The method of twice-baking and the temperature used with each process it is not disclosed - it is part of the special process s that determines the quality of the food. An oven-baked food will have a variety of colors, from the soft inside to the heavy brown crunchy outside crust. This is due to the nature of oven-baking. An extruded food will usually be all one color and shape. Always keep plenty of fresh water available as your pet will drink more water with a rich, concentrated food. PUPPY/ADULT MAINTENANCE Our Flint River Ranch Puppy/Adult Super Premium kibble dog food is the finest food for all stages of a dog's life from puppy to the more mature adult. PUPPY FOODS Our Puppy/Adult Super Premium Kibble is the best puppy food on the market. Easy to eat and quickly digests into the puppy's system. Some say a puppy needs more protein and fat; however, recent studies have shown that this puppy baby fat can generate future problems as they grow to an adult. NUGGET - BITE SIZE DOG FOOD The Nugget size is about 1/4" x 5/8" rectangular in shape and is designed for larger dogs. It is the same formula as our Kibble; however, it has a harder, darker edge. When it comes out of the cookie cutter die - some of the nuggets break into smaller pieces like the broken kibble. Some pet owners feel the nugget shape is better for the dog's teeth and gums and while they like the more uniform shape - you will still have broken pieces. The Nugget shape is oven- baked. SENIOR DOG FOOD The Senior diet is made from the same ingredients with a little different protein and fat mix. The protein and fat is about 1/3 less than our Kibble. It is best fed to very overweight or lethargic dogs. The Senior diet is available in oven-baked Kibble and not available in Nugget shape. Note: Less food is generally a better choice than senior. Talk to me about why! FAT CATS AND OVERWEIGHT DOGS Humans and pets both have to push away from the table. We find many pet owners still feeding the amount of food they formerly fed - 3 to 4 cups for a 55 Ib dog. With concentrated premium foods it is best to feed at least 25% less. Pets, like humans, require a little adjustment over a period of time to shrink the stomach and reduce their food intake. During this period of change, add lightly cooked vegetables of all types - carrots, rice, broccoli, potatoes, celery, pasta and green beans. This is great for your pets health. Keep in mind, when you feed a diet that is low in protein and fat, sometimes the pet will eat more than they should in order to satisfy their taste buds. Improper feeding is the greatest cause of a pet being overweight, not the quality of the food. BISCUIT - DOG BONE TREATS The biscuit dog bone treats are oven-baked. Return to top of page

CAT FOOD

FLINT RIVER RANCH is not qualified to provide medical advice. Each pet owner should rely on the advice of their Veterinarian - the professional who best knows your pet's health. The following information is obtained from various sources: FELINE FUS - The cat's urinary system has the vital task of filtering blood to remove the waste products and regulate the balance of water and minerals within the body. Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS) is a condition caused by an accumulation of fine crystals within the bladder and urethra, based upon a substance called struvite, which is a crystalline compound of magnesium. Professionals don't know why some cats develop the problem and others do not. but it is most common in inactive, overweight. neutered cats and many feel that diet does play a major role in causing it. Others feel that unsanitary cat box litter can also cause the development of certain infections. The inflammation of a cat's bladder lining and urethra or the formation of urinary mineral deposits is not unusual. At one time, it was thought that the ash in the cat's food was responsible for urinary tract trouble. The latest findings show that ash may not cause the problem; it may occur because some cat foods contain excessively high levels of magnesium and tend to encourage the production of an alkaline urine. Considering that both these points, low ash and Magnesium are important in the prevention of FUS, Flint River Ranch diet is formulated with both low ash and low Magnesium (less than 0.095%). A history of feeding a poor quality food over a long period of time increases the chance of bladder problems. This even includes quality "homemade" foods that are not properly formulated. Cat food should not be left out in the dish - your cat should be looking for food when the next meal is due. Teach them to eat at meal times. They can be fed twice a day; the amount eaten in 15-20 minutes is about the amount they should be fed at each meal. Adjust the food as you notice an increase or decrease in the animal's weight. Cats, as carnivores, are meant to eat infrequently and fast in between. It is not unusual for cats to refuse their regular food for several days - looking for a change in taste and texture. If your cat has been eating a certain food for a period of time and all of a sudden stops eating - this does not mean the food is bad. Take it away for a few days and you will find that they will switch back. Many cat owners know this and keep at a second type of food on hand. The quality of the water is as important as the food diet. Provide your cat with pure water at all times, without chlorine or fluorine. Crystals are formed over a long period of time. Changing a cat's diet to Flint River Ranch or to any natural food, does not immediately cause a crystal problem. We have had customers feeding Flint River Ranch food for a couple of weeks and notice a crystal problem. They are concerned that the Flint River Ranch food caused this problem. This cannot be true; it takes months, even years for these crystals to form. Flint River Ranch products are formulated to help the animal body to holistically heal itself. What does happen - the diet starts a cleaning process of moving the waste products out of the cat's system. Vitamins, chelated minerals and nutrients are first digested in the stomach - then absorbed into the blood through the intestinal walls. For this reason, we encourage any diet change to a natural food be made over a period of time, to allow the cleaning process to happen slowly. Cat's love quality food; the pet owner tends to feed the nutritional food in quantities that are too large - causing the cleaning process, the elimination of waste, to sometimes happen too quickly. Kittens that have grown up on Flint River Ranch diets - from pet owners that introduced the food properly and have fed Flint River Ranch diet for years - never seem to have a major crystal problem. We have a test group of 45 cats of various ages and breeds that have been eating Flint River Ranch Cat food for over 3 years without signs of any problems developing. Veterinarians know that crystals, along with other health concerns, are often caused by diet. Changing food along with antibiotics treatment is usually recommended. As improvement is noted, it is presumed the problem must have been the food. This is not always so. Perhaps in truth, the pet owner should continue with a natural diet as the pet's system is now adjusted to a natural food - the system is now mostly clean. We feel that using a food with chemical additives and low quality by-product ingredients will only create a new environment for the waste material and crystal problem to develop again over the years. Please read the ingredients label on pet foods. Be a concerned pet owner. The cat food is extruded with the addition of a "baking" process to give it the crust texture. LITE CAT FOOD - as with dogs, cats usually nees LESS food, not LITE food; talk to me about why. TAURINE LEVEL IN CAT FOOD Not less than 0.1% F.U.S. - Urine pH - CAT FOOD pH is below 6.4. Magnesium is less than 0.095% and ash is less than 5.5 % - all important to help prevent Feline Urological Syndrome. We feel that providing distilled or pure water in the cats water dish is a must if you have a concern for your kitty. WHY IS CAT FOOD MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DOG FOOD At 32% protein level, there is more meat protein in cat food - meat is a more expensive protein than grain. CAT TREATS While they provide important vitamins and chelated minerals, the Cat and Kitten Treats are not formulated to be a complete and balanced meal. The cat treats are extruded. ETHYLANE DIAMINE DIHYDRIODID An organic compound of Iodine - an indispensable mineral element - the thyroid gland stores and uses iodine - for growth and development. COPPER and IRON A deficiency of iron causes nutritional anemia. A small amount of copper will improve utilization of iron. Both Copper and Iron are Proteinate - resulting from the chelation of a soluble metal salt (for example, metal salt is obtained by reducing ferric oxide with hydrogen) with amino acid and partially hydrolyzed protein. SOFT STOOL As premium food is very rich and has little in the way of useless fillers - during the change to a premium food some pets will have a softer stool. This is why we recommend mixing Flint River Ranch foods with the pet's usual food for a week or so - to reduce the chance of a soft stool. A premium food will start cleaning the pet's digestive tract rather than just passing through the system. In time you will have a firmer, much smaller stool. PRODUCT SHELF-LIFE Production runs are weekly and product is delivered to the Distribution warehouse from 1 to 3 days of manufacturer. Our inventory turns 3 times a week - which means that it has been manufactured 7-8 days on the West coast and 16 days when reaching the East coast. This is almost too fresh to feed. Our product feeds much better when it is at least 30 days old and has had a chance to oxidize. When properly stored, it can be fed for about 11 months; however, the ideal period is 5 to 6 months. After six months the product value declines quickly. MOTHS - WORMS - INSECTS The heat in manufacturing destroys any potential insect eggs that might be left after the cleaning process. The food travels through stainless steel to a sealed hopper and immediately sealed in the bag. Food not properly stored after purchase, or when the bag is left open will attract all types of flying bugs and insects that lay eggs in the rich food. In an extremely short time these eggs turn into worms and moths. Bug and insect attraction is greatly increased with warmer summer weather and high humidity when stored in a garage or outside shed. This problem appears in all pet food; however, it is more frequent in natural pet foods. Pet owners with a worm or moth problem should consider changing their method of storage. All pet food must be stored in a dry, cool place and sealed to reduce the chance of insect infestation - which can change to worms in a matter of hours. For the freshest food, keep a small container of food handy and keep the rest tightly closed in the freezer. MILDEW SPOILAGE Natural pet foods attract moisture quickly - which can turn into mildew spoilage overnight in the summer weather and high humidity areas. Store all pet foods in a dry, cool place.

PRODUCT GUARANTEE Return unopened product to Flint River Ranch at 1243 Columbia Ave, B-7 Riverside, CA 92507-2123, within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Unused product you feel is not accepted by your pet can be returned for full purchase price refund. There is no refund after 30 days. Return to top of page

Copyright by Nina Pregont and Natural Expressions - 2005,
www.naturalexpressions.com
Article can be reprinted only with source information included and reproductions with source materials noted.

Nina Pregont
Flint River Ranch Independent Distributor #444F
(847) 428-6936

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