How is Dog Food Made?

Before you dive into the procedure behind how dog food is made, you must realize that up until the invention of the dog biscuit formulation, dogs survived solely on table scraps and raw meat. The invention of dog food dismissed dogs as lone scavengers and gave them a new identity. Below is a brief history of dog food that will help you understand its purpose, benefits, and formulation.

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Brief History on Dog Food & Pet Food

In was the year 1860 when James Spratt invented and bought to the market the first ever meat biscuits to feed pet dogs. This product was subject to plenty of criticism at first. Farmers and other dog owners thought of this patented scientific invention as nothing but a tool for profiteering.

However, it did not take long for people to recognize the convenience that came with the dog biscuits. The sales for this dog food went through the roof, and this gave rise to a variety of different dog and pet food products. The emergence of different dog food brands set the foundation for the pet food industry.

Nevertheless, the first thirty years of this market included dog foods without any adequate nutritional research. The nutritional value had no objective measurements and precise calculations. Dog food manufacturers were merely playing guessing games while promising nutritional value for the pet dogs.

Veterinarians were yet to discover the nutritional requirements of different dog species to keep them from exhibiting deficiencies. As time went on, the inventions of new and improved processed dog foods came to fruition.

The Manufacturing of Dog Food

Dog food is nothing far from sophisticated nutritional science. The product provides macronutrients such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as well as micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and others in just one formulation. It is no surprise that pet dogs and cats eat healthier than their owners.

The formulas for dog and cat food are different. The major reason for this is that both canines and felines differ in nutritional requirements. For instance, cats require a higher amount of fats and protein in their diet. Despite different nutritional requirements, the ingredients from which manufacturers make dog food and cat food are more or less the same.

How is Dog Food Made: The Process

The first ingredient that dog food companies are likely to use is corn kernels. Along with corn kernels, manufacturers will also add cereals such as barley, rice, and wheat. Workers continue forth by weighing all the ingredients, following them up by grinding them in a mill and combining them in a mixer.

They repeat this process until an even and well-blended powder forms. Then comes the job of the extruder, this is a machine that transforms this powder into pieces of dog food. It does this by steaming the powdered mixture and forcing it through dyes at extremely high pressure.

The dyes help shape the powdered mixture, similar to how a pastry bag shapes icing. These dyes can shape the mixture into any shape and size. These shaped mixtures exit the dies in a continuous stream, resulting in differently shaped dog bones as a spinning knife cuts them into small pieces.

Therefore, all the different batches of dog food can comprise different shapes, considering the shape of the dye. The next process involves a hot air dryer that heats the pieces for 25 minutes. The heat can rise to 149 degrees Celsius. This amount of high heat helps draw out the moisture in the dog biscuits.

After the heating process, the dog food cools at room temperature. Once the pieces exit the dryer, the conveyor belt takes them to a revolving drum. Here, the dog biscuits soak in fat and flavoring. This step is essential, as the fat provides the dog food with an energy source, while the flavoring makes the snack appetizing for the canine.

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The rotation drum ensures that all the pieces have an even and balanced coating. Here, the dog biscuits are almost ready for packaging. The conveyor system takes these pieces through the silos where all the crumbs eradicate from the solid dog food.

Basic Considerations for Dog Food

Dogs, like any other pet, have preferences in terms of food. The ideal dog food does not have pieces that are too small or too big. Moreover, the pieces have to be too dry, neither too mushy. All of these requirements are fundamental to both dog and cat foods.

How is Dog Food Made? To Conclude

There is much more that goes into manufacturing dog food and this article has just managed to skim the surface. Green Mountain Animal LLC provides manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and other services regarding pet products. To acquire the best pet product manufacturing and consultation on a contractual basis, call or email us today!

GREEN MOUNTAIN ANIMAL LLC
75 Catamount Drive
Milton, Vermont 05468
802-752-4738
drmetz@grnmtnanimal.com