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Today's pets owe a great deal to Mr. James Spratt who lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, towards the end of the 19th century. But for Mr. Spratt, pets might still be having to survive on unbalanced meals of scraps from their owners' tables.
When James Spratt took a sea voyage to England his purpose was to sell lightning conductors to the British. But, by the time he returned home, he had embarked on a new career.
The turning point in James Spratt's life - and in the lives of
countless millions of pets - came when his ship docked in England. His attention was
caught by the sight of dogs scavenging for discarded ships' biscuits on the quayside.
James Spratt, in that moment, saw the need for specially prepared food for animals and
turned his efforts to the production of dog biscuits.
And so the prepared pet food industry was born. Later, American companies produced canned food for dogs, followed on a commercial scale by Chappel Brothers in the United Kingdom who began canning a meat and cereal dog food.
Fifty years later on, more than half of all owners in Europe feed their pets on prepared pet food and, as the benefits are increasingly recognised, the trend continues to grow.
The industry uses as a basis and is a contributor to the research studies published by the internationally recognised authorities, the American Association of Food Control Officers (AAFCO) and the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences in the USA. In addition, the industry has internal Nutritional Guidelines.
The NRC and the internal Nutritional Guidelines issue tables recommending the basic nutrient levels in cat and dog food and the industry follows these findings in manufacturing a wide range of products and recipes under biochemical, bacteriological and organoleptic control.
In fact, the use of detailed research has enabled the industry to continuously increase the nutritional value of prepared pet foods. The industry, working closely with nutritionists, vets, biochemists and animal behaviourists, has been able to become even more precise on the feeding requirements of pets.
These provide variety, are nutritionally sound, convenient to use and are categorised according to their manufacturing process or method of use.
Prepared pet foods differ from so many products in that the consumer is not the purchaser. It follows, therefore, that there are two very different "customers" to satisfy.
A pet owner buying prepared pet food has two prime concerns.
First there must be assurance that the product provides a healthy diet. Secondly, the pet
must enjoy eating it, The owner may have other concerns, which the manufacturer must be
aware of - ranging from presentation and packing to variety and price. But the ultimate
test will come from the other "customer" - the pet. The owner will judge the
product on the continuing good health of the pet and the pet's satisfaction when eating.
The industry also recognises the need to cater for the various tastes of pets - which are often surprising. For example, cats and dogs, which live within a family, can sometimes acquire eating habits which stem directly from their owners. They can certainly be just as individual in their tastes!
Only by being attentive to the needs of both pets and their owners, while constantly innovating to provide even better value for money, can the manufacturer continue to satisfy both "customers" - pets and pet owners.
The nutritional requirements of cats and dogs are different from those of humans and any error in feeding may have serious consequences on their health. A badly-balanced diet, composed of table scraps and over rich foods may cause disorders (obesity, digestive problems, dysfuntion of the liver, renal insufficiency, bone problems...). In other words, shorten the life of the animal.
A balanced diet for a cat or dog is achieved through a precise dosing of meat, cereals and vegetables in order to meet their needs in terms of amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, trace-elements and vitamins. Besides, the nutritional requirements of an animal will vary according to its size, age and activity. A hunting dog will not be fed in the same way as a house dog, just as a puppy will not be fed in the same way as an ageing dog.
The rations on offer by the manufacturer are adapted to the needs of the different kinds of pets. Whether they represent a daily ration (complete food) or are used in conjunction with other foods (complementary food), industrially prepared pet foods contain all the right components in carefully prescribed proportions for a pet to lead a healthy life.
Dogs
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Cats
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Small rodents
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The nutrients that enter into the composition of products are found in meat, fish, cereals and vegetables or are supplied in the form of supplements. The industry therefore uses meat by-products, poultry pieces or leftovers from the fish filleting industry that are mixed with vegetable materials (cereals, legumes...).
The industry has developed a "quality strategy" which begins well before the production stage and ends with the consumer.
At the beginning of the cycle, suppliers of cereals, meat or fish must be approved by the manufacturer. The choice is made on the basis of specifications where bacteriological characteristics of the product as well as freshness, nutritional quality and digestibility predominate.
Quality controllers at the production site then check that the materials comply with the specifications. They measure the level of protein and the percentage of fat. Foodstuffs are then integrated into the manufacturing process which is under continual monitoring.
Fully automated production lines in the factories assure optimum precision in the dosing of ingredients, eliminate all risk of human error and avoid any physical contact of the operators with the materials and food.
The industry goes a step further than the official veterinary controls. Manufacturers have their own control systems whereby samples are analysed every hour on the production line.
The supplier of packaging is responsible for quality. He delivers cans, cardboard boxes and paper bags that match the manufacturer's specification.
Even if the role of the manufacturer ends in theory when he delivers his finished products, members also conduct an information policy with distributors and consumers. It covers, among other things, storage conditions and implementation of hygiene standards that guarantee the wholesomeness of the product. Guidance on how to use the product and how to store it is also given on the packaging.
for canned products
After thawing, the meat products are pre-chopped and stored in silos containing no more than half an hour's production.
Then as soon as they enter the production chain, the ingredients required for the recipe are dosed and ground.
An endless screw collects and weighs the components.
The resulting mass is then sent to the thin pre-cutters and mixers. At this stage, minerals, cereals and vitamins as required are added to ensure a balanced diet for the cat or the dog.
The product is then packed in cans, metal trays or sterilised pouches.
for dry products
The ingredients required for a given recipe are first dosed, ground and mixed.
Production is achieved through a special technology : cooking-extrusion. This involves exposing the mixture of animal and vegetable materials to the combined effects of pressure and temperature for a dozen seconds. This process makes the product highly digestible as it ensures the complete cooking of the starch.
Dry foods may then be sprayed with fat in order to complete their composition and increase palatability.
