Is Victor dog food Aafco approved

What Is AAFCO and What Does It Do?

Choosing the right cat food or dog food is a challenge for every pet parent. There are plenty of factors to consider, but one thing that all vets agree on is that whichever pet food you select, it needs to be AAFCO-approved.

But what is AAFCO? What does it mean for a pet food to be AAFCO-approved? This guide will break down everything you need to know about AAFCO-approved dog food and cat food and why its so important for pet food packages to have an AAFCO statement on them.

What Is AAFCO?

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a private, nonprofit, voluntary membership association.

AAFCO is made up of officials that are charged with regulating the sale and distribution of animal feeds (including pet foods) and drug remedies. AAFCO also establishes standard ingredient definitions and nutritional requirements for pet foods. Individual states often use AAFCOs recommendations to create pet food regulations.

Does AAFCO Test Pet Foods or Regulate Pet Food Ingredients?

AAFCO does NOT directly test, regulate, approve, or certify pet foods to make sure that they meet the standard requirements. Instead, they establish guidelines for ingredient definitions, product labels, feeding trials, and laboratory analyses of the nutrients that go into pet foods.

Pet food companies then use third-party testing agencies to analyze their foods according to the AAFCO guidelines.

AAFCO guidelines for pet food labels include:

• Product and brand name

• Species of animal that the food is intended for

• Net quantity

• Guaranteed analysis

• Ingredient list

• Nutritional adequacy statement (complete and balanced statement)

• Feeding directions

• Name and location of the manufacturer

Does the FDA Regulate Pet Food?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes sure that the ingredients used in pet food are safe and have a purpose in pet food.

Some ingredients, like meat, poultry, and grains, are deemed safe. Other substances, like vitamins, minerals, flavorings, and preservatives, may be generally recognized as safe for an intended use. The FDA also regulates specific claims such as low magnesium.

The FDA requires that pet food packaging include:

• Proper identification of the product

• Net quantity

• Name and location of the manufacturer/distributor

• Proper listing of all ingredients

Ingredients must be displayed in order of the largest amount to least amount by weight.

States may have their own regulations as well. Many states follow models based on AAFCO recommendations.

What Is the AAFCO Statement on a Pet Food Label?

The AAFCO statement found on pet food packaging explains whether the food contains essential nutrients, how that was determined, and for which life stage the food is appropriate for. It basically lets you know that the food is complete and balanced for a particular life stage.

Life stages are separated into two categories:

• Adult Maintenance: These foods are intended for adult dogs or cats.

• Growth and Reproduction: These foods are designed for puppies/kittens and pregnant or lactating females. A newer guideline for puppy foods also includes a statement about large dogs (those over 70 lbs.)

Foods that are marketed for all life stages must meet the more stringent standards for growth and reproduction. However, this is not an AAFCO designation.

Nutritional adequacy standards established by AAFCO must be met or exceeded in order for a pet food to be marketed as complete and balanced for a certain life stage.

Any product that does not meet either standard must be labeled for intermittent or supplemental feeding only. These foods are not deemed to be complete and balanced and should not be fed as your pets primary diet.

Products that are clearly labeled as a snack or treat do not have to contain one of these AAFCO designations.

Testing Procedures for AAFCO Approval

Pet food companies use a laboratory analysis and will sometimes conduct feeding trials to prove that their food is complete and balanced for a certain life stage.

Feeding Trials

Feeding trials use both a laboratory analysis of the food as well as conducting actual feeding trials. AAFCO outlines specific protocols for conducting feeding tests for each life stage that include:

• Minimum number of animals in the trial

• How long the test should last

• Physical exams performed by veterinarians

• Clinical observations and measurements such as weight and blood tests

For example, adult maintenance feeding trials for dogs must include a minimum of eight healthy dogs that are at least 1 year of age, and the trial must last 26 weeks.

Pet foods that pass the feeding trial requirements will have a label stating something like:

Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of food) proves complete and balanced nutrition for (life stage).

Laboratory Analysis

AAFCO publishes specific dietary nutrient requirements for dogs based on the two life stagesadult maintenance or growth/reproduction. If a laboratory analysis was used to verify that a pet food meets AAFCOs nutrient profiles, the label will read:

(Name of food) is formulatedto meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Dog/Cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for (life stage).

AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles

Growth and Reproduction

• Protein 22.5%

• Fat 8.5%

• Minerals

  • Includes calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium

• Vitamins

  • Includes vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, choline

Adult Maintenance

• Protein 18%

• Fat 5.5%

• Minerals

  • Includes calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium

• Vitamins

  • Includes vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, choline

AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles

AAFCO publishes specific dietary nutrient requirements for cats based on one of two life stagesadult maintenance or growth/reproduction.

Growth and Reproduction

• Protein 30%
  • Further broken down into specific amino acid requirements
• Fat 9%
• Minerals
  • Includes calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium
• Vitamins
  • Includes vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, choline, biotin

Adult Maintenance

• Protein 26%
  • Further broken down into specific amino acid requirements
• Fat 9%
• Minerals
  • Includes calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, selenium
• Vitamins
  • Includes vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, choline, biotin

Featured Image: iStock.com/anastas_

Selecting the Right Pet Food

The Basics

Pet owners should:

• read a label correctly
• select a food labeled for the pets species, life stage and condition
• follow feeding directions on the label

The nutritional adequacy statementusually found in small print on the back or side of pet food packagingis the key to meeting a pets nutritional needs. For more about the nutritional adequacy statement, click here.

A variety of retailersfrom grocery stores to specialty shops to websitessell an abundance of pet food products. All options that are compliant with the regulatory requirements should be safe and nutritious.

Species

Pet food should provide a dog or cat proper nutrition. Because dogs and cats have different nutrient requirements, pet food must be formulated for the intended species. For example, cats require nutrients, such as taurine and pre-formed Vitamin A, that dogs do not.

Life Stage and Condition

Pet food should also supply a pet with a complete and balanced diet for its life stage and condition. Complete means the product contains all the nutrients required. Balanced means the nutrients are present in the correct ratios.

The recognized life stages for both dogs and cats are:

• gestation/lactation (pregnancy and nursing)
• growth (includes kittens and puppies)
• maintenance
• all life stages

Different quantities and ratios of nutrients as well as different feeding rates are ideal for different life stages.

An active, growing puppy or kitten needs nutrients in different quantities and ratios than a mature pet. Calorie-rich foods designed for young animals may make a less active adult animal obese.

On the other hand, a service, hunting or working dog or a pregnant or nursing pet may not receive enough nutrition from a food designed for a sedentary adult house pet.

Feeding Directions

Even once a pet owner has selected the right pet food, if the pet eats too much or too little it isnt receiving a complete and balanced diet.

Some products provide feeding tables; others provide basic text instructions. Products labeled for all life stages should have different feeding directions for gestation/lactation, growth and maintenance.

Feeding directions for a complete and balanced food must specify, for the animals life stage, at least the amount of the food (usually in cups or cans) to give per weight of the animal per unit of time. For example, a products label may suggest that a 10- to 15-pound adult dog eat cup twice a day to maintain its condition or body weight.

Pet owners should remember that feeding directions are guidelines that may need revising based on a particular animals activities and condition. If an animal is gaining or losing weight, it is either getting too much or too little food and its intake should be adjusted accordingly.

Treats and Supplements: Not Complete Foods

Products not intended to be complete feeds are considered treats or supplements. These products are generally intended to be fed in addition to a complete diet (though exceptions exist).

These products may be labeled as treats, supplements, with words of similar designation, or with the direction for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.

In general, treats and supplements will be labeled with some basic nutritional information, but wont contain a nutritional adequacy statement.

Read more about treats and supplements.

Victor Classic Dog Food Review (Dry)

The Victor Classic product line includes the 5 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is beef meal. Beef meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh beef.

The second ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.

Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.

The third ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The fourth ingredient is pork meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate that can also be high in ash about 25-30%.

However, the ash content of the final product is typically adjusted in the recipe to allow its mineral profile to meet AAFCO guidelines.

The next two ingredients listed are chicken meal and menhaden fish meal, yet more high protein meat concentrates.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.¹

The seventh ingredient is blood meal. Blood meal is a by-product of slaughter and used to make high-protein (very low ash) animal feeds.

Yet even though some consider it a controversial ingredient, blood meal can still be considered a quality source of animal protein.

The eighth ingredient is millet, a gluten-free grain harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber as well as other essential minerals.

The ninth ingredient is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Victor product.

With 7 notable exceptions

First, tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.

Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.

Just the same, theres probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.

Next, dried seaweed meal is a product made from a family of brown algae known as Fucaceae (Rockweed). Although it does contain a number of healthy nutrients, seaweed meal is primarily used as a source of inexpensive carbohydrates (about 60% dry matter).

This item is only rarely used to make pet food and is more typically found in feeds for cattle, horses, hogs, hens and sheep.

In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Additionally, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although its a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.

Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim weve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

Whats more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

We also find some vegetable oil, a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the source).

Without knowing more, its impossible to judge the quality of an item so vaguely described. However, compared to a named animal fat, a generic vegetable oil cannot be considered a quality ingredient.

And lastly, this product includes selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Victor Classic Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.

Which means this Victor product line contains

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the alfalfa meal and brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.