Ash content of imported pet foods in Costa Rica
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/jwaxrp61Keywords:
Nutrient overestimation, pet nutrition, energy estimate, feeding level, feed intakeAbstract
Understanding the true nutrient contribution of feeds for production animals is essential for the development of diets and feeding practices that meet daily nutritional requirements, supporting appropriate body condition, weight, and overall animal health. The objective of this study was to determine the ash content of 34 imported complete pet foods marketed in Costa Rica for different companion animal species and to estimate the effect of including or excluding this value in the calculation of total carbohydrates on the recommended feeding amount for dogs and cats. Samples were analyzed at the Animal Nutrition Research Center (CINA) of the University of Costa Rica using the AOAC 942.05 method for ash determination. Ash content (%) showed mean values of 6.08 ± 0.94 in adult dogs; 8.16 ± 1.58 in puppies; 7.46 ± 0.83 in adult cats; 7.65 ± 0.83 in kittens; 6.21 ± 2.22 in hamsters; 6.81 ± 0.19 in rabbits; 9.13 ± 1.24 in ornamental fish; and 11.72 ± 8.79 in turtles. The omission of ash content in the estimation of total carbohydrates leads to an overestimation of energy content of approximately 35 kcal/kg for each percentage point of ash not considered, with a linear effect on the reduction of the amount of feed offered. This impact varies among species, with estimated differences ranging from 175 to 838.25 kcal/kg of feed. Overall, ash content influences the estimation of metabolizable energy in pet foods, and its omission may lead to an overestimation of the energy contribution of the feed.
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