Demystifying Turkey Meal: A High-Quality Protein Source for Dogs

Turkey meal is a common ingredient found in many commercial dog foods If you’ve glanced at the back of a dog food bag, you may have noticed turkey meal listed and wondered what exactly it is Is it healthy for dogs? Is it just turkey meat ground up into powder? Let’s clear up the facts about this popular pet food ingredient.

What is Turkey Meal?

Turkey meal is a concentrated source of protein made from turkey meat and skin that has been rendered. Rendering is a process that cooks turkey parts down into a protein-rich powder after extracting the moisture.

The rendering process works like this

• Turkey parts like meat, bones, and skin are collected
• The parts are ground down into smaller pieces
• The ground turkey parts are cooked at high temperatures for an extended period
• The cooked turkey mixture is pressed to remove most of the fat and water content
• What remains is a protein-packed powder called turkey meal

So turkey meal is simply dried turkey meat. It contains 90% protein compared to only 18% in fresh turkey meat. Removing the moisture makes it a highly condensed protein source.

Is Turkey Meal Safe and Nutritious for Dogs?

Turkey meal is completely safe and nutritious for dogs. The rendering process ensures any potentially harmful bacteria are destroyed. The high cooking temperatures also inactivate viruses. What remains after rendering is a safe, very low-moisture, protein-rich powder.

Turkey meal provides amino acids and vitamins essential for dogs. It contains vitamin B6, niacin, iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium and phosphorus. As long as the ingredient is specified as “turkey meal” rather than just “meat meal”, you can be sure it contains only turkey.

Why Use Turkey Meal Instead of Real Turkey Meat?

Fresh turkey meat is about 70% water. Once the water is removed after cooking, very little turkey meat remains. Turkey meal, on the other hand, has had the water already evaporated. Dog food manufacturers can add more protein to their recipes using turkey meal compared to fresh turkey.

To meet your dog’s protein needs, they would have to eat a lot more fresh turkey versus turkey meal. Using turkey meal allows manufacturers to produce protein-packed dog food without having to include huge amounts of fresh turkey. This keeps the food affordable.

Avoiding Low-Quality Meat Meals

While turkey meal itself is perfectly fine for dogs, some manufacturers use cheap “meat meal” instead. Meat meal contains protein from multiple unspecified meat sources. The meats used may be low quality.

Animal by-product meals are even lower quality. They can contain non-meat parts like bones, blood, feathers and feet deemed unfit for human consumption.

Always check the label for specific “turkey meal” rather than generic meat meals. High quality dog foods use named meat meals like turkey, chicken, lamb or salmon meal. This ensures you know exactly which meat is used.

Signs Your Dog May Be Allergic to Turkey Meal

Some dogs may have an allergy or sensitivity to turkey meal. Signs include:

• Itchy skin or recurring ear infections
• Excessive licking of paws or skin
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Gas or abdominal discomfort

If your dog shows these signs after eating a food containing turkey meal, try switching to a different protein source like fish, lamb or duck. See if their symptoms improve. Check with your vet to identify any food intolerances.

The Verdict on Turkey Meal

When used in quality dog foods, turkey meal is a nutritious concentrated protein source made from rendered turkey meat. The rendering process makes turkey meal safe while converting fresh turkey into a protein-packed powder. Turkey meal helps create balanced dog food without manufacturers having to use huge amounts of fresh turkey. Overall, it’s a high-quality and effective protein ingredient for canines when sourced properly.