Page 116 - Raw Diet References Book 2019

2. ENERGY

2.1 Introduction

The feeding guide, more than anything else on a No single formula will allow to calculate the energy
pet food label, draws the attention of the consumer, requirements for all dogs or cats (Heusner 1991), and
to whom the amount to feed is certainly key. every equation only predicts a theoretical average for
a specific group of animals.
Energy requirements vary considerably between
individual dogs and cats, even between animals Providing satisfactory feeding recommendations
kept under the same conditions. This wide variation remains thus an ongoing challenge for pet food
between individual animals can be the consequence companies. The next section provides general
of differences in age, breed, body size, body condition, recommendations for household dogs and cats
insulation characteristics of skin and hair coat, and should be considered a starting point. The
temperament, health status or activity. It can also following discussion is intended to clarify some of the
be caused by environmental factors such as ambient substantial differences seen between individual dogs
temperature and housing conditions (Meyer & Zentek or cats.
2005, NRC 2006).

Table VII-4. Abbreviations

BCS Body condition score kJ Kilojoule
(lean, ideal, overweight, obese)

BMR Basal metabolic rate ME Metabolizable energy

BW Body weight MJ Megajoule

DE Digestible energy MER Maintenance energy requirements

DER Daily energy requirements NFE Nitrogen free extract

DM Dry matter REE Resting energy expenditure

ECF Extra cellular fluid RER Resting energy requirements

GE Gross energy TNZ Thermo-neutral zone

kcal Kilocalorie UCT Upper critical temperature

2.2 Energy density of the food

Energy is expressed either in kilocalories (kcal) or in kilojoules (kJ)

Conversions
1kcal = 1000 cal = 4.184kJ, 1 MJ = 1000kJ = 239kcal

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