# Cheapest Meat



## VIP Pet Supplies (Jul 27, 2009)

What is the cheapest meat to buy for your dog? I was thinking about chicken back or chicken breast?

I also understand now that you should not feed them chicken bones, but I heard that they are suppose to eat bones for calcium, what kind of bone should that be?


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

The cheapest meat depends on where you buy it from. Some things from co-op groups can cost as little as 33 cents per pound but you have to buy it in 40 pound case lots. I don't have access to a co-op so the cheapest stuff for me is whole chicken on sale for 79 cents per pound and organ meats. However, you need to do more research on feeding raw. "Cheap" is not what raw feeding is about. It's about getting balance over time for a solid nutrtional diet to include all of the necessary components that each offer something to the nutritional chemistry.


----------



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

chicken bones are fine as long as they are not cooked. turkey drums and wings are not suggested for dogs that are quick with their meal...I think they splinter or something.

It really depends on what you have available in your area, we have a turkey farm where we can get necks at .50/lb, and the rest of the food we order through a restaurant supplier. We get chicken necks (.45/lb), backs (.32/lb), leg quarts (.63/lb), giblets (.25/lb), pork necks (.39/lb), beef heart (.55/lb). 

That's the main meat mine eat, I try to keep their food under $1/lb, but I always check out sales or "clearanced" meat. When Lupa wins Rally trials, I'll probably treat them to beef ribs again, as they really enjoyed that and carried the bones around for a week...I wouldn't be shocked if I find them in my yard next year, lol. 

you can grind up egg shells and add it to a meal for extra calcium, but as long as you have a good amount of meat and bones, they should be alright...


----------



## trumpetjock (Dec 14, 2007)

I wish I could get beef heart for that price. Cheapest I've found is like 2.00/pound.

All the other prices are similar to what I get though.


----------



## VIP Pet Supplies (Jul 27, 2009)

Thank you for all the pricing info, it was a lot of help. I live in N.CA close to Sacramento, Marysville, anybody by there? If so where do you go to buy it?

There is a Super Wal Mart and Winco, I'm thinking to check with their prices next. Not sure where the closest Butcher Shop is.


----------



## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

trumpetjock said:


> I wish I could get beef heart for that price. Cheapest I've found is like 2.00/pound.
> 
> All the other prices are similar to what I get though.


I have to buy 50 lbs of it though, lol. Thats okay, i give them 4-5 ounces of it almost every day or every other day. They really like it. I cut it up into small bite sized peices and they slurp it up pretty quick.


----------



## trumpetjock (Dec 14, 2007)

Northern_Inuit_Luv said:


> I have to buy 50 lbs of it though, lol. Thats okay, i give them 4-5 ounces of it almost every day or every other day. They really like it. I cut it up into small bite sized peices and they slurp it up pretty quick.


I'd buy 50 pounds of it at that price no problem!


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

For northern CA see if SoCal BARF delivers close to you. I know there are northern CA raw feeding groups and they probably have a way to pick up from the nearest SoCal BARF delivery site and bring it even farther north if need be.


----------



## phoebespeople (May 27, 2009)

Chicken necks and backs and turkey necks are usually $1.30-$1.50/lb at our local grocery store meat counter. Beef heart is $1.99, pork shoulder can be $.97 - $1.30 depending on weather its' on sale or not. Whole chickens are $1.50/lb on sale, whole duck is $1.78/lb, beef or chicken organs are $1.20 to $1.99/lb. The average price would be about $1.75.lb. 
BUT, the trick is to go to the grocery store at 8:30 Saturday or Sunday morning, right after the butcher goes around and puts the $1.00/$2.00/$4.00 stickers on the things that have the best before date getting too close. That cuts the price down to under $1.00/lb for everything. 
Any chicken bones and turkey backs/necks are soft enough for any dog to eat easily, and because they are so cheap they can easily cover all the bone requirements in your dogs diet and save you some money. Pork, lamb, or beef rib/neck bones are usually soft enough for most dogs to get through, but the leg bones of the larger animals are probably too hard for most dogs to eat. They are great for your dog to lick the marrow out of, but watch that your dog doesn't break or wear down their teeth on them. Once Phoebe gets a beef marrow bone completely clean inside and out, we take it away from her.


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Google your area to find shops. Sure 7-11 comes up but so do lots of other places. Mexican markets are plentiful in an area I never visited before as well as an Asian market with less than $2 small whole oily fish. Use the flyers in the mail but some of the markets you find online may have online flyers to check weekly.

Chicken found on sale is a staple bone. The humans get the legs and breast meat, dog gets the rest. Pork and lamb ribs are excellent bones to use. Pork necks and shoulder bone can work as well. Turkey IF it isn't 'enhanced' with broth or salt water is good - chicken and pork can also be 'enhanced' so read the label. Pork shoulder is on sale for $.79 regularly at Mexican markets and the best red meat for the budget. 

If you have room for boxes of stuff Creston Valley Meat does a biweekly route that should go through your area. Beef heart, $1.65, beef organ blend [maybe 1/2 organ rest is heart/cheek sort of stuff] $1.35. I love the pork ribs, very lean and sheep tripe. Max adores the ostrich silverskin that cost $1.10 a pound. The boxes are about 12x12x6 for 10 pounds maximum so not that huge. $5 for delivery BUT you have to meet him at a predetermined spot when he passes by so not easy if you don't have the morning or afternoon free. Bones are cheap but they are bare and not edible. He has cartilage for cheap sometimes.

My rule is bony meat needs to be less than $1 a pound and LEAN boneless less than $2 a pound, usually much less. Organs and fish can be more but the Mexican markets have been coming through with liver as low as $.49 a pound! You need such a small amount of bone don't buy boxes of backs and necks. If your dog is small enough that necks are appropriate it is a years' worth of bone! 

I buy from Creston Valley and local markets. My low cost is $1.10 a pound and high is $1.25 a pound. I can feed chicken, turkey, beef, pork, some lamb, some ostrich, green tripe, mackerel and sardines for this price range and I am keeping the bone content down to an appropriate level. Figure 2% of your dog's weight, if this fits with your budget I am sure you will be able to meet or surpass my costs with ease.

Greentripe.com is about 100 miles north of Creston Valley in Hollister. If you happened to have a free weekday and both places are open with worthwhile stuff to pick and you had room in the freezer a long day trip might be worth your while. A lot of ifs but both places have good stuff.

But as briteday posted, just keep this info in mind as you research the subject. Don't go crazy buying stuff your dog is only going to be able to eat in 2-4 months!


----------

