What is chicken meal in dog food? Is it safe for your dog?

Pets Can Smile – 12 July 2024

Every dog owner needs to know what is chicken meal in dog food.

Is it safe for your dog?

And what about chicken byproducts in your dog food?

You also should know how to prepare chicken and rice for your hungry doggy.

The short answer is: Chicken meal in dog food is a high-protein, dried powder made of chicken flesh, skin, and sometimes bones. 

But every dog owner also needs to know:

• What’s really inside chicken meal?
• Is chicken meal the same as chicken byproducts?
• Is chicken meal good for your dog?

Here’s everything you need to know about chicken meal and whether it’s good or not for your dog. 

How is chicken meal made?

Chicken meal is made by cooking various parts of chicken in a rendering machine that uses high temperatures and pressure. 

The rendering process removes most of the water from the chicken. Fresh chicken contains 70% of water but only 10% of water is left in chicken after the rendering process. 

The final product is a dried-out, fine powder that can be used as a concentrated protein. 

Note that the high temperatures used during rendering also strip chicken from many nutrients. This makes the chicken meal powder “dead food”. This is why many dog food companies spray chicken meal with nutrients to meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards. 

And here is the official AAFCO definition of chicken meal: “The dry rendered product from a combination of chicken flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of poultry or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet, and entrails.“

What is really inside chicken meal?

Chicken meal can be made from real chicken breasts, just like those you buy at your grocery store for dinner.

But chicken meal can also be made from chicken carcasses. Those carcasses include dead hens who finished their job at egg farms.

Furthermore, chicken meal can be made from 4D meat. For your reference, 4D means meat from dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals.  

As you can imagine, 4D meat is not safe for human consumption. This is because 4D meat may contain trace amounts of antibiotics, steroids, medications, and euthanasia drugs.  

Also, “disabled” animals means animals who lose their ability to work properly. It’s important to note that difficulties with walking can be a symptom of dangerous diseases, including mad cow disease. 

In short, chicken meal can either be of good or bad quality. Much depends on where the chicken meat comes from. 

VIDEO: How to prepare chicken and rice for dogs

Why is chicken meal used in dog food?

Your dog needs plenty of protein. This is why AAFCO recommends protein as the main ingredient in dog food. 
 
But fresh chicken contains only 18% protein while chicken meal comes with around 65% protein.

This is why chicken meal is used in dog food. 

Also, fresh chicken breasts are about 75% moisture. That’s too much water for a number of reasons. This is where chicken meal comes in. Chicken meat turned into dry powder is easier to ship, store, and add to dry or wet dog food. 

Also, by drying and grinding down chicken, you get a concentrated powder (chicken meal) with plenty of protein.

But there is more. 

Chicken meal is also a cheaper ingredient for dog food compared to fresh chicken. But note that premium dog foods often use higher-quality fresh chicken as the main ingredient.

Then there is the question of shelf life. 

Dry dog food that contains chicken meal can last for weeks on the shelf. This is exactly what dog food companies need. Just imagine, the whole process of kibble packaging, shipping, and storing can take several weeks. Plus, kibble needs to sit for weeks on the grocery shelves before it finds its way on your dog’s plate.   

What are chicken byproducts in dog food?

First, chicken meal is not made of chicken byproducts. Chicken meal is made from quality chicken parts, including chicken flesh, skin, and sometimes bones. 

Chicken byproducts, on the other hand, are all those less desirable parts of a chicken, such as chicken heads, feet, internal organs, intestines, and undeveloped eggs. These parts are usually not suitable for human consumption.   

Let’s turn again to AAFCO for a definition: Chicken byproducts are made of the waste material left over or any clean parts of the carcass of a slaughtered chicken.

It goes without saying that chicken byproducts have less nutritional value than chicken meal. But note that the quality of chicken byproduct meals greatly depends on the byproduct ingredients. For example, chicken feet have lower quality than chicken heads. 

Unfortunately, pet food labels won’t tell you which parts of chicken are used in any particular chicken byproduct meal.

It’s also worth noting that FDA allows pet food manufacturers to use 4D chickens. As a quick reminder, 4D chickens include dead, dying, diseased, or disabled chickens. 

By the way, animal shelters are legally allowed to sell euthanized animals to dog food producers. This provides a very cheap source of meat for dog food brands. 

As mentioned earlier, meat from 4D chickens can contain trace amounts of antibiotics, steroids, medications, and euthanasia drugs. This, however, should be safe for your dog as the 4D meat is cooked at extremely high temperatures. 

Interesting fact: Chicken byproducts are not always rendered to the same extent as chicken meal. This means that chicken by-product meals often come with plenty of nutrients. This especially applies to chicken byproducts such as lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys.  

Is chicken meal good for your dog?

Chicken meal is packed with protein, which is essential for your dog’s health and happiness. 

Pound for pound, chicken meal is way higher in protein than fresh chicken. Chicken meal has around 65% of protein while normal chicken contains only 18% of protein. In other words, in 100g of chicken meal there is around 65% protein, compared to only 18% protein in 100g of fresh chicken. 

Chicken meal is also the natural source of glucosamine, a building block of cartilage tissue. Glucosamine in your dog’s food will help your pet maintain healthy joints. This in turn will help your doggy stay active for longer. Just look for meat meals and whole foods that come with extra glucosamine. 

Furthermore, bones in chicken meal are full of minerals. As per The American National Academy of Sciences report on the nutritional needs of dogs and cats, minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are critical to healthy teeth and skeletal structure. 

Chicken meal is also good for you. Chicken meal is an affordable and convenient option. 

Chicken meal is equally good for dog food brands. It’s easier and cheaper to ship and store. 

But chicken meal is not perfect. 

The very high temperatures used in making chicken meal kill many essential nutrients. This is why chicken meal is less nutritionally complete compared to raw chicken. 

Furthermore, the quality of chicken parts in chicken meal can vary greatly. In other words, two different chicken meals can vastly vary in quality. 

Also, many chicken meals contain 4D chicken (as discussed earlier in this article). This means that chicken meal you give to your dog may contain some amounts of antibiotics, steroids, medications, and euthanasia drugs. But note that even 4D meat should be safe for your dog as the meat is cooked at very high temperatures. 

To conclude, chicken meal is good for your dog. But to ensure the chicken meal is of high quality, always buy dog food from reputable dog food brands. 

Digestibility

Chicken is easier to digest when it’s minimally processed. This means that chicken meal is not as easily digested by dogs as normal chicken. 

Furthermore, the artificial nutrients that dog food companies use in chicken meal are not as easily absorbed as natural nutrients that come with normal chicken.  

In other words, essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are best absorbed and digested by dogs when consumed in their natural state (regular chicken).  

So, even if chicken meal contains more protein than normal chicken, it’s the amount of digestible protein that significantly contributes to the quality of dog food. This means that if you give your dog a human-grade chicken, your pup will be able to digest the whole chicken and absorb all the essential nutrients.

The level of digestibility is especially relevant to dogs with sensitive stomachs or other digestive issues. This is because dogs with digestion issues may struggle the most to digest highly processed foods such as chicken meal.    

Chicken meal vs. human grade chicken

Human grade chicken provides higher quality nutrition than chicken meal. 

This is because human grade chicken is prepared from fresh chicken that is gently dehydrated at lower temperatures. This results in a meal that is packed with essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. 

Chicken meal, on the other hand, comes with very few nutrients. The very high temperatures used in making chicken meal strip it from most nutrients. 

To be sure, chicken meal offers way higher levels of protein, compared to human grade chicken. Chicken meal has 65% of protein, compared to 18% of the protein in human grade chicken. 

Still, as discussed earlier in this article, not all chicken proteins are created equal. Specifically, chicken meal is more difficult to digest by dogs than human grade chicken. 

In short, if you want to give your dog the same quality chicken you’d find at your grocery store, then feed your dog human grade chicken. When serving your doggy human grade chicken, you can be confident that your pet is receiving optimal nutrition.   

How do you know if there is chicken meal in your dog food?

All commercial pet foods should be labeled to certify that they meet AAFCO standards. 

Also, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), dog foods that meet AAFCO standards provide all the nutrients dogs need for a complete diet.

Furthermore, FDA requires pet food producers to label food ingredients in order of declining weight.

This is why the first ingredient on the list contributes the most to the dry weight of the food. The second ingredient contributes less and so on. 

So if you’re interested in foods containing chicken meal, you’ll usually find it listed as “chicken meal”. And if chicken meal is high on the list, it usually means it’s a primary ingredient. 

Chicken meal usually comes with other quality ingredients, such as grains, vegetables, and even natural chicken. 

Here is an example of what other ingredients may come with chicken meal: 

• Chicken meal
• Grains (e.g. rice or barley)
• Vegetables (e.g. peas or carrots)
• Fats (e.g. fish oil or chicken fat)
• Natural chicken (or chicken liver)  

5 healthy protein alternatives to chicken meal

As discussed earlier, natural foods are easier to digest for your dog than highly processed foods such as chicken meal. 

Your dog will also get more essential nutrients from natural meats compared to chicken meal.  

Here are 5 high-quality protein alternatives to chicken meal:  

Beef (heart)

Beef heart comes with a large amount of taurine, which can help keep your dog’s heart healthy.  

Beef heart also contains collagen and elastin that help maintain healthy joints. 

Beef heart also helps build muscle, store energy, and boost endurance and stamina. 

Salmon 

Salmon contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that can greatly improve your dog’s skin and reduce inflammation. 

Rabbit

Rabbit meat is considered a novel protein. The meat has hypoallergenic properties that are very helpful to dogs with allergies.

Duck (necks)

Duck necks can greatly improve your dog’s skin, joints, and cellular functions. Duck necks are also great at maintaining healthy teeth and bones. 

Chicken (necks)

Chicken necks are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin. These ingredients are essential to your dog’s health. They can help keep your dog healthy and active regardless of age. They can also contribute to healthy joint function and a reduced risk of inflammation. 

Frequently asked questions

What is chicken meal in dog food?

Chicken meal is a rendered, high-protein powder made of chicken flesh, skin, and sometimes bones. 

Is all chicken meal the same? 

No, some chicken meals are better than others. 

For example, some chicken meals can be made from chicken breasts that are also safe for human consumption, whereas other meals can be made from 4D chicken meat which can come from dead, dying, diseases, or disabled chickens. This type of meat is lower in quality compared to normal chicken breasts and is not suitable for human consumption. 

Is chicken meal good for my dog?

Yes, chicken meal is great for most dogs. Still, if you wish to provide your dog with the highest quality chicken meat, consider human grade chicken. 

Is chicken meal as nutritious as regular chicken?

No, chicken meal is less nutritious than normal chicken. This is because the very high temperatures that are used to prepare chicken meal remove many essential nutrients.  

Which food has more proteins, chicken meal or regular chicken? 

Chicken meal has more protein than normal chicken, as reported by Chewy in their article “The Real Deal on Protein Meal“. Chicken meal contains 65% protein, compared to 18% protein in normal chicken. 

Is chicken meal as easily absorbed and digested by dogs as normal chicken? 

No, highly processed foods, such as chicken meal, are not as easily absorbed and digested as normal chicken. 

What is better regular chicken or chicken meal?

Normal chicken will provide your dog with a higher quality of nutrients compared to chicken meal.  

Is chicken meal real chicken? 

Yes, chicken meal is real chicken that has been dried and ground down to a powder. 

Is chicken meal the same as chicken byproducts? 

No, chicken meal is not the same as chicken byproducts. Chicken meal is made from quality chicken parts that are suitable for human consumption. Chicken byproducts, on the other hand, are made from less desirable parts of the chicken which are unsuitable for human consumption.   

Will my dog like chicken meal? 

If your dog likes chicken, it’ll like chicken meal. This is because chicken meal is simply dried powder made of chicken flesh, skin, and sometimes bones.  

What are the best protein alternatives to chicken meal? 

The best protein alternatives to chicken meal are salmon, rabbit, duck (necks), chicken (necks), and beef (heart). 

What is chicken meal in dog food? Final word

You wanted to know: What is chicken meal in dog food? 

The short answer is: Chicken meal in dog food is a high-protein, dried powder made of chicken flesh, skin, and sometimes bones. 

But there is more you need to know!

This is why this article also told you everything about:

• What’s really inside chicken meal?
• Is chicken meal the same as chicken byproducts?
• Is chicken meal good for your dog?

To summarise, chicken meal is not necessarily bad for your dog.

But it’s not perfect either. 

This is because:

• The extremely high temperatures used in making chicken meal remove many essential nutrients. 
• Also, many chicken meals contain meat from dead, dying, diseased, or disabled chickens. This means that chicken meal may contain trace amounts of antibiotics, steroids, medications, and euthanasia drugs. 

So if you want to feed your dog with the best possible chicken meal, make sure to always buy dog food from reputable dog food manufacturers. 

Still, if you want to provide your doggy with optimal nutrition, try human grade chicken. In addition to protein, human grade chicken is packed with all the essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.