Raw food and liver

[karen488]

Am feeding DAF. I know it's not complete and need to supplement bone and liver. The bone is easy enough but the liver is a faff as I need to cook it slightly for them (so that they eat it) Is it OK to feed 1/10 meals as just liver to make up the 10% or does it need to be added to every meal? Are some livers better than others or are they all the same?
Thanks.

[MaggieR]

With raw its about balance over a period of time - so as long as they're getting the various things they need over the course of say a month thats fine.  What you might find tho is they struggle with that much liver in one go  might bring on some runny poo's.  With Maggie I tend to add small amounts of liver chopped up and mixed into the mince so she doesn't really notice.  She won't each great chunks of that or kidney, but is ok with them just disguised in the mince...
I've tried her on chicken livers and lamb. No real difference for me....

[elaine.e]

Neither of mine are too keen on liver or kidney, so I add a small amount mixed in with other meat about once or twice a week. I buy it fresh, chop it into portions of about 100gms (it's for 2 dogs, so about 50gms or 1/3 of a meal each) and freeze it.

Louis still picks pieces out and spits them onto the floor sometimes though

[Sharon]

Mine have mainly raw, but put liver in it they either spit it out or a few tiny pieces and it goes straight through them, so I've stopped buying it.

[Pop-Star]

Poppy wasn't keen on liver or kidneys to being with, so I tried feeding it still frozen (so a good chew too) and now she just gets on with it however it comes

Dried liver treats are also a great way of getting your dog to eat liver, I made the ones discussed in this thread and Poppy LOVES them, in fact all the dogs at training look at me very intently now 

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=98374.0

[Karma]

I feed a meal of raw liver approx 1:10 meals... we did build up slowly, though...  I used to have to mince it and mix with minced tripe - I persevered, cos I know the liver is very important to the balance of a raw diet, and she does now eat the whole thing as it comes from the packet!!
However Honey will only eat New Zealand Lambs liver (seriously.... if we accidentally pick up a pack of British Lamb's Liver she won't touch it...).  So it's worth trying to see what yours will tolerate the best!
 

[7733lily]

the only thing I would say is its GENERALLY recommended that 10% of the diet is offal of which liver SHOULD NOT be more than 5% as it is high in Vit A and too much Vit A can cause health issues over time

Some people prefer to feed even less liver, around 2% which is what I do...my boys are fed 30kg a month between them so I buy a 400g pack of liver a month and give it to them a couple of times a week mixed with the rest of their food as liver on its own gives them loose poo

[Karma]

the only thing I would say is its GENERALLY recommended that 10% of the diet is offal of which liver SHOULD NOT be more than 5% as it is high in Vit A and too much Vit A can cause health issues over time

Some people prefer to feed even less liver, around 2% which is what I do...my boys are fed 30kg a month between them so I buy a 400g pack of liver a month and give it to them a couple of times a week mixed with the rest of their food as liver on its own gives them loose poo

Actually everything I have read is that 10% should be glandular offal of which liver should be AT LEAST 5%.  Though a google search prompted by your post has brought up a lot of sites suggesting what you have said... possibly this is something that has changed since I made the switch to raw.   
Honey won't eat Kidney... and I can't source any other offal, so we'll continue as we are... but I have to say, if I could get her to eat kidney, I would.   

[KellyT]

Am feeding DAF. I know it's not complete and need to supplement bone and liver. The bone is easy enough but the liver is a faff as I need to cook it slightly for them (so that they eat it) Is it OK to feed 1/10 meals as just liver to make up the 10% or does it need to be added to every meal? Are some livers better than others or are they all the same?
Thanks.

karen, some of the DAF minces are 'complete' as in the ratio 80% meat 10% bone and 10% offal - at least thats what the DAF supplier I was buying from told me.

Initially my 3 couldn't handle just liver, they'd swallow it whole and sick it back up  , now they are ok with small pieces of liver which I give to them as a 'dessert' after 1 meal each week.  I can't manage to get any kidneys whole 

[7733lily]

the only thing I would say is its GENERALLY recommended that 10% of the diet is offal of which liver SHOULD NOT be more than 5% as it is high in Vit A and too much Vit A can cause health issues over time

Some people prefer to feed even less liver, around 2% which is what I do...my boys are fed 30kg a month between them so I buy a 400g pack of liver a month and give it to them a couple of times a week mixed with the rest of their food as liver on its own gives them loose poo

Actually everything I have read is that 10% should be glandular offal of which liver should be AT LEAST 5%.  Though a google search prompted by your post has brought up a lot of sites suggesting what you have said... possibly this is something that has changed since I made the switch to raw.   
Honey won't eat Kidney... and I can't source any other offal, so we'll continue as we are... but I have to say, if I could get her to eat kidney, I would.   

It is very confusing as there is a lot of conflicting info out there 

[karen488]

Thanks for replies. Not sure about sourcing other offal  I had thought about the high vitamin A. Will try to get it balanced. Thanks re DAF Kelly, will check, have bought some that contain liver but am not sure about the others..