By Nature

[lacy]

Anyone use By Nature, made by Blue Seal???

[sylvia]

I got some kibble and wet samples in pouches at a dog show about 3 weeks ago. The vendor was telling everyone was the food was very safe, USA grown or processed, etc. About 2 or 3 days later I decided to try some but when I read the wet  pouches it was all from China. I see nothing to indicate the kibble is made there. I did email them and it took a week but I got an answer that basically said they were sorry I did not get accurate info. It turned me off but the ingredients on the kibble bags seem okay. I won't use it though. They do have a site and eventually answer emails. I did not try to call. Hope that helps.

[lacy]

Woh. I wont be using them! Thanks Sylvia!

[CC]

I really liked the look of the canned cat food (mainly meat and well water).  I emailed them over a week ago for more info, like the detailed guaranteed analysis, and haven't got anything but a standard "not affected by menu foods recall" autoreply.

hmmph...

[CC]

Second email did the trick--I got a detailed guaranteed analysis and nice apology from the company.  I'll post it later if I have time.

[TinaB]

My e-mail was bounced back as "mailbox full" when I sent it asking where the canned was made.  So, I called again today and got thru.  The person was very vaque and said it was made by "one of their partners" in the US.  I said I couldn't believe he didn't know which one as there apparently aren't that many.  I said it was clearly stated that the Blue Seal was made at Menu foods, but the website conveniently doesn't say where By Natures is made.   I said a lot of people are wanting to know this before they order and he said that their food is flying off the shelves even without people knowing that info.    SO, beware buyers.   It seems very fishy that he couldn't tell me who makes their canned By Natures products.   Please stop buying this food until they disclose that info, otherwise, they apparently think hiding the information is working just fine!!! 

[TinaB]

Blue Seal called me back and it is made by Evangers in IL, so I have tried a few cans.   It is nice and meaty without all the vegetables like other manufacturers but my kitties aren't just scarfing it down either.   I think it is too different than what they are used to.

[CC]

They did send me a detailed guaranteed analysis in response to my request.  I can't think how to post it all here without retyping since it is an excel spreadsheet.  Here are representative values for the canned cat food, organic turkey and turkey liver flavor:

Protein 10%
Fat 8%
Carbs (sic) 1%
Calcium 0.55%
Phosphorus 0.40%
Magnesium 0.04%
Ash 2.5%
Moisture 78%

Looks pretty good on paper--my only concerns are: 1. slightly high magnesium for a former struvite crystals cat, and 2. carbs are not the same as fiber--I've got to think the 1% they report refers to fiber content.  I tend to use this as a shortcut to buying low-carb foods, but I even I know you can do more exact calculations, see:

http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/foodfaq.html

But, as I say, it looks pretty good on paper, and I might give it a try. It's so hard to find truly carnivorous canned foods.

[jenny]

Typically I've subtracted the amount of moisture to get the amount of dry matter (100-78 = 22 % dry matter).  Then divide out to get the % comparisons for dry matter.  This has been very helpful in comparing various foods. 
For example:          10/22 % = 45.5 %  protein (good - I look for 45 - 50%)
                                6/22 % =  27.3 % fat (this is from the can, you have 8% listed)
                             2.5/22 % = 11.4 %  ash
                             1.5/22 % =   6.8 %  fiber (from the can)
                              1  / 22    =    4.5 % carb 
                               total       = 95.5 % (their total %'s only equal 99 w/moisture) 
If the ash number doesn't include calcium, phosphorous and magnesium, that would pretty much make up the difference.
                 
NFE is the difference:  100 – water – crude protein – Ether Extract (fat) – Crude Fiber – Ash (minerals) = NFE Starches, sugars & all soluble carbohydrates  (source JVMA 2002 article)
 
Thanks for posting the info - I've been using it for just a short while now and was curious about the calcium, phosporus, mangesium in particular.

FYI - I saw your link showed how to calculate calories -my information shows their food is 25 kcal/oz which would be 150 kcal/6 oz can.  As mentioned on your link, it's important to know your cat's metabolism.  Through careful measuring of food and monitoring of weight, for example, I've established that my largest cat is at 30 kcal/kg of weight or 13.5 kcal/lb of weight.  About 4 weeks ago we started on a weight loss plan so knowing this has really helped.  My other large cat is just slightly higher numbers.  My small cat, though, is very close to double these numbers.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jacm2/id1.html

[empire]

If Evangers makes it, why all the secrecy on their parts. I really dont understand some companies.  I would like to purchase more by nature, but will wait now.

[Davis]

....when I read the wet  pouches it was all from China.

So, if it's made by Evangers, then what was this China thing all about?

[lacy]

Hmm..Im guessing maybe the pouches are from China? And Canned from Evangers? Who knows?

[sylvia]

"This thing about China" is as I stated on April 26. I was given free samples of By Nature at a dog show in Ocean county, NJ. The wet pouches were clearly labeled CHINA. The dried was not and as I also stated no cans were distributed.  Hope that clears the whole thing up.
Who at By Nature confirmed the cans are made by Evanger?  Last I knew there was no information on who makes the kibble.

[sylvia]

Out of curiosity I tried to find who  does make By Nature and and got this far anyway. By Nature is part of Blue Seal Feeds which is a subsidiary of Muscatine Foods Corp. Kent Feeds is under the Muscatine umbrella and makes Blue Seal biscuits for dogs. Blackwood and Ohio Foods are also in there somewhere but I still could not find where the kibble is actually processed and bagged. Same for the cans. Maybe someone with more time can keep tracking through these industries to a definitive answer. Good luck!

[lacy]

Sylvia,
This was the email I got.
Hi Lacy,

We have our organic canned formulas made for us by Evangers, a small, family-owned cannery located in Illinois.

If you have any questions or need more information, please let me know.

Tedd Ellis, Vice President
Consumer Brands Division
Blue Seal

Does by nature have pouches? Im guessing on the info we both have that if they do, they are made in China, and canned at Evangers? If they dont have pouches....then I am lost.