What does mg/kg in AAFCO's nutritional guidelines mean?
In AAFCO's nutritional guidelines the minimum quantities for iron(adult minimum), for instance is expressed as 40 mg/kg. Does that mean that a dog should eat at least 40 mg of iron for every 1 kilogram of dry matter food? Or, does it mean that a dog should eat at least the quantity of iron of 40 mg times his/her weight in kilograms?
In case it is the latter, do those values indicate quantities that should be eaten per day?
the guidelines
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THE trick with understanding the tables and knowing what is available in a raw diet (from global nutrient tables is that many of the minerals in the aafco tables are expressed as mg/kg. While meat and offal nutrient tables are just expressed as mg, micro grams etc per 100g or food.
"Minimum recommended daily amount of a tabled nutrient in mg/kg of DRY food consumed." Ref 5.
% Affco conversions
Example: Affco has minimum requirement (adult maintenance of) 0.6% Calcium.
100g Beef has 6 mg Calcium per 100g, Beef is 70.5% water.
That means the Calcium % in Dry beef is:
(6/ 100,000) x 100 x (100/(100-70.5))
= 0.006 x 3.38 = 0.02% well below the 0.6% minimum requirement. That is of course why we add raw bone to their diet, and make sure that the Ca:P ratio is correct. More on that later.
This aafco value (mg/kg) Calculation
Example: Affco has minimum requirement (adult maintenance of) 80mg/kg Iron. (NCA is 32 mg/kg)
100g Beef has 2.4 mg Iron per 100g, Beef is 70.5% water.
That means the Iron mg/Kg in Dry beef is:
(2.4 x 10) x (100/(100-70.5))
= 24 x 3.38 = 81.12 mg/kg Close to the AAFCO minimum requirement.
check
www.healthydogtreats.com.au/dog-treats-articles/131-dog-food-vitamin.html for whole article and references.
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