Alnutrin vs BITR

[kristininn]

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about Alnutrin versus Better in the Raw?

I know many of you use BITR and like it quite a bit. My concern is that I would need to buy the 2lb bag @ 66.95$ to make the amount of food my boys eat in one month. Add the cost of meat, and it figures out to be about $180 a month - not much less than what I am spending now on pre-made for breakfast/lunch and frankenprey for dinner...

Alnutrin, on the other hand, costs $25.65 (with shipping) to make the same amount of food (40 lbs). Here's a link to the information on the product one uses if mixing with boneless meat: A Guide To A Balanced, Homemade Cat Food - Alnutrin Supplements

These prices seem so disparate!
Am I missing something here??
Is Alnurtin missing something?

 

[Gizasmom]

I read that one to... I'm not sure all I know is that is super cheap, makes me wonder how organic or pure their ingredients are.... Maybe someone we know more.

 

[assibassi]

i do Bitr and i dont spend 180 Dollars a Month . The pack that cost me 60 Dollars lasts me i would say, about 3 months or more. The Meat I buy comes to about 7 dollars every 2 weeks. So I think i pay like a dollar or 2 a day for the total Foodcost.
Where before with the Canfood and Dry i bought , i paid every 2 Weeks 80 dollars.

 

[Franksmom]

I just got the 2 lb bag and I pay $1.99 a lb for ground turkey. I use between 4 and 5 lbs a week. How much are you feeding them? I also give chicken necks and hearts too for lunch once or twice a week. I'm going to check out this other stuff to see how that is.

 

[kristininn]

My boys eat a lot: 6-7 oz for Winnie (who is at the weight he should be and has maintained it for months eating this amount) and Henry who eats 9-10oz (he's a kitten still). That's a pound of food a day.

I do buy organic meat at wholefoods - about $6 a pound - so that adds to the cost. If I add dark meat - about $4 a pound - I can get 31 lbs for about $150. Add 2/3 of the 2lb bag of BITR and that = $180...

Good point about the quality of the Alnutrin. No sense buying the best meat I can find if I add in a suppliment of questionable quality. I think I'll give the company a call...

Is BITR organic?

 

[susi794]

Well here are the two sets of ingredients:
Alnutrin:
Ingredients: Egg yolk powder, calcium carbonate,
taurine, iodized salt, vitamin E,
iron amino acid chelate, copper citrate,
manganese amino acid chelate, zinc oxide,
vitamin D3, folic acid,
vitamin B12, vitamin B1

Better in the Raw
Egg yolk, calcium lactate, liver powder, gelatin,
whey protein concentrate, psyllium husks,
EFA from fish, taurine, kelp, barley grass powder,
Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E succinate.

*The difference between calcium lactate and calcium carbonate is that calcium lactate is better absorbed than calcium carbonate--so one point for BITR.
* Egg yolk and egg yolk powder??? Maybe they are the same thing?--so a tie I think.
* Both have taurine--enough?
* Both have vitamin E.
The Alnutrin has a lot of minerals in it....BITR doesn't. Are these essential items?


Boy, I don't know....I would copy these ingredients down and ask a vet. Or a holistic vet would be even better. Please let us know.....I am interested.

 

[saymayusf]

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about Alnutrin versus Better in the Raw?

I know many of you use BITR and like it quite a bit. My concern is that I would need to buy the 2lb bag @ 66.95$ to make the amount of food my boys eat in one month. Add the cost of meat, and it figures out to be about $180 a month - not much less than what I am spending now on pre-made for breakfast/lunch and frankenprey for dinner...

Alnutrin, on the other hand, costs $25.65 (with shipping) to make the same amount of food (40 lbs). Here's a link to the information on the product one uses if mixing with boneless meat: A Guide To A Balanced, Homemade Cat Food - Alnutrin Supplements

These prices seem so disparate!
Am I missing something here??
Is Alnurtin missing something?

I order meat from Hare-today.com. The supplement they offer is the Alnutrin. I think there are two reason why the BITR is more expensive.

1) BITR is for ground meat right? With no bone? This means BITR reds I make up for no bone in the meat. Since the Alnutrin is for meat/organ/bone mixes, they don't need as much supplement to provide a full array of nutrients. It is $24 to mix with 35 pounds of meat

2) I just went to the BITR site, and yes it is $66 to order mix for 40 pounds of meat. In bold it says "price includes shipping". The $24 for alnutrin does not include shipping and is for mixing with 5 pounds less than the BITR. I don't think it's less quality, I think these things just weren't factored in when comparing the two products.

 

[saymayusf]

Also I just watched the BITR video and it says to use 1/2 cup of the supplement per 3 pounds of meat. Alnutrin uses 3 small scoops of supplement per 3 pounds of food (much much less than half a cup)

I'm sure either one are great for our naked friends. Just need to look at the fine print before assuming the "cheaper" supplement is not as good. There are many factors that go into play with these. I personally love using raw meat/bone/organs - I know he's getting real bone as well as supplement.

 

[kristininn]

I order meat from Hare-today.com. The supplement they offer is the Alnutrin. I think there are two reason why the BITR is more expensive.

1) BITR is for ground meat right? With no bone? This means BITR reds I make up for no bone in the meat. Since the Alnutrin is for meat/organ/bone mixes, they don't need as much supplement to provide a full array of nutrients. It is $24 to mix with 35 pounds of meat

2) I just went to the BITR site, and yes it is $66 to order mix for 40 pounds of meat. In bold it says "price includes shipping". The $24 for alnutrin does not include shipping and is for mixing with 5 pounds less than the BITR. I don't think it's less quality, I think these things just weren't factored in when comparing the two products.

The Alnutrin I've linked to above is for use with meat only, Alnutrin with calcium, as opposed to the variety they sell for meat/organ/bone. And it makes 40 lbs (@ $26) just as BITR makes 40 lbs @ $66.95. So it really does seem to be the same in terms of type and volume.

Thanks for the info on the calcium, Susi! Any thoughts on nutritional grade bone meal?

I wish it was easy to pick a suppliment! Part of me is leaning towards making my own, ie using one of the recipes online... I still worry about getting the proper calcium/phosphorous ratio though.

 

[susi794]

The Alnutrin I've linked to above is for use with meat only, Alnutrin with calcium, as opposed to the variety they sell for meat/organ/bone. And it makes 40 lbs (@ $26) just as BITR makes 40 lbs @ $66.95. So it really does seem to be the same in terms of type and volume.

Thanks for the info on the calcium, Susi! Any thoughts on nutritional grade bone meal?

I wish it was easy to pick a suppliment! Part of me is leaning towards making my own, ie using one of the recipes online... I still worry about getting the proper calcium/phosphorous ratio though.

I was confused as to whether it passed the US standards for pet food. It spoke about it, along with some other agencies.....but I was confused. If it meets or exceeds the standards, I'd give it a try. The price difference is great. And if Hare Today uses it, it must be ok....Hare Today has been in business for a long time.....doesn't make sense that they would endorse/use something that was substandard. Using a supplement is supposed to take away the worry about getting the right ratio.
I think bone meal is a bad idea....too high in phosphorous. Read this: http://www.petgrub.com/print_this_page/the_importance_of_calcium_in_natural_homemade_pet_food

This article recommends buying ground egg shells instead--or doing your own. There are a million differing opinions out there....it's tough to know what to do.

 

[Franksmom]

Keep us posted on what you find out and how your cats like it. My cats love and eat BitR so I will be sticking with it for now

 

[Gizasmom]

Keep up the good detective work suz! Cause I would love to pay their prices!!!

 

[saymayusf]

The Alnutrin I've linked to above is for use with meat only, Alnutrin with calcium, as opposed to the variety they sell for meat/organ/bone. And it makes 40 lbs (@ $26) just as BITR makes 40 lbs @ $66.95. So it really does seem to be the same in terms of type and volume.

Thanks for the info on the calcium, Susi! Any thoughts on nutritional grade bone meal?

I wish it was easy to pick a suppliment! Part of me is leaning towards making my own, ie using one of the recipes online... I still worry about getting the proper calcium/phosphorous ratio though.

Oh sorry! I have never seen Alnutrin except for the one meant for meat/bone/organ. My bad!

 

[Rwalkerg]

I'm a little concerned that Alnutrin lists "Zinc Oxide" in its ingredients... I was under the impression that zinc was/or can be potentially harmful for cats (hence the no suncscreen issue)? I know its one of those "if taken in excess" type of things, but feeding 2-3 times a day, everyday, wouldnt that be a lot of the mineral?

IF its not a huge deal, I would love to try it out. I see they offer a free sample, and would love to pay about 1/2 of what I am for BITR.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

I did a trial of BITR and my cats liked it, but it'd be too expensive for me to continue since it'd be the same situation for me: the one package would only last me about a month. A comparable product for less would be wonderful!

 

[Xandria]

Sorry for dredging this post up (the evil necroposting!), but I'm wondering if anyone ever found out why Allnutrin adds those extra minerals (especially the zinc)?

 

[cfc]

From my understanding of Zinc in cat food (I have done a lot of nutritional training)

Zinc is a trace element required by cats for the digestive system, in low dose only too much Zinc can cause Zinc poising (same as in humans).

Not enough Zinc, can lead to poor coat, dry and flakey skin & skin irritation.

Too much Zinc can lead to diarehea, vomiting and death. However I have never heard of this occurring in any animal for just the food they ingest. (it would take deliberate poisoning or overdosing supplements, many of which for the digestive system contain Zinc, at a much higher rate than food)

I am not smart enough to tell you the exact amount of Zinc that a cat requires sorry, but it isn't anything I would be too concerned about being in the food.

 

[Xandria]

Thanks much!