Ground Turkey Bone

Turkey processing leaves bones after meat is removed. Raw food makers grind the bones and mix them into recipes with meat and organs. The bones supply minerals and put a processing leftover to use.^4,8,9

1. 01 // Source Turkey bones Meat processing separates bones from the meat sold for other uses.
2. 02 // Process Ground fine A seller describes its turkey and bone mixture as finely ground, with bone distributed through the meat.
3. 03 // Process Mixed with turkey One raw recipe lists ground turkey bone separately from turkey meat, heart and liver.
4. 04 // Output Ground turkey bone The ground bone is incorporated into raw food sold frozen or freeze dried.

1. 01

   Supplies recipe minerals

   Bone contributes calcium and phosphorus to a meat and organ mixture. The maker must still balance the finished food for the life stage named on its label.^4,6

2. 02

   Uses processing leftovers

   Bones left after meat separation become an ingredient instead of waste. Bone meal is also used in place of separately sourced calcium and phosphorus ingredients.⁴

3. 03

   Distributes bone through food

   Grinding lets makers blend bone into a turkey recipe. The dog eats it with the food, rather than spending time chewing a whole bone.^2,8,9

4. 04

   Supports a raw recipe

   Raw food makers can list ground bone separately from turkey meat and organs, showing which ingredient contributes much of the recipe's calcium and phosphorus.^4,9

How much One turkey and bone grind reports 10 to 12% bone, but that product does not set a typical rate for complete recipes.⁸

1. Brands say

   Bone gives dogs calcium and phosphorus

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A generic raw bone meal sample contains 220 g/kg calcium and 100 g/kg phosphorus on a dry matter basis. Bone supplies both minerals, but those figures do not measure ground turkey bone or prove that a finished food is balanced.^4,6

2. Brands say

   Ground bone firms loose stools

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   An 18-dog high-calcium trial measured a 5.2-fold rise in fecal calcium excretion. It did not test ground turkey bone, stool firmness or treatment of loose stool. There is no dog trial here supporting that claim.¹

3. Brands say

   Ground bone cleans dogs' teeth

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In an 8-dog study, chewing pieces of whole beef bone reduced dental calculus. Ground bone is eaten mixed into food, so the study's chewing effect does not apply to this ingredient.^2,8,9

4. Brands say

   Whole-prey bone makes the diet complete

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   One turkey and bone grind reports 10 to 12% bone yet says it is not a complete meal. Bone contributes minerals; only the finished food's nutritional adequacy statement tells you its intended life stage.^6,8

5. Owners say

   Freezing makes raw bone germ free

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   FDA found Salmonella in 15 of 196 sampled raw pet foods and Listeria in 32. The samples were whole foods, not turkey bone alone. CDC says freezing reduces germs but does not kill them all.^5,7