The recommended guidelines for a PMR diet is 75-80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organs, and 0-5% animal based fiber. Franken Prey is another term used for raw feeders who follow PMR ratio guidelines but do not feed whole, intact prey animals.
Instead, a variety of ingredients are used to complete ratio guidelines. Meals can consist of multiple protein sources and different ingredients in a single feeding.
The recommended guidelines for a BARF diet consists of 70% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ, 2% seeds or nuts, and 1% fruit.
Muscle Meat
PMR diets consist of raw muscle meat to provide essential protein, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins. The muscle meat ratio guideline starts at 75-80% of the overall daily intake.
It is important to note the muscle meat ratio does not mean to feed muscle meat exclusively. This ratio is a large category containing multiple ingredients such as saturated fat for energy and muscular organs, such as heart muscle meat.
Raw, edible bone
Soft, raw edible bones are an important component to PMR diets to provide essential calcium, phosphorous, and other essential nutrients. The raw edible bone ratio guideline starts at 10% of the overall daily intake.
The amount of raw meaty bones a dog may need to maintain firm and consistent stool will vary. The 10% ratio is a starting guideline. However, many dogs do well on 12% to 15% raw edible bone content. Always adjust according to the dog’s individual needs.
Liver
Liver is an important ingredient in PMR diets as it provides essential fat-soluble vitamin A and water-soluble vitamins. The liver ratio guideline starts at 5% of the overall daily intake.
The 5% liver ratio is a starting guideline and this amount of liver provides more than recommended allowances for vitamin A. For dogs who are sensitive to organs, feeding as low at 2% liver will still provide essential vitamin A.
Other Secreting Organs
Other secreting organs, such as kidney or spleen, are beneficial ingredients in PMR diets to provide essential minerals and water-soluble vitamins. The other organ ratio guideline starts at 5% of the overall daily intake.
Other secreting organs are beneficial in completing essential nutrient requirements for dogs. The 5% ratio guideline is a starting recommendation, and more or less, a secreting organ can be fed to complete nutritional requirements.
Animal Based Insoluble Fiber
PMR ratio guidelines fail to include fiber-based foods, which would be present in true whole prey feeding. Therefore, including an animal-based fiber source to Franken Prey feeding methods is recommended. Foods that include fur or feathers provide insoluble fiber to the diet to promote colon health.
Traditional PMR ratios do not provide an animal-based fiber ratio guideline. However, 2 to 5% by weight of “furry” or “feathered” ingredients is a good recommendation to include in daily meals. This will help provide 1-2% fiber in the diet. Be sure to account for any bone and meat that is also provided by the furry ingredients.
It is important to note that the 2-5% ratio refers to the furry ingredients as a whole, which will also include the skin and tissue in the weight. Do not feed the weight in fur or feathers alone. Appropriate sources of fur can include: rabbit feet, rabbit ears, rabbit heads, feathered poultry heads or legs, raw or safely dried animal skin with fur.
When furry or feathered ingredients are not accessible, it is recommended to include a fiber source such as psyllium husk in PMR diets at 1.25 tsp per pound of food.
Optional others (BARF)
The recommended guidelines for a BARF diet consists of 70% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ, 2% seeds or nuts, and 1% fruit.
BARF diet feeding ratios are slightly different from PMR diet ratios to include vegetables, seeds, and fruit. Adding vegetables, seeds and nuts, and fruits to a dog’s diet provides many benefits, but prove useful when formulating a complete and balanced raw diet.
Vegetables
Vegetables are beneficial ingredients in BARF diets to provide essential nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals. The vegetable ratio guideline starts at 7% of the overall daily intake.
Vegetables are beneficial in completing essential nutrient requirements for dogs. The 7% ratio guideline is a starting recommendation, and more or less vegetables can be fed to complete nutritional requirements.
Seeds & Nuts
Raw seeds and nuts are beneficial ingredients in BARF diets to provide essential minerals, fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins. The raw seed and nut ratio guideline starts at 2% of the overall daily intake.
Seeds and nuts are beneficial for completing essential nutrient requirements for dogs, but they must be pre-soaked and ground for feeding. Raw nuts and seeds contain phytates which are anti-nutrients that can negatively affect nutritional balance. Soaking raw seeds and nuts reduce phytates and grinding promotes optimal digestion. The 2% ratio guideline is a starting recommendation, and more or less can be fed to complete nutritional requirements.
Fruit
Fruit includes beneficial ingredients in BARF diets to provide antioxidants, but they are fed in small amounts due to their sugar levels. The fruit ratio guideline starts at 1% of the overall daily intake.
