Horizon Labradors

TLC contains four sources of animal protein.  In addition to chicken, TLC includes lamb meal, chicken meal and salmon meal.   

Our meat meals originate from Canadian (chicken and salmon) and New Zealand (lamb) producers.  Both our fresh chicken and meals come from the human consumption chain, so quality is excellent.  None of the meals in TLC include byproducts, animal waste (feathers, heads, feet and entrails) or 4D (dead, dying, disabled, diseased) animals or other contaminants, as these are rejected from the plants that process chickens in the human chain.   The meat meals only contain the animal listed, meaning chicken meal is 100% chicken.

TLC utilizes meat meals due to their excellent source of quality protein and nutrition.   Lamb, chicken, and salmon meats are some of the best pet food ingredients available.  They contain over 90% digestible protein, low ash and valuable amino acids.    The rendering process used to create the meat meals does not remove the nutritional values of the original fresh meat.  TLC’s animal meals are essentially identical to their fresh equivalents, but simply have the water removed prior to cooking.   

TLC also utilizes meat meals because they can be used at much greater amounts than fresh meat.  This is due to the low moisture content (about 5%) of meat meals compared to 70% water found in fresh meats.   The same quantity of meat meal has approximately 4-5 times the nutrients as the same weight of fresh meat due to the differences in moisture.   In foods that contain only fresh meat, the formula must offset the weight of the water removed in the cooking, meaning you may be receiving most of your protein from the formula’s plant ingredients, such as potatoes or tapioca. 

Rather than differentiating between fresh meat and meat meals, when seeking to judge the quality of the meats it is more prudent to look at their origins and any additives.    For example, unlike many pet foods, the salmon meal and salmon oil used in TLC is guaranteed ethoxyquin-free.   This preservative, originally used in the production of car tires, has begun creeping into pet food meat ingredients, especially fish.   It is important to ask your pet food supplier if they use ethoxyquin in their fish ingredients.    All of the meats used in TLC, regardless of fresh or meal origin are from the human-grade chain in Canada and New Zealand, never from China, always naturally preserved with vitamin E and rosemary extract, ensuring the best nutrition and protein we can provide for our customers’ pets and our own.