# Beef? Venison? Bison?



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

We have an opportunity to buy venison, albeit grass fed farm venison and grass fed farm raised bison:

venison trim - (90% muscle meat/10%fat)
venison center cut leg bones - not sure if these are meat loaded
bison liver
bison kidney
venison heart
venison liver
venison lung

I have read on this and other forums and lists that if only one choice of protein were available, venison would be the one chosen...

what i want to know, because this is more expensive than we have set as our 'price point'...

what is it about venison that sets it apart from other proteins?

what about bison?

and are the livers and other organ/muscle meats different from animal to animal? Does a venison liver offer something different than a bison liver, besides the fact that they are different animals?

AND....

if our dogs never get the opportunity to eat bison or venison, are we denying them a nutrition that would benefit them?

detailed answers would be welcome.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

By the way I'm looking for someone to split a case of venison heart with?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

magicre said:


> I have read on this and other forums and lists that if only one choice of protein were available, venison would be the one chosen...


Wild killed venison would be superior to the grass fed variety but grass fed is still very good i suppose. :smile: The reason wild venison would be superior is because the deer ate a natural diet. There are many things in the natrual diet of a deer other than grass.



> what is it about venison that sets it apart from other proteins?


It's one of the few ungulates you can get that has eaten a completely natural diet. It is also the animal, along with elk, moose, caribou and bison that wolves evolved to eat over millions of years. They make up the greatest part of the wild wolf's natural diet. Venison is more available than those other animals.



> and are the livers and other organ/muscle meats different from animal to animal? Does a venison liver offer something different than a bison liver, besides the fact that they are different animals?


They will vary somewhat in nutritional makeup but not a lot as all those ahimals have similar diets.



> if our dogs never get the opportunity to eat bison or venison, are we denying them a nutrition that would benefit them?


Yes, but not so much so that you will be able to tell. It's just that prey animals that spent their entire lives eating a natural diet will have more nutrition in their meat. For example, wild animals such as the ones we have discussed here have a good amount of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Farm raised animals are notoriously devoid of O3's. The chickens, turkeys, cows, and pigs we normally feed our dogs don't have much if any O3s in their meat. Thats why we are so insistant on feeding some salmon and other fish to get those O3s. If you feed a lot of wild animals to your dogs, there is no need to add fish to the diet or supplement with fish oil.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

so, basically, a grass fed piece of venison or grass fed bison offers nothing more nutritious than a grass fed cow?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

magicre said:


> so, basically, a grass fed piece of venison or grass fed bison offers nothing more nutritious than a grass fed cow?


I don't know the answer to that. I'm sure wild venison would be superior to grass fed but not sure if grass fed venison would be better or the same as grass fed cow. Grass is the natural food for a bison isn't it? I think bison and beef are very similar with bison having less fat which is better for humans but not so much so for dogs.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

they're only offering bison liver and kidney, i think...not the meat...

keeping in mind that we live in tree hugger land.....i'm told the venison is free to range acres and acres....grass fed, grass finished....so even if it's not wild....certainly, it's less expensive than if bought retail....

the heart, the liver and the trim (90% meat/ 10% fat) is what we'll go with...in spite of the expense.....because, well, grass fed/finished anything is better than what i can get at the store..and the bison kidney and liver....is a great deal...at 75 cents a pound...

the grass fed/grass finished beef we bought....1.60/lb......it's prettier than what we eat...and our price point is higher because we have smaller dogs...

thanks for the help..


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Re, at .75lb you can't find a better deal, and luckily you found someone to split cases with. We really get the best deals for grass fed everything, and all meat that is only grass fed, not grain fed is higher in omega 3's


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> Re, at .75lb you can't find a better deal, and luckily you found someone to split cases with. We really get the best deals for grass fed everything, and all meat that is only grass fed, not grain fed is higher in omega 3's


exactly...although, my bad....it's the liver that's .75 per pound, the kidney is a little more...

it's a once a year offer...and that is what i was thinking...anything grass fed/grass finished is going to be a better product than grocery store...it'll be their once a year treat....


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

whiteleo said:


> By the way I'm looking for someone to split a case of venison heart with?


Did you get my PM?


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