# Beef Necks



## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I have never really thought about neck bones. I haven't fed them yet, but I just recently heard from another raw feeding group that they are a big "no no". What I have heard from you folks on DFC is on;y to stay away from the weight bearing bones.

So far, the only beef I have been able to score on Craigslist is a TON of soup bones from a local farmer (grass fed and raised *ALMOST* as a pet) with a TON of meat for 50c a lb (bones personally removed, of course). I may have an offer on beef necks coming up and I was wondering (while I will be willing to remove the bones from the meat as they are from the same farmer since I take all of his scraps) if they are, indeed, something to steer away from when giving my dogs bones.

Thanks for all your help.

One more thing: I just ordered a whole, one day old bull calf. It IS safe to feed them the weight bearing bones of bovines this age, yes? ONE DAY OLD. 

Sorry that I always have so many questions. I am still getting the hang of this.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Dude and Bucks Mamma said:


> I have never really thought about neck bones. I haven't fed them yet, but I just recently heard from another raw feeding group that they are a big "no no". What I have heard from you folks on DFC is on;y to stay away from the weight bearing bones.
> 
> So far, the only beef I have been able to score on Craigslist is a TON of soup bones from a local farmer (grass fed and raised *ALMOST* as a pet) with a TON of meat for 50c a lb (bones personally removed, of course). I may have an offer on beef necks coming up and I was wondering (while I will be willing to remove the bones from the meat as they are from the same farmer since I take all of his scraps) if they are, indeed, something to steer away from when giving my dogs bones.
> 
> ...


Don't worry about all the questions, its how you learn all this. We have all been there at some point. I'm a year into raw and still come up with questions! We are all here to help. As far as one day old question, I'm not sure. I've never heard. As far as the neck bones go, I personaly don't feed them because I feel like it is all bone, and little meat. (at least the ones I see in the store are). Some else who knows more will chime in soon and answer better for you.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

The pork neck and beef neck I have access to are very bony also so I don't waste money on that. If you could find really meaty ones they probably would be worth it. As for calf we get the ones that are a couple of days old and my 7 month collie went through most of a leg - they are so young and not heavy like an adult cow/bull that their bones are soft. The ribs and rest of the body are easy chews. I do have one dog who will nto touch it though so don't buy too many until you are sure they will eat it! I am thankful my girls love it or I'd be stuck with 2 calves.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Not sure about beef neck but I feed calf neck and the dogs love them and they are quite meaty as I was surprised. I just ordered 3 of those day old calf and I'm sure my gang can get through those bones just fine and did you notice Jon ordered 10!


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Those are the calfs we did also and the only bone they didn't finish were the little forelegs - but my girls get lazy, I don't think that they were too hard. I love those calves, as three of mine will eat them. They do have a different smelll than the grassfed beef we get though. That is the beef my boy loves.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Liz, did you get beef from the shelton order? Cause I believe she hasn't been able to get her butcher to do any meat for or us, this is why I need to do this calf order as I'm out of beef.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Thanks for that info. Yes I did the Shelton order last year and loved it. I hope we can get more. I will have to buy a couple of calves if there is any question though. Shoot, now I have to get some red meat for my boy - he is 11 and if he doesn't like it I don't push him. Thanks for letting me know.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

seriously? no shelton meat? 

i can't buy anything right now, because my freezers are overflowing...

anyway...i've never fed beef necks...i don't see why you can't...the neck is not a weight bearing bone...

i do feed whole lamb necks....and my little pug works them just fine...can't eat the bone, neither can malia....but they spend a few hours getting the meat off....got them from my co op....sigh, just gave out my last two and i can't remember which supplier got us lamb necks..was that the niman ranch one?

i don't see why you can't feed a whole beef neck....from a baby...


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I think you got Niman ranch lamb necks but I got Sudan farms lamb necks obviously we both like them! Yes, right now it has been posted up a couple times as I've asked and so has someone else about the beef databse based in shelton, and so far Lisa has not gotten any response from her butcher.

I need beef so, 1 day old calves will have to do.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Jess, I know that once I researched it what most people were saying was a big NO NO as far as the neck goes was the cross way cut not the ones cut length wise. (Because of how the bone is cut.)

And as far as the calf...I plan on throwing it at the boys and seeing what they do with it!LOL I kind of assumed that since they are the size of a small/medium goat that the legs would be fine!:smile:


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## Pimzilla (May 1, 2011)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Jess, I know that once I researched it what most people were saying was a big NO NO as far as the neck goes was the cross way cut not the ones cut length wise. (Because of how the bone is cut.)
> 
> And as far as the calf...I plan on throwing it at the boys and seeing what they do with it!LOL I kind of assumed that since they are the size of a small/medium goat that the legs would be fine!:smile:


I won't buy this myself but now you made me curious cause I've seen it mentioned before. How come it's not ok with cross cut necks but with lenght cut?


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Pimzilla said:


> I won't buy this myself but now you made me curious cause I've seen it mentioned before. How come it's not ok with cross cut necks but with lenght cut?


I *think* it be cause of the sharpness of the bones. I know my lamb neck chunks(that are cut length wise) arent sharp...so Im guessing that those cut across are?? Ive never had the ones cut cross wise, so I couldnt really tell you from experience...just from what Ive seen mentioned!!


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

The ones cut across are often just cut too small. Perfect size to choke on. 
I don't see why not on the beef necks if you can get a good deal on them. The neck bones I see in the grocery store seem to have no meat on them, but the ones I buy in bulk are awesome. I get lamb necks for $.40/lb and they have quite a lot of meat on them. Not a whole TON of meat, but enough to make me feel like the price is a good deal. My danes and GSD mix can all eat them fine, but it does take a while. My boxer can't get through them if her life depended on it!


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

PuppyPaws said:


> I get lamb necks for $.40/lb and they have quite a lot of meat on them. Not a whole TON of meat, but enough to make me feel like the price is a good deal. My danes and GSD mix can all eat them fine, but it does take a while. My boxer can't get through them if her life depended on it!


WHERE?? Bring us a couple hundred pounds please!


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

jdatwood said:


> WHERE?? Bring us a couple hundred pounds please!


I do believe that can be arranged. :wink:


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

WOW....$.40/lbs!?!?!?
That is SUCH a stinking great deal!!


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Scarlett_O' said:


> WOW....$.40/lbs!?!?!?
> That is SUCH a stinking great deal!!


I also get "lamb scrap" for that.... it's a lot of fat, and some bone... but also a lot of organs.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> I also get "lamb scrap" for that.... it's a lot of fat, and some bone... but also a lot of organs.


NICE!! LUCKY! My boys are head over heals for lamb right now!LOL


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## DoglovingSenior (Jun 26, 2011)

Hi Dude & Bucks Mamma, I have fed neckbones sine the late 90's. I have great chewers Rotties & a Pit Bull & none have had any problems. The pork neck bones are a part of their raw diet as they dispose of them in about 2-3 minutes. I have the store cut the beef neck bones wider than they ordinarily do. These are a keep'em busy treat The PitBull always manages to get his down to a size that I collect and throwaway. The Rottie not quite as small. Almost the only meat that I will not feed on the bone=turkey wings as they can perforate and turkey necks. I have read too many posts from Rottie owners of losing their dogs in front of their eyes when they could not get the turkey necks that had stuck in their throats. That is when I began keeping Needle nose plyers in the kitchen just in case anything ever sticks in their throat. Keep up your questions I am still learning and have been away from forums for several years.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I too was wondering about beef necks. I just got some beef from my sister and her butcher cuts neck bones. When my parents take them in our butcher doesn't cut them or at least never has. So I got some from her but haven't opened them and they are wrapped in white paper so I can't see them. I will have to open them up and see. I wonder if they would be about the same as you will be getting them from a farmer. I will open them up today and let you know.


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## hamblekg (Feb 1, 2011)

in 11 months of feeding raw this is the first I've heard of Not feeding beef neck bones. The ones I bought in-store had very little meat - they were recreational not feeding. I've since found a meat packer which will sell me for the dogs very meaty beef neck and pork neck bones. My dogs love them. I always supervise dinner or chewing, if some of the pieces get a little too small or don't look "right" I take them away. I wouldn't want to not give these bones - I usually do one meal a week minimum of beef neck bones. ttfn


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Ok I'd say get them. I got out a package and they are very meaty. The bones are a little odd cut though. But Turtle is not a gulper. Gave her one this morning and she did just fine with it. She didn't get through the bone and last I saw Marlo was working on it. Now I don't know what happened to it because it's gone. All the dogs are alive so maybe she ate it or it got buried not sure. If the bones scare you I'd say just cut off the meat. There is allot on there and I would think this farmers would be that way also.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

natural fed dogs- Thanks. Sometimes I feel so clueless when it comes to raw feeding. I am glad to know that no one thinks poorly of me for sounding so... well, clueless!

Liz- We only bought one. That was one of my main concerns. I have heard so many people say that their dogs love beef but won't touch calves! Both my boys (especially Buck) will eat just about anything (except veggies. Buck would rather play with them. I give them a small piece once in a while just to see what their reaction will be. Meat eaters to the core!) so I'm not TOO worried about it, but we'll see. We also don't have the room for more than one, but I just couldn't pass this offer up. The price for these calves are SO good! Also, he sent me pictures of previous butcherings (or whatever the term may be) and circled the neck. It is extremely meaty. He doesn't remove a whole lot from them so I would be getting a ton of meat on them. 

whiteleo-Yes! I did! I would NEVER have the freezer room for all those calves!

Abi- Thanks! The cut of these bones (from previous slaughters of his) don't worry me. They don't have any sharp edges.

PuppyPaws- These are HUGE cuts. If they consisted of meat, they would feed both dogs for the day. Not a choking hazard at all. The more I hear the specifics, the more these necks sound like a must!

jdatwood-I feel the same! I can't find cheap lamb ANYWHERE! If any of you Washingtonians know of some, let me know! This house is in need of a bit more variety!

DogLovingSenior- Thanks! I am still working out my feelings on turkey and all of our meals are supervised so I would probable end up doing the same with the neck bones.

hamblekg-I hear many various things from people. When I hear contradicting information or something that I am just wondering about, I bring it here as I have not found a better group of people to give me the correct answer. I feel that many of the people on DFC are VERY knowledgeable and I feel much more comfortable with the answers I get here than from anywhere else.

Herzo- This farmer's will most definitely be very meaty. It wasn't the bones themselves that made me nervous but teeth cracking. I have not heard a single mention of teeth cracking in this thread so I feel better. If they don't crack teeth, my boys can have them. Thanks!


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