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→Why are they Important?
==Why are they Important?==
==Why are they Important?==
Nutrient requirements define the specific nutrients and amounts that must be included in complete and balanced diets for healthy animals. Recommendations for the nutrient requirements of cats and dogs were first published in the 1970’s<ref>National Research Council. (1974) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs Washington, DC: National Academy of Scieneces.</ref><ref>National Research Council. (1978) Nutrient Requirements of Cats. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences.</ref>, and these have been updated and added to over recent years <ref name="NRC"/><ref>National Research Council. (1985) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.</ref><ref>National Research Council. (1986) Nutrient Requirements of Cats. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.</ref><ref name="AAFCO">AAFCO. (2014) Official Publication. Atlanta, GA: Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc.</ref><ref name="FEDIAF">F.E.D.I.A.F. (2014) Nutritional Guidelines for Completet and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. [http://www.fediaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/PetNutrition/FEDIAF_Nutrtion_Guideline161214.pdf]</ref>. The vast majority of commercial manufactured pet foods (canine and feline) are designed to meet the nutrient requirements outlined in guidelines published by one or more of three organisations: the National Research Council (NRC) (a division of the National Academies of Science, USA)<ref name="NRC"/>, the Association of American Feed Control Officials USA (AAFCO)<ref name="AAFCO"/>, and the Federation Europeenne de l’Industrie des Aliments Pour Animaux Familiers (FEDIAF)<ref name="FEDIAF"/>, the umbrella organisation for European National Pet Food Manufacturers Trade Associations. The objective of the nutrient guidelines published by NRC, AAFCO and FEDIAF is to provide information that can be used by pet manufacturers and others to formulate complete and balanced diets<ref name="Butterwick">Butterwick, R. F. et al (2011). Challenges in developing nutrient guidelines for companion animals. Br. J.Nutr. 106: S24-S31</ref>. The guidelines provide nutrient profiles covering the minimum and maximum amounts for each essential nutrient. Separate nutrient profiles are defined for dogs and cats, and for specific life-stages i.e. growth, adult maintenance, and gestation and lactation.
Nutrient requirements define the specific nutrients and amounts that must be included in complete and balanced diets for healthy animals. Recommendations for the nutrient requirements of cats and dogs were first published in the 1970’s<ref>National Research Council. (1974) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs Washington, DC: National Academy of Scieneces.</ref><ref>National Research Council. (1978) Nutrient Requirements of Cats. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences.</ref>, and these have been updated and added to over recent years <ref name="NRC"/><ref>National Research Council. (1985) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.</ref><ref>National Research Council. (1986) Nutrient Requirements of Cats. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.</ref><ref name="AAFCO">AAFCO. (2014) Official Publication. Atlanta, GA: Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc.</ref><ref name="FEDIAF">F.E.D.I.A.F. (2014) Nutritional Guidelines for Completet and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. [http://www.fediaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/PetNutrition/FEDIAF_Nutrtion_Guideline161214.pdf]</ref>. The vast majority of commercial manufactured pet foods (canine and feline) are designed to meet the nutrient requirements outlined in guidelines published by one or more of three organisations: the National Research Council (NRC) (a division of the National Academies of Science, USA)<ref name="NRC"/>, the Association of American Feed Control Officials USA (AAFCO)<ref name="AAFCO"/>, and the Federation Europeenne de l’Industrie des Aliments Pour Animaux Familiers (FEDIAF)<ref name="FEDIAF"/>, the umbrella organisation for European National Pet Food Manufacturers Trade Associations. The objective of the nutrient guidelines published by NRC, AAFCO and FEDIAF is to provide information that can be used by pet manufacturers and others to formulate complete and balanced diets<ref name="Butterwick">Butterwick, R. F. et al (2011). Challenges in developing nutrient guidelines for companion animals. Br. J.Nutr. 106: S24-S31</ref>. The guidelines provide nutrient profiles covering the minimum and maximum amounts for each essential nutrient. Separate nutrient profiles are defined for dogs and cats, and for specific life-stages i.e. growth, adult maintenance, and gestation and lactation.
The nutrient profiles take into account the natural variation in the bioavailability of nutrients in ‘typical’ raw materials used in the manufacture of commercial pet foods; the NRC uses a specific term the ‘recommended allowance’<ref name="NRC"/> to reflect adjustments in the amount of nutrient that is needed in commercial manufactured pet foods.
There are some differences between the NRC, FEDIAF and AAFCO nutrient profiles. In part this may be a reflection of differences in the frequency of updates, but also differing interpretations of the literature, and judgments of what constitutes a ‘practical’ guideline for any given nutrient<ref name="Butterwick"/>.
The nutrient profiles take into account the natural variation in the [[Nutrition Glossary#Bioavailability|bioavailability]] of nutrients in ‘typical’ raw materials used in the manufacture of commercial pet foods; the NRC uses a specific term the ‘recommended allowance’<ref name="NRC"/> to reflect adjustments in the amount of nutrient that is needed in commercial manufactured pet foods.
There are some differences between the NRC, FEDIAF and AAFCO nutrient profiles. In part this may be a reflection of differences in the frequency of updates, but also differing interpretations of the literature, and judgments of what constitutes a ‘practical’ guideline for any given nutrient<ref name="Butterwick"/>.
==References==
==References==
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[[Category:To Do - Nutrition]]
[[Category:To Do - Nutrition]]