Beef as an ingredient gets high marks from both dogs and cats, but it’s not without its challenges. | (kozorog | iStock.com)
Beef has been a principal ingredient in dog and cat diets for decades. Although it lost a bit of popularity a few years ago as chicken took over the top spot in most pet foods, beef-based ingredients are still considered a preferred choice by many pet owners. For manufacturers, beef can be expensive, in large part because most of the better portions go into the human food market and a consistent quality supply can be limited. According to AAFCO 2020, beef falls under the broad definition of meat:
