Author Topic: Murr  (Read 2850 times)

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Offline Amber

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Murr
« on: February 07, 2014, 04:04:19 PM »
http://www.murrfoods.com/healthy-nutrition/for-cats

THE STORY OF MURR

Murr was established in spring 2008, in Sudavik, a small fishing village on the far northwest coast of Iceland. The idea for Murr dates back to 2003, when the founders, among them -- a doctor of animal physiology, a doctor of animal nutrition, and veterinarians -- discussed the unique opportunity, created by the availability of high-quality raw material, to introduce top-of-the-line pet food based exclusively on the nutritional needs of the animal. The name Murr popped into one of the founder’s head as he was driving in the beautiful landscape of the West Fjords in Iceland. It means “to purr!”

Just as Iceland is known for it’s pure nature, geothermal energy, great rivers and waterfalls, Murr exemplifies a truly sustainable Icelandic company. We simply do not run anything in our factory on diesel or contaminating substances. We use electricity that is completely green and all our processes put nature first. Ethical sourcing, formulation, and green operation are the foundation of the brand. We also have 100% traceability of all materials in and out of our production facility to ensure cleanliness, food safety and minimal waste.

OUR PEOPLE


The Icelandic lamb is ecological. It lives all its life in the Icelandic highland wilderness, making its genetic makeup and taste unique. The lambs are only brought back to their home once a year, and are otherwise living as they were intended, in the hills of Iceland.

What’s more, the import of farm animals to Iceland has been prohibited, since the time of settlement of Iceland by the Vikings around year 900 AD. And, the import of feed for livestock is strictly regulated and almost impossible. In other words, Iceland is mad cow and bovine leukemia disease free making the raw materials for MURR pure.

Taking it a step further, to ensure the best for your dog or cat, raw materials suppliers undergo a strict validation and discriminating review process before partnering with MURR. All MURR’s raw materials are selected based on their nutritional composition and manufactured within FDA and EU standards and regulations. For food safety’s sake, we can trace each and every package back to the origin of raw material and suppliers, knowing each exact animal that provided the meat for each envelop.

Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Growing Cat

Description:

They grow up so fast and those at Murr are well-aware of this! That’s why there’s Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Growing Cat! It’s an awesome balance of taste and nutrition that accommodates the rapid growth and health of your prancing, purring ball of fur! Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Growing Cat contains all those oh-so-important nutrients like fatty acids, proteins, niacin and taurine to keep your young feline in tip-top shape as he/she grows up!


Benefits:

For kittens and young cats
Nutrient-rich lamb organs, tissues and meats
Balance of nutrition and energy
Contains natural sources of taurine, vitamins A and D, niacin and fatty acids
No additives or preservatives
Back to Top Ingredients
Lamb lungs, water sufficient for processing, lamb (meat), beef liver, lamb liver, beef lungs, pork lungs, beef kidneys, lamb kidneys, pork kidneys, pork (meat), starch, potato fiber, calcite.


Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 12.8%
Crude Fiber (max) 1%
Crude Fat (min) 7.5%
Moisture (max) 75%

Apparently all of their forumulas meet AAFCO standards, even without added supplements.

Offline Amber

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Re: Murr
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2014, 04:28:53 PM »
Murr Lamb and Beef Formula Cat Food

Description:

Improve the quality of your cat’s life with Murr Lamb and Beef Formula Cat Food! This delicious combo of Icelandic lamb and beef originates from free-range animals, each bringing its own set of healthy nutrients to your cat. As your cat is a carnivore, he/she requires the proteins and vitamins found in animal components like tissues, organs and meats. And that’s exactly what Murr has created for your pet! Containing only the important parts of Icelandic livestock, Murr Lamb and Beef Formula Cat Food will keep your feline MURR-ing for more!


Benefits:

Healthy combination of Icelandic beef and lamb
Produced in disease-free zone in Iceland
No hormones or growth enhancers
Formula contains animal organs and meats
Natural sources of taurine, niacin and amino acids
Back to Top Ingredients
Beef lungs, water sufficient for processing, beef liver, lamb lungs, lamb liver, lamb (meat), beef kidneys, beef (meat), lamb kidneys, pork kidneys, starch, potato fiber, calcite.


Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 12.8%
Crude Fiber (max) 1%
Crude Fat (min) 7.5%
Moisture (max) 75%


Murr Pure Icelandic Formula Cat Food

Description:

Murr Pure Icelandic Formula Cat Food is the basic foundation of every Murr food out there! It’s made with your feline’s natural appetite in mind---the meat and internal organs of prey. This is what has been sustaining the feline persuasion since before man walked the earth! Proteins and nutrients from animal meats and organs provide the domesticated cat with all the nutrition he/she needs, including all those important vitamins and minerals like taurine, vitamin A and amino acids. Murr Pure Icelandic Formula Cat Food is the way nature intended for your cat to thrive!


Benefits:

Made from tissues and organs of beef, pork and sheep
Rich in essential nutrients
Includes natural sources of taurine and vitamin A
Sourced and made in Iceland
No synthetic vitamins
Feeding Directions: Maintenance. Adult cat 9 lbs body weight 2 bags/day Pregnant queen. 9 lbs body weight 2.5 bags/day Lactating queen. Peak lactation, 3-4 kittens. 9 lbs body weight. 4 bags/day Growing kittens. After weaning. 2 lbs body weight. 1.5 bags/day
Back to Top Ingredients
Beef lungs, water sufficient for processing, beef liver, lamb (meat), lamb liver, lamb lungs, pork lungs, pork kidneys, beef kidneys, lamb kidneys, starch, potato fiber, calcite.


Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 12.8%
Crude Fiber (max) 1%
Crude Fat (min) 7.5%
Moisture (max) 75%


Murr Lamb Formula Cat Food

Description:

Let your cat graze the Icelandic landscape with the lambs that make up the Murr Lamb Formula Cat Food! The lambs used to make this nutritious recipe were free-range and have roamed the pastures, feasting on natural wild vegetation. No hormones or growth enhancers here so you know it’ll be healthy for your cat. As lamb is not a common protein used in pet food, its benefits are an almost-untapped market--filled with natural nutrients that are beneficial to your cat’s overall health and wellbeing. Murr Lamb Formula Cat Food works hard to satisfy your cat’s appetite!


Benefits:

Icelandic lamb is high in vitamins and fatty acids
Only free-range livestock used
Taurine to promote vision
Vitamin D for increase bone strength
Fatty acids for proper energy production
Niacin to ensure proper metabolism
Back to Top Ingredients
Lamb lungs, water sufficient for processing, lamb (meat), beef liver, lamb liver, beef lungs, pork lungs, beef kidneys, lamb kidneys, pork kidneys, starch, potate fiber, calcite.


Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 12.8%
Crude Fiber (max) 1%
Crude Fat (min) 7.5%
Moisture (max) 75%


Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Mature Adult Cat

Description:

Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Mature Adult Cat Food is a feast in the honor of your cat’s long life and years of loyalty to you! As your feline grows older, his/her bodily functions slow down and become quite different from when they were younger. So it’s important that his/her food compliments those changes! This diet has all the supplements that older cats need as well as carefully balanced metabolic energy levels to fight weight gain. With tasty, preservative-free lamb parts, your pet won’t be able to resist Murr Pure Icelandic Lamb Formula for the Mature Adult Cat Food!


Benefits:

Specifically formulated for aging cats
Carefully balanced amounts of proteins and fats
Natural sources of vitamins and minerals from animal proteins
Free-range lamb from Iceland
Fights unnecessary weight gain
Back to Top Ingredients
Water sufficient for processing, lamb lungs, beef liver, lamb (meat), lamb liver, beef lungs, pork lungs, lamb kidneys, beef kidneys, pork kidneys, pork (meat), starch, potato fiber, calcite.


Analysis:

Crude Protein (min) 12.8%
Crude Fiber (max) 1%
Crude Fat (min) 7.5%
Moisture (max) 75%

Offline Lola

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Re: Murr
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2014, 04:52:29 PM »
Never heard of it. 
The ingredients are certainly "basic."  Not a bunch of fruits and veggies, or scary ingredients. 
Everything you NEED to know about caring for your feline. www.catinfo.org

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Murr
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2014, 08:50:04 PM »
Thanks for the info Amber!


Quote
starch, potato fiber, calcite.

What kind of "starch"? 

Potato is a uncompromisable ingredient for me.

Why calcite?

Any food that is cooked and processed will need added vitamins and minerals, no matter what the source is for the meat.  Are they just not listed, because the food is not sold in the USA? (I notice pet food labels in the UK, for instance, are not as specific or detailed as USA labels)

Offline Amber

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Re: Murr
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2014, 01:55:29 AM »
Quote
"Summary of information for Calcite

The ingredient declared as calcite, is produced by Icelandic Sea Minerals of Bíldudalur in a neighbouring fjord to the Murr feed plant. Icelandic Sea Minerals has a joint venture agreement with Celtic Sea Minerals in Ireland. Processing, characteristics and chemical composition of this ingredient, Lithothamnion calcareous marine algae,  is described in a Celtic Sea Minerals brochure.
Murr® pet food, exported to the US, is produced and its contents declared according to AAFCO regulations in the US. AAFCO has accepted Murr® feed labels. On the feed labels the calcareous algae have been declared as calcite. The mineral content of the Lithothamnion calcareous algae is 65% calcite, 23% aragonite and 12% vaterite. As aragonite and vaterite are polymorphs of calcite with the same chemical composition (basically calcium carbonate) it was felt safe to declare the calcareous algae as calcite. Calcite is defined by AAFCO and is a recognized feed ingredient with an international feed number (IFN 6-01-067).
Lithothamnion calcareous algae are marketed worldwide under various trade names both for animal and human consumption. Mineral supplements for dairy cows and pigs are e.g. marketed under the name of Acid Buf (and Calmin in the US). Murr® uses the original Lithothamnion calcareous algae which is the material marketed under the trade name Acid Buf. The specification is presented in a Celtic Sea Minerals brochure for Acid Buf and a certificate from Icelandic Sea Minerals.
It should be mentioned that another Lithothamnion calcareous algae product, Aquamin F, is marketed in the US for human food application. This product has been approved by FDA and has a GRAS status"

That is taken from the website. I am currently researching the calcareous algae, and will let you know what I find.

On the product pages, each of the products says (formula name) "is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages." It also says, under the Nutrition For Your Pet section:  We use only the purest available raw materials fit for human consumption with absolutely no additives, fillers, supplements or preservatives.

I take that to mean that there aren't any supplements added at all. This food actually is sold in the USA, you can get it from petfooddirect and from what I have read it is popping up in some smaller specialty pet stores here in the US as well. I am half-tempted to order a bit out of my next check, to see if the AAFCO statement is actually on the label. My research indicates that if they are using the AAFCO label on their product and selling it in the US, they have to list any included supplements.

I am also looking into how it can be complete as a cooked food without added supplements, especially since taurine isn't listed. I will keep you updated. If they have managed to pull this off, I would like to know how.

I haven't found any information on the source of the starch yet. I suspect I will be emailing the company soon, but I would like to do a bit of my own research first, so I can better discern  BSbaloney if they try to throw some my way ;)
« Last Edit: February 08, 2014, 01:57:13 AM by Amber »

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Murr
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2014, 07:10:42 AM »
That's terrific Amber, thanks!

Offline Amber

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Re: Murr
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2014, 04:36:41 PM »
Murr foods do have the AAFCO statement on the packaging. The one I saw was this one: "Murr Pure Icelandic Cat Formula with Lamb for the Mature Adult is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages."

Quote
Murr is made from the purest ingredients in a country where strictness in production is second to none. Our unique formulas provide all necessary vitamins, minerals & micronutrients directly from the proteins so no vitamin pack additives are needed. We only add potato starch as a binder and Calcite (a pure form of Calcium). Our products are a maximum of 1% carbohydrate and are exceptionally good for pets with diabetes.

Please check out our website at www.murrfoods.com or email me directly at nwhite@murrfoods.com

That is from a company representative on another forum.

Information on calcareous algae seems to be a bit limited if you aren't looking to boost the calcium in your aquarium, but I did find a few things. calcareous algae does in fact contain large amounts of calcite, and it is actually what gives many coral reefs their structure. Powdered calcite is sometimes sold as calcium carbonate powder for people, but this seems to be fairly rare. Red marine algae, which is a calcareous algae, is used to produce agar-agar, which is used in human foods and approved by the FDA. I found one study that discusses the possibility of using powdered calcite as the calcium supplement in livestock feed:
https://globaljournals.org/GJSFR_Volume12/7-Possibility-of-Using-Calcite-Powder.pdf

Apparently it is fairly digestible when the digestive tract is acidic (low ph), so it may be appropriate for carnivores. I have to find more information, and at this point I feel like I am just chasing my tail.

Murr is not the only company claiming to provide "complete and balanced" food without the use of synthetic supplements. Carna4 (Dogs only) and Nature's Logic dry diets don't contain any added vitamins/minerals, and meet aafco standards and have the aafco adequacy labels. Nature's Logic canned diets are currently using "supplemental use only" labels, but they plan to change that after the feeding trial is complete. Carna4 got the aafco label using chemical analysis, Nature's Logic doesn't quite pass chemical analysis (it comes close) so they are doing feeding trials instead.

If I find anything else of interest I will let yall know. I'll also keep you updated with when I contact the company, what I ask, and what the reply is. Are there any specific questions that anyone would like included in my email, or would you all prefer to contact them personally?

Offline Lola

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Re: Murr
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2014, 09:43:52 PM »
Quote
Any food that is cooked and processed will need added vitamins and minerals, no matter what the source is for the meat.  Are they just not listed, because the food is not sold in the USA? (I notice pet food labels in the UK, for instance, are not as specific or detailed as USA labels)
I think MC's concerns would make a good question.
Everything you NEED to know about caring for your feline. www.catinfo.org

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Murr
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2014, 04:59:22 AM »
Yes, I would like to know how they can manage to supply all nutrients in processed food without adding them in. I don't see how it is possible.

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