WHAT IS TRIPE?
Tripe refers to the unique stomachs of ruminant grazing animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. These animals have four stomach chambers that systematically break down grasses, hays, and other botanicals with a slew of digestive enzymes, gastric juices & amino acids. For the purpose of this discussion, we are focusing on the fourth stomach chamber where you will find an abundance of goodness. More about that later.
IS ALL TRIPE THE SAME?
No, it is not. Most of us are familiar with tripe we can purchase at the grocery store or in some restaurants. This tripe has been thoroughly cleaned, bleached, and steamed to rid it of bacteria that can be harmful to us humans. The tripe we are most interested in for our pets is Green Tripe. The use of the word GREEN has nothing to do with its colour. It has to do with the fact that it is unprocessed and not cleaned. More importantly, the tripe must come from a grass-fed animal. Tripe can be tinted green due to grass or hay the animals may have ingested but typically, tripe is brown. You may also find some tripe to be almost black in colour as well.
One last note on tripe for our pets and what we look for in a good raw tripe. When harvested, the stomach is encapsulated in a lot of fat. The fourth stomach chamber needs to be separated AND the fat needs to be separated before grinding, packaging, and freezing. We prefer tripe that has a low-fat content, so the majority of the product contains the good stuff. We always say fat is good in a raw diet, however, the fat of the stomach does not have the same nutritional value as other fats do.
BENEFITS OF GREEN TRIPE FOR OUR PETS
DIGESTION
Raw green tripe is full of beneficial live and active enzymes and bacteria, helping with digestion. Green tripe contains lactobacillus acidophilus, something even humans take in the form of probiotics to help with digestion and absorb nutrients. This “good bacteria” helps prevent harmful bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and e-coli from overpopulating your pet's gut and making them sick. Green Tripe acts as a natural probiotic. Healthy gut promotes a healthy immune system.
Green tripe also contains the live digestive enzymes that help your pet digest food. This means your pet gets the most nutrition from his or her meals. The digestive enzymes cleanse the blood, remove toxins, parasites & even fungus. It also can help improve metabolism, hormonal function & boosts the immune system.
ALLERGIES OR SENSITIVITIES
Tripe is great for pets with allergies & sensitivities as it is an easy protein to digest. In fact, green tripe is partially digested already since it comes from a grazing animal’s stomach. Tripe is also considered white meat with its low levels of myoglobin (that is the protein that makes red meat red) so tripe often causes less reaction in pets that are sensitive to red meat. If your pet has leaky gut syndrome or acid reflux, tripe can help to ease the symptoms.
NUTRIENT DENSE
Tripe is full of nutrients including minerals, amino acids, & essential fatty acids. Pets that are deficient in nutrients can suffer from a range of ailments like diarrhea, poor skin & coat, gingivitis, viral or bacterial infections & yeast overgrowth. Adding tripe to their diet will improve their overall health & well-being. Tripe offers Manganese, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, Copper & Selenium, B Complex Vitamins, Vitamins A, C, D & E. It also includes the perfect ratio of 1:1 Calcium & Phosphorus and a balance of Omega 3 Essential fatty acids (Linoleic & linolenic fatty acids). Green Tripe can be used as a substitute of a vegetable mixture since the phytonutrients of Green Tripe closely mimic that of a proper green veg mixture.
WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN
Green Tripe can be used for weight gain or loss. It contains concentrated calories, but the calories are full of nutrients, which will support your pet’s system function. This makes it a reliable source of nutrition for pets that need to gain healthy weight. For pets that need to lose weight, tripe makes for a great supplement as it will help them feel fuller (one of the reasons why we look for Green Tripe that is low in fat).
BUT IT STINKS!!! MAKES IT GREAT FOR PICKY PETS!!!
Yup. Like a big poo barn. It is the animal’s stomach where fermentation of what the animal has eaten has begun. Dealing with Green Tripe on its own is not the most desirable of activities, however, the benefits outweigh the smell. You do get used to it. There is a benefit to the smell. For those that have fussy pets this is a great topper/mixer to get them interested. The stinkier the better right?
HOW TO FEED AND/OR INCORPORATE INTO A MENU PLAN.
Feeding Green Tripe on its own is ok if done once or twice per week. Long term daily feeding of just Green Beef Tripe is not recommended. Green Tripe on its own is not balanced and your pet will be lacking vitamins and minerals not found in Green Tripe.
Green Tripe is a terrific addition to a bowl containing pure proteins/organ meats that contain little or no fruit and veg mixture. The phytonutrients in Green Tripe will be a powerful addition to the mixture and create more of a balanced meal. Consider using anywhere from 5% to 15% by weight.
For pets that eat balanced diets and complete diets (the right mixture of muscle meat, bone, organ meat, veg and or veg/fruit mixture), add tripe to the bowl a few times a week. Decrease the amount of complete meal by the amount of Green Tripe you are adding.
For those that would like to add in their own portions to their pets meals, you might want to look at one of the following:
Bold By Nature Green Beef Tripe has been in our store since we opened. This box contains 3oz mini patties of Green Beef Tripe that are easy to use, thaw and serve.
K9 Choice Fine Grind Green Tripe A 3lb bag that contains 1.5” cubes. Easy to portion, thaw and serve.
Big Country Raw Green Tripe This 4lb carton contains 4 x 1lb tetra packs of Green Beef Tripe. Great for larger portions and easy to thaw and store.
K9 Natural Lamb Green Tripe Booster This is not a raw tripe. This is a freeze-dried Lamb Green Tripe. Easy to use and store. Portion, rehydrate with water and serve. A great option for those that choose to stay away from beef.
For those that prefer to not have to deal with Green Tripe on its own, we have many complete meals and blends that contain Green Beef Tripe.
Big Country Raw Country Blend & Big Country Raw Breeder Blend
Mega Dog Mega Blend & Mega Dog Beef
These are just some of the more popular dinners and blends. How about frozen tripe chews?
Tripecicles These have been a store favourite for over a decade.
There are many ways to incorporate this superfood into our pets' diets. We know it stinks but they love love love it and after knowing all the benefits it offers, dealing with a little stink sure goes a long way!
REMEMBER. THE PROOF IS IN THE POOP!!!