green rumen

What is green rumen?

The rumen is the largest of the three forestomachs of ruminants such as cattle, sheep or goats. Fermentation of the ingested plant food takes place in this stomach. The rumen consists of a muscle layer, an inner mucous membrane and an outer peritoneum.

Green rumen is the unwashed or only slightly shaken out rumen, which still contains some of the stomach contents. This consists of pre-digested plant residues that contain many vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Green rumen has a typical green color and an intense smell.

White rumen is the washed or cooked rumen that no longer contains stomach contents. It has a lighter color and a milder smell. However, it is also less nutritious and is often not eaten as readily by dogs.

Why is green rumen good for dogs?

Green rumen is a valuable ingredient for feeding dogs raw meat (BARF). It offers the following benefits

• It provides plant-based nutrients that dogs are otherwise unable to utilize due to a lack of enzymes. By ingesting the pre-digested stomach contents, dogs can benefit from the vitamins, minerals and trace elements contained in the plants.
• It contains many bacteria that contribute to a healthy intestinal flora and strengthen the immune system. These bacteria are still alive in green rumen and act as a natural probiotic.
• It ensures longer satiety as it is difficult to digest. This can be particularly helpful for dogs that are constantly hungry or tend to be overweight.
• It brings variety to the diet and comes closer to eating the whole prey animal. Dogs love the taste and smell of green rumen and consider it a special delicacy.

Where can you buy green rumen?

Green rumen is usually available chopped and frozen in specialist shops. It should come from grazing animals that have been kept and fed in a species-appropriate manner. The quality of the meat depends directly on how the animal is kept and fed. You can also try to buy green rumen directly from the abattoir or butcher.

How is green rumen fed?

Green rumen is usually available chopped and frozen from specialist retailers. It can be fed as part of the daily meat ration or as an occasional treat. The recommended amount depends on your dog's size, age and activity level.

As a rule of thumb, green rumen should make up around 10 to 20 percent of the total amount of meat. This corresponds to around 20 to 40 grams per kilogram of body weight per week. You can vary the amount depending on how well your dog tolerates rumen.

It is important to defrost the rumen slowly and not to heat or cook it. This preserves the valuable nutrients and bacteria. You should also make sure that the rumen comes from grazing animals that have been kept and fed in a species-appropriate manner. The quality of the meat has a direct impact on your dog's health.

What are the disadvantages of green rumen?

However, green rumen also has some disadvantages that you should be aware of:

• It is difficult to digest and can cause digestive problems in sensitive dogs.
• It has a very unpleasant odor that can bother both humans and dogs.