Dairy Ingredients in Pet Foods (Colostrum, Milk, Whey, Cheese, Yogurt)

Dairy is an excellent source of organically complexed and easily digested minerals, fat soluble vitamins, antioxidants, anti-pathogenic factors, and muscle and immune building easily digested proteins and branched chain amino acids.

Colostrum
Colostrum is the first food of life. It is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mammary glands during the first 72 hours after birth. There are over 90 known components in colostrum. The primary components constitute the immune factors and growth factors. Amongst the immune factors are large quantities of a secretory antibody, immunoglobulin A (IgA), in addition to leukocytes and anti-viral factors such as lactoferrin. Primary growth factors include: Epithelial Growth Factor (EGF) – skin protection and maintenance; Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) – wound healing and tissue repair; and Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) – lean muscle mass increase, DNA and RNA repair, anti-aging, maintenance of normal blood-sugar and cholesterol levels. Colostrum also contains a precise balance of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. All of these factors work together in perfect synergy to restore and maintain health.

Colostrum helps relieve joint pain and stiffness, and improve mobility. Some studies have shown that colostrum is even more effective than glucosamine. The LMW peptide chain of amino acids found in colostrum helps prevent inflammation in joints. Proteins in colostrum block pain signals by attaching to nerve pain receptors. The insulin-like growth factor in colostrum increases cartilage and collagen production. Other growth factors aid in bone and cartilage regeneration and can repair and replace damaged intestinal lining. Research has shown colostrum capable of improving triglyceride and blood pressure levels, repairing arterial linings, and enhancing blood flow throughout the body.

Milk and Whey
Breast Milk is nature's perfect food, in that it is one of the few elements in nature with its sole function being food. Arguably, it is the most natural food of all since it is specifically designed to grow, protect, and sustain an entire organism. Milk is extremely complex containing over 100,000 different molecular components. The delicate balance of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, antibodies and other micronutrients is impossible to duplicate. (see Mother's Milk™) Fed as a supplemental part of the adult diet, dairy (cheese, yogurt, milk, etc.) can yield enormous health benefits.

Although not a regular part of adult animal diets, all carnivores occasionally eat milk as part of mammary glands they consume in prey.

Whole milk and its components are the most beneficial sources of protein. This is because the majority of milk proteins remain unique to milk. These proteins have the appropriate amino acid composition needed for growth and maturation. The high quality, easily digestible protein in milk is one of the main reasons why it is such an important food. Whey proteins, ß-lactoglobulin, and μ-lactalbumin greatly enhance the body's hormonal and cellular responses. Whey proteins contain a high concentration of branch-chained amino acids and immunoglobulins in addition to key enzymes, hormones, growth factors, nutrient transporters and disease resistance factors.Cow milk is also rich in colostrum antibodies.

When selecting milk from the grocery store, the more whole and less processed, the better. In states where raw whole milk is available, this and other products derived from it are preferred. Some animals and humans are unable to tolerate milk, particularly as they get older, because they are unable to digest the milk sugar, lactose. Thus, milk may result in loose stools and digestive upset. However, mixing with live, active culture yogurt (or Wysong Pet Inoculant™) and diluting with purified water (with Wysong WellSpring™) does help many animals tolerate dairy products. Other excellent dairy products (made from raw whole milk if possible) are cheeses, cottage cheese and yogurt. When choosing yogurt, avoid the sugar/jam varieties and buy whole milk plain or use homemade. To be beneficial, the live yogurt cultures have to be added after any pasteurization of the product – look for the words "active yogurt cultures" on the package. All dairy products can be fed alone, mixed together, mixed with Wysong foods, or with other fresh whole foods. (see How To Apologize To Your Pet)

Cheese and Yogurt
Certain cheeseshave unique properties which help prevent tooth decay. First, the alkaline nature of these cheeses buffers the acidity of plaque and raises pH to neutralize tooth destroying acids. Second, salivary flow is increased, thereby diluting and clearing sugars from the oral cavity. Finally, specific cheese proteins impede demineralization of tooth enamel and aid in remineralization, resulting in retained or regained enamel hardness. The major mineralsinvolved in tooth enamel and pulp dentin biology are calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is necessary for enamel hardness and can move into and out of tooth cells. When cheese is eaten, the salivary concentration of calcium ions available for depositing in the enamel increases,

resulting in remineralization of the enamel. (see DentaTreat™)

Yogurt, cottage cheese and other soft cheeses (lactate) stimulate the release of bicarbonate into the digestive tract, which helps alkalinize the digestive environment. Absorbed by the lymphatics, bicarbonate creates a slight metabolic alkalosis (see WellSpring™) to combat the health robbing acidosis common with modern feeding practices.

Probiotics from Dairy
Probiotics play a vital and beneficial role in health. Probiotics in fermented milk products such as yogurt potentiate the production and release of gamma interferon by immuno-competent cells, and thereby increase immune response. Yogurt probiotics enhance the immune system and increase resistance to immune-related diseases such as cancer, infection, gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmunities, and asthma. Probiotics help digestion and augment overall health by improving nutrient availability, synthesizing enzymes and vitamins, promoting anticarcinogenic activity, and regulating bowel function.

Lactobacillus cultures have been used for hundreds of years to produce a variety of fermented food products including yogurt, cheese, sweet acidophilus milk, and soy sauce. In fact, the long life span of the Balkans and Asians is believed to be attributable in part to the ingestion of fermented milk. The presence of Lactobacillus species in mammary milk is now believed to be nearly as important as colostrum. Lactobacilli quickly implant in the young's digestive tract and exert a protective and beneficial role. Conversely, animals deprived of their mother's milk are very susceptible to pathogens.

Question:
It has been my understanding that dairy is NOT recommended for adult cats or dogs, and you use cheese and yogurt in your kibbles.