[weimlove]

Hi everyone, I’m thinking about feeding my puppy and adult dog primarily blue ridge beef products, as well as added veggies and vitamins. Anyone ever used blue ridge? Any thoughts? Thanks!

[NectarMom]

Is their meat grass fed? It makes a huge difference for dogs that are intolerant to grains. They had no prices on their packages. Are they reasonably priced? Slankers has grass fed meat.

[weimlove]

Hi, yes it’s grass fed free range hormone and preservative free. It’s also very reasonably priced I can get chicken turkey duck quail green tripe and an organ blend all for under $2 a pound

[NectarMom]

Awesome Thank you! I emailed them asking about 4 days ago and never heard back from them. How do you go about ordering from them and since I have to watch the fat with my crew I need to know what the % is. Guess I need to call them. Do they ship?

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by NectarMom.

[Hound Dog Mom]

NectarMom –

I don’t believe Blue Ridge ships but thedogmaonline(dot)com ships Blue Ridge products. I’m pretty sure they have a bulk variety pack with free shipping.

[Hound Dog Mom]

weimlove –

Are you giving raw another shot?

[NectarMom]

Thanks HDM! I will check that out even though I think it will be really hard to win over Hare Today 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hare Today is the best and they definitely have better prices than Dogma. Dogma is all big name brands so it’s pricier.

[NectarMom]

Yep I noticed that and the shipping was insane, to me anyways. I will stick with Hare Today since my gals love it and eat it good. Plus there are no Organs in the Venison from BR?

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by NectarMom.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Well their bulk packages have free shipping and I believe (this may have changed but this is how it was last time I checked) when you spend a certain amount of money shipping on frozen items is free. However, I think they jack up their prices to compensate. I’m not sure if there’s organs in the venison. I’ve never actually used any of their products I just remembered seeing them on the Dogma.

[theBCnut]

Many of their products have no organs and the ones that do are extremely limited, like only liver. I read what they had to offer a few months back and decided to take a pass.

[weimlove]

There is a local pet store that will order it for me, which makes shipping free! I was thinking about going with something like primal, but it is SO expensive!! I am giving raw another chance, but I’m just going to feed blue ridge plus added veggies and calcium and rmbs a few times a week for their teeth. For me, feeding blue ridge is so much easier than buying whole chickens, large peices, etc. I made my first batch yesterday and shadow and sunny (my 3 month old vizsla devoured it!) they were both so bored with kibble, and their poop was so on and off…just after one meal of raw last night they both had excellent poops. Sorry for all the poop talk! Lol. But I’m hoping that this will work out, because it’s pretty convenient and I’m paying the same price per month if I were to feed a high quality kibble

[gmcbogger38]

I think Blue Ridge Beef is pretty decent if you are on a budget, especially if you live in the south where most pet boutiques will sell it, like where I work. I would mix the bone and muscle meat grinds with some sort of fruit/veggie dehydrated mix like Sojos or Honest Kitchen, or you could make your own mix. Most of their grinds, like mentioned above, do not contain organs. I think that is a little silly, but it is what it is.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by gmcbogger38.

[dogGirl]

This product is sketchy. The company is connected by family to a Lea-Way Company which is a collection facility for dead, diseased, and dying animals. Coincidence? Perhaps, but not likely.

The price is too cheap to be the quality they claim. The product also includes charcoal, which is used to absorb noxious smell and taste components. Furthermore, if you write BRB, their representatives respond with lies and anger to questions that could be answered reasonably and politely. The lies included a bogus USDA license number

No way, no how, will I feed this product.

[Brittany Mom]

Check out the address on line for Blue Ridge Beef and Lea-Way Farms, looks like the same address. I have a friend that feeds this, she’s trying to get in touch with them. Waiting for a call back.

[dogGirl]

Not only is the address the same, but the contact person is also the same: Steven Lea.

Check out the May 2006 planning board minutes from Iredell County if you want to know what Lea-Way does. The link between those 2 businesses is disturbing, especially for those of us who feed raw.

[Brittany Mom]

I saw that too. I also looked at the minutes from Iredell County. You can find out a lot on the internet if you just look.

[CSollers]

We are lucky to have this forum as a tool to obtain the best information for the health of our furkids.
Thanks, Mike!

[ECSGuy]

I’ve fed Blue Ridge Beef products to my two English Cockers since June of 2013. I switched to a raw diet because of all the recalls and junk they put in commercial foods. I’ve seen no problem with the products, and my boys are thriving on it. I am also using SoJo dehydrated Veggies, fish oil and coconut oil as supplements.
If I were to recommend one thing, it would be to buy Lew Olsen’s book on Raw and Natural diets for dogs. I’ve was using a vitamin and mineral supplement early on that had far to many minerals that the dogs really did not need.
As far as the charcoal in the food is concerned, my dealer has checked on this. It is a law that any raw meat products sold as pet food must contain some charcoal to differentiate it from human food. Otherwise, due to the lower cost, unscrupulous people would buy it to serve in restaurants.
I’ve seen major changes in my dogs health, including my older male who, even on high quality commercial food, would vomit at least once a week and had diarrhea off and on constantly. That is “all” resolved on a raw diet. My younger fellow runs agility and while he is a high energy dog, he lost his “rather odd” skunky smell that he had on commercial foods and his eyes no longer run constantly.
Also, emailing Steve in North Carolina at Blue Ridge has always gotten me prompt and courteous responses. So not sure what Dog girl is taking about.

[losul]

ECS guy, your dealer is only telling you a part truth. The sole reason that certain meat leaving a USDA plant is denatured with charcoal, is because that meat has been condemned for human consumption, and denaturing severely lessens the chance that that condemned meat could ever make it’s way into the human food supply chain.

The denatured meat could be condemned because it’s 3D or 4D, contaminated with pathogens, excessive or forbidden steroids, hormones, antibiotics, other contaminants, etc. It’s not denatured because it’s going to make pet or animal feed, it’s denatured so it CAN’T be used for human food. Pet food manufacturers are free to use meat that leaves the plant and is sold as passed for human consumption, but some of them use the failed, condemned and denatured, meat-much, much, cheaper.

Also those pet food manufacturer’s that claim the meat comes from a USDA inspected facility really means nothing. Both USDA passed and condemned (failed) meat comes from and leaves USDA inspected facilties.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by losul.

[dogGirl]

there are a lot of people who feed it and like it. I am glad ECS guy is happy but we are not comfortable with feeding treated meat that was collected from dead, diseased, and dying animals supplied by a vendor who lies about their license.

I think I will stick with supermarket meat that I would put on my own plate.

[ECSGuy]

I was actually trying to get to the truth about this company. Not hints and innuendoes but facts. I’ll keep digging and when I have something factual to report I will. Mean while, there is no guarantee that supermarket meats do not contain growth hormones and antibiotics. It’s the times we live in, there appears to be no integrity in companies anymore.

[dogGirl]

The digging has been done. No innuendoes were made. The guy from Blue Ridge Beef gives out bogus inspection numbers when asked. When contacted, USDA and FDA both stated there is no such number and that the company does not have a number, either. Your buddy at Blue Ridge is dishonest… simple as that.

Your defensiveness makes me wonder if you work for either of those companies. I’m going to bow out now since it seems you are more interested in attacking me than having a discussion.

Good luck in your quest for truth. It will help to pull your head out of the sand.

[Brittany Mom]

My friend who orders from this company and inquired about the meats’ origin got a response from BRB. Not once did in the response did they address her concern or deny that the meat came from 3D animals. All they did was berate the individuals who were questioning them. They maintain the food is the best for the money. She is not using their food anymore.

[ECSGuy]

Not looking to fight with anyone nor convert them over to my way of feeding. Glad that dogGirl feeding her dogs the way she wants and it is a raw diet. Raw feeding has so much to offer the dogs, that I sometimes become obsessive and preachy about it (just ask my wife).

For those that want more information on feeding raw natural diets, the book by Lew Olsen PhD. Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs is a great resource and explains the dogs digestive make up and why they can eat raw food that would make a human sick. Oddly, it makes me question my own diet, as it would appear that humans are genetically pre-disposed as Herbivores and not Omnivores as we seem to think. Makes a great case for becoming a Vegetarian :>(

[ECSGuy]

Losil, after some checking, blue ridge products are not denatured. Rumors of 3D animals where started by competitors some years ago.

[losul]

ESCGuy, thnx for the update. I don’t know whether it’s denatured/condemned meat or not. I’m just going by what others have said about charcoal in it. Does it have charcoal in it or not? I can’t see any other reason for charcoal to be in it, can you?

Here’s what the owner of MyPetCarnivore has to say about it, as they are often approached by peddlers of denatured meat;

https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=125:the-hidden-dangers-of-denatured-meat&catid=21:holistic-living-for-you-a-your-pet-carnivore&Itemid=144

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by losul.

[B D]

It’s been a while since anything was posted on this thread, but I couldn’t find anyway to post on a more recent one that referenced this link.

I’m currently talking with Steve Iea about the quality of his pet food. Information on this site does raise some issues to be sure. Mr. Iea emailed me today that there is no 3D/4D meat in their products and all the beef is on the hoof as it comes in to the plant. He did not address my question about whether the meat and poultry as it comes into their plant is USDA inspected & approved for human consumption. Remember that once meat is processed in a non-human facility, it can no longer be called “human grade”. That distinction can be made however prior to the manufacturing process. I have asked for clarification on that and am waiting for a reply.

I would also like to correct something about charcoal as a denaturing products. Some years ago when I was purchasing goat direct from a packing house in Georgia, the USDA inspector found out that it was for dogs and ask the plant to denature it with the purple ink they use to stamp grades on the meat or coat it in charcoal. I had to go to the head USDA guy for the region in Atlanta to get that request withdrawn. The charcoal has nothing to do with covering up smells, it is simply there to make the meat unpalatable for human consumption as far as the USDA is concerned. If packing houses are using it for other purposes, that is not the USDA’s doing.

Cheers,
‘B’

[L R]

For what it’s worth, as a possible future consumer of BRB, I was curious about BRB company, looked up some info, and wrote Steve Lea (the owner) to ask him some questions. He didn’t answer anything regarding the two companies Lea-way Farms Inc., and BRB. He said “no 3D/4D” in my email reply below and on an email someone else got back he said “no 3D/4D material”, why he wasn’t more clear/specific and just state “no 3D/4D meat”, I’m not sure, I don’t know if that means anything like he was sort of dodging the question or not. I also wrote to Susan Thixton, author of “The Truth about Pet Food” blog to see if she had any info on BRB. This is the info I found and received from them.

My email to Steve. . .
“Hi Steve, I’m sure you get this a lot but I would really appreciate if you could answer a few questions I had, and clear up some confusion.

I know that you own BRB as well as Lea way Inc., I’ve read from Iredell county commissioner minutes on the Iredell county government website archives that Lea Way Inc., is in the business of animal removal from local area farms and recycles it for pet food for Grey hound racing tracks in FL. At least you were as of May 2006.
http://www.co.iredell.nc.us/Departments/Planning/minutes/April2006pbminutes.pdf
Page 6
”Lea-Way Company picks up deceased cattle from area farms and provides a means for sanitary disposal; the existing plant processes useable materials into pet food products”

http://www.co.iredell.nc.us/Commissioners/minutes/Regular/May_9_2006_regular_minutes.pdf
Page 4 notes from that meeting stated. . .
”Lea said since 1979, his company had helped to recycle dead animals, at no cost to the county or state.” “Commissioner Robertson asked about the process — muscle tissue removed from the carcass. Lea said this was correct, and the tissue was boxed, frozen, labeled, and shipped to the Greyhound Tracks in Florida as pet food.”

Are the Iredell county documents correct in their information or were they at the time they were written correct? Are BRB and Lea Way Inc. connected in any other way besides sharing a mailing address? Is Lea way Inc. still in the practice of collecting downed animals and recycling them for petfood products for greyhound racing? If not, what happens to all the muscle meat you process from the downed animals you pick up, if it’s not going into pet food products? Are you still greyhound breeding for racing?

If the information is correct, I’m curious why one company produces pet products/food from picked up dead animals, and why your other company BRB would have a different meat quality standard?

I am interested in trying your products and I would really appreciate some information, and I’m hoping you reply back and answer my questions directly and honestly.”

Steve Lea’s email Reply. . .
“I will try to give you a short direct answer?
This was an attempt by me 8 years ago to take material that is unusable for ANYTHING, and turn them into renewable fuels.
I see that now you have dug up the commissioners Minutes as well.
If you read them you will see it was tabled and then withdrawn,
None of this happened then and is not happening now, and has NOTHING to do with BRB, or the products in BRB…
There is no 3-4D in Any of our products..
The internet is full of old outdated information that is no longer the case.
Some people have spent allot of time digging up this old outdated information and attempting to link it to BRB
to attempt to destroy it
WHY????????
I have answered these questions hundred’s of times only to find my words turned around and misrepresented on chat sites
I WILL NO LONGER ADDRESS THIS ISSUE!!!!
If you choose to believe these internet bullies and not feed BRB we wish you and your pets the best.
If you choose to believe your own eyes and your pets health and feed BRB we thank you for your business and support
Steve”

Susan Thixton’s email reply when asked about any information she might have about BRB as a company…
“A year or two ago – I had a horse rescue volunteer reach out to me about this company. She provided me with the USDA website link that gives the owner of Blue Ridge Beef (but in the name of another company) a license to be a dead animal hauler. Also I was told – same ‘other’ company offers inexpensive euthanisia services for horses. I was told he comes to the farm and shoots the horse and then removes the body. I reported this to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Florida Department of Agriculture – and to my knowledge they did nothing with the information I provided them. To me, it is a conflict of interest for a raw meat pet food company to also have a license to haul dead animals. But…they don’t ask me. I suggest – if you are not completely comfortable with the company – listen to your gut.
Susan”

When looking for info, I did find a 2013 forum post in a horse forum that referenced using Lea way farms in Statesville, NC to humanely euthanize and dispose of their horse. So it may be that as of 2013 Lea way farms was still collecting/disposing downed animals.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?393457-Spin-Off-on-Cabelas-amp-Rendering-Plants

[Mac T]

I am a veterinarian and feed Blue Ridge Beef products to my 3 Boxers and have recommended it to many other folks. I have used it for 3 years and find it to be of excellent and consistent quality. I have never observed charcoal in the product. Before I started using the food I had emailed the company and found their responses professional and timely. The dogs I feed it to are healthy and do extremely well fed BRB products exclusively. I am a breeder and also do a lot of obedience work with my dogs and credit their excellent health and performance to this food. I rarely find in necessary to supplement, as I feel most supplements are sold and used based on marketing and perception rather than medical/scientific fact. I have no affiliation to the company whatsoever, wish I did so I could get a discount though 🙂 Are there other raw foods that you can use, certainly-there are many, are BRB products worth feeding your dog, IME yes. I like BRB products due to quality, consistency, affordability, variety, and convenience. I prefer feeding a ground product instead of so-called prey model-just a personal choice. I have a lot of first hand experience feeding their products and I like them. One thing about internet info is that some times folks bad mouth something they have never used and that can be unfair. I have no vested interest in convincing anyone to use BRB, but I thought some actual first hand experiences about the products might help those considering them. I have no inside info about the company so I can not address some of the issues raised in this thread about their ownership or business connections, I just have experience actually using the products. I will be glad to attempt to answer any questions or inquiries about my dogs.

[macsmommy]

I have been feeding my dogs Blue Ridge Beef mixed with Sojo’s dehydrated veggies since they were puppies. However, I have recently switched from Blue Ridge to Primal Raw because I had recently noticed my dog’s feces looking really black and soft and was somewhat concerned. At that same time, I read some comments on Dogfoodadvisor.com that Blue Ridge Beef’s Owner, Steven Lea, owns a collection facility that picks up dead, diseased, and dying animals. The mailing address is the same for both companies. I was mortified when I read that. So I did some research and found more information regarding same. So then I contacted Dee at Blue Ridge Beef’s office and she could not adequately put my fears to rest. She told me that “anyone that has common sense would realize there would be no future in us selling diseased food to our valued pets.” Now, mind you, I have been a customer of theirs for almost 5 years!! She did not directly address my question regarding rendered meat being in their products other than referring to what my common sense should tell me which was quite offensive and infuriating. To me owning a pet food company and a collection facility that picks up dead, diseased, and dying animals is a HUGE conflict of interest. In addition, apparently the owner, Steven Lea, applied for a permit to build a Rendering Plant, but the city commission was not keen on the idea, so Steven Lea withdrew his application. I live in West Palm Beach and I had always wondered why Blue Ridge Beef drives all the way down to West Palm Beach to deliver food once a month. Well, it’s because they supply the Dog Racing Track here with food. That’s disturbing because the dog racing industry has “openly admitted” to buying only rendered meat for their dogs to reduce costs. Needless to say, I am not feeding my dogs Blue Ridge Beef anymore. I have switched to Primal Formula. They have a freeze dried formula that my dogs love. It is 100% human grade raw meat and I feel safer with this product. It’s a little more expensive, but well worth it.

[ECSGuy]

Recent post brings up the “3D” thing with Blue Ridge products again. I’ve fed all varieties of their products for well over a year now. I’ve never seen, smelled or thought that there is anything wrong here! Who really knows where “any of the meat” in pet food comes from? My Pet Carnivores foods are very pricey, but are mostly the throw away items from processing ( hearts, pork livers, trachea, necks, etc.). For price, convenience, etc., you can’t really beat Blue Ridge products.

[Cyndi]

I’m not sure about My Pet Carnivore, but I use Hare Today, and their site says exactly where every bit of meat comes from. I would NEVER feed Blue Ridge beef products after all that’s been said about them. I stopped using commercial dog food because of all the crap in it, I’m not about to use raw food if there’s the slightest chance that they use 4-D animals and crap. I’d much rather spend a bit more on quality food for my dog instead of saving a few bucks and feeding crap.

[ECSGuy]

I buy a lot of meat from the grocery store, but even that does not guarantee that the meat is first quality. Recent problems in the food chain make eating at all dangerous. The fellow I buy Blue Ridge from orders thousands of pounds per shipment. I have written assurance from Steven Lea that there products contain no 4D meats. However, that does not mean he’s telling the truth. Just like Hare Today saying exactly where there products come from does mean they are telling the truth.
I’m just saying that I’ve heard terrible things about “all” of the raw food vendors. I guess the only way to guarantee the source is buy a farm and raise pigs, chickens, cows, etc. to feed your dogs and yourself.

[ECSGuy]

Thank you, this has been my experience with Blue Ridge as well.

[gmcbogger38]

The issues with Blue Ridge Beef have me concerned since I just bought 6 chubs to start feeding my dogs. How would they get 4D meat of quail, duck and rabbit? Are there farms who raise those animals and would rid the 4D meat to that company like beef and chicken? I could see rabbit being possible road kill, but I have never seen quail or duck road kill. If this sounds stupid I apologize, I am just concerned now with feeding my dogs Blue Ridge Beef.

[Stacey L]

I distribute BRB and work with so many people who have loved them for years and years. The folks I know from the company are nice, good people and my dogs love the food. And, the breeders I know who use them – love it too. We add whole meats and other supps to our foods diet, but would do that with any food. Everyone has a notion, an idea and a concept on how companies work – my experience has been 100% positive and with hundreds of happy, healthy dogs – I really like BRB.

[Michael M]

Hi all. I have the puppy mix and it smells pretty foul. It smells of fecies to be honest. Can anyone else comment on the smell of the food?

[Lily H]

Michael M, I bought the BRB complete and I actually thought of putting it in a small fridge in the garage because of the foul smell. My dog’s stools are also very dark and soft… I have fed raw to other dogs and never had an issue with the smell and after reading all the negatives, I am very concerned. I also bought enough for about 1 1/2 months worth of food o not terribly happy. Not sure why people think it’s reasonably priced as I thought the complete diet quite pricey.

[bkagel]

DO NOT BUY from this provider!!! Not only do they use 2d and 3d meats, which is bad enough!! I have been feeding it to my dogs for almost 2 years. I always wondered about the stamp NOT FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Red Flag!!! Red Flag!! Then I heard about the 2d and 3d meats, my one dog’s allergies seems to have increased. They love it on the first day but when I take a cut up piece from the freezer it’s a different story. It goes bad so quickly and it smells FOUL!!! I switched from Hare today for now. I am going to try an organic meat csa over the summer if I can find the meat I need for my dogs.

Nasty nasty stuff!!
Stay away from any any protein that states “protein denatured by alcohol” bad mojo!!

[InkedMarie]

bkagel,
You won’t find many people here who would feed BRB products but I need to mention something: No raw dog food would be labeled “for human consumption”. Dog grinds/patties/nuggets etc have bone in them. Humans don’t eat bone. I know this because I asked this very question of Hare Today when I first ordered from them.

[Lisa L]

I feed raw and get it from multiple different sources. They all say not for human consumption.

[Shannon D]

The foul smell is the tripe in the puppy mix. If you’ve ever fed tripe before then you know the smell!! It’s very foul and I feed it partly frozen, keeps the smell to a minimum.

[Frenky C]

just googled it, there are some concerns about the safety and validity of this product, specifically regarding deceased cattle, false establishment number, horse meat etc. Check it out before giving it to your little friend! Cheers!

[Author]

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