Well, I won't be feeding any Goldenfeast anymore

[Mizzely]

So based on a discussion earlier this week, I contacted Goldenfeast about their foods. I know that TOPS pellets don't have any Vitamin D3 but they also do not claim that their pellet is a complete diet. However, Goldenfeast Goldn'obles proudly exclaim they are a "Complete Nutrition Formula". Last I knew they had dried egg in their pellets, so I was surprised to learn that they no longer had any form of Vitamin D3 in the diet. Nor, any form of D at all!

I sent them an email asking about this lack, and was told by the unidentified respondent that the D3 was in the "oats, almonds, organic soybeans, and some of the grains."

The problem with this statement is that there is NO form of vitamin D in any of the listed ingredients. Not even a trace amount. Zero UI. You can verify this on any website. Welcome to the USDA Food Composition Database is a good one, as is SELF Nutrition Data | Food Facts, Information & Calorie Calculator

When I pushed back on this, they sent me to the following link: Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - Calcium, Phosphorus & Vitamin D3 in Diets for Parrots and Birds

The link specifically states that plant based forms of Vitamin D are insufficient for birds. It does state that 11 to 45 minutes a day of unfiltered sunlight is sufficient to not need supplementation, but I live in Michigan and 6 months of the year it is too cold to give this to my birds. The same article then goes on to say that it is recommended to give them 1000 IU/kg a day for a maintenance diet, and explains how crucial Vitamin D3 is in the diet. I asked what they recommend for someone in my situation and I am still waiting for an answer.

I am left confused and wondering how not only can this be marketed as a complete diet, since without access to routine sunlight a bird would be deficient in a very necessary nutrient, but also how they have no issue lying to me when I asked them for very specific information. Instead of simply stating: "Our food does not contain any Vitamin D," they instead repeatedly told me, "Goldenfeast never adds synthetic vitamins, dyes or preservatives to our formulas. We depend upon the nutritional value of our exceptional quality ingredients."

That's fine. But don't call it complete when it lacks a very necessary component that many birds do not have other means of acquiring. This is not an issue of "just add veggies, fruits, and nuts to the diet" because those things do not offer D3. This seems deceitful at best, but is potentially harmful for bird keepers that don't realize that this food is not nutritionally complete. It would be one thing to offer the food as a great part of the diet that requires supplementation, but that is not how it is being marketed.

Pretty disappointed.

 

[Familyof12]

Thank you so much for letting us all know. That sounds like false advertising to me. I'm paranoid about ingredients in animal food as I don't believe it is as regulated as human food for consumption. This very disappointing and I don't blame @Mizzley for being so upset. When you feed your family what you thought was healthy and it turns out to be lacking in nutrition we will obviously be unhappy. The false statement it makes confuses us leading us to believe we are doing what's best for them when it turns out a key ingredient which is a nutrition our pets need is missing could cause serious health issues.

I'll for sure stay away from it. It's unconscionable that a company is willing to put our loved ones at risk to make a profits.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Thank you so much for doing this! I have been wondering about Goldenobles lately too. It's very disappointing that they are so evasive and dishonest, because they seem like such a good company. All the ingredients seem so great in this product, but it needs to be fortified. I wish bird food was labeled like human food, so you could know all the percentages of the vitamins, sugar, etc.

 

[Mizzely]

Thank you so much for doing this! I have been wondering about Goldenobles lately too. It's very disappointing that they are so evasive and dishonest, because they seem like such a good company. All the ingredients seem so great in this product, but it needs to be fortified. I wish bird food was labeled like human food, so you could know all the percentages of the vitamins, sugar, etc.

I specifically asked for a vitamin breakdown and they told me they only do the crude fat, protein, moisture, and ash. I do wish they had to be more accountable.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

That's a shame cause Blu actually likes golden'obles, some days. I'm glad I know though. Thanks for doing the research and letting us know!

 

[Familyof12]

I did some research into this because this really bothered me. I am correct in that there is consumer confusion and there is "False Advertising." The FDA in the US see a major between vitamin and food. Vitamins come naturally in food but if the underlying food used didn't have that vitamin to begin with, they would have to add it. They are not allowed to add EXTRA vitamins to food altering it's original nutritional value, it is considered a medication and the two categories while generally both ingested fall under separate rules. So my original guess of $$ coming before our pets seems to be true for the packaging of this certain food.

If the food brand wants to say it has that extra nutrition without adding it to the underlying product (spinach for calcium) and the just add calcium without using spinach then it is a drug. Food, canned or otherwise for our animals must be safe to be ingested. You can call the FDA and file a complaint about the packaging being inaccurate. They hate that. Remember the Chinese dog food that kills so many pets in the US?


https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/ucm047111.htm#drug


When is a food a drug?
Some food products may affect the structure or function of the body. For example, a food containing calcium may affect bone structure in puppies, or a food containing the amino acid taurine may help with heart health in cats. FDA considers these products to be food, not drugs, because they exert their effect by providing nutrition, taste, or aroma.

If a food affects the structure or function of the body apart from its nutritive value, such as by making a cat’s urine more acidic or improving joint function in an arthritic dog, FDA may consider it a drug. Similarly, a food marketed with a claim that it improves or increases production and performance may be a drug. Another example of when a food may be a drug is if it’s intended to treat or prevent a disease.

Pre-Market Review: Animal Drugs vs. Food for Animals
As required by the FD&C Act, an animal drug must be reviewed by FDA for safety and effectiveness before a drug company can legally sell the drug. During this pre-market review, the agency evaluates information submitted by the company to make sure the drug is safe and effective for its intended use and that the drug is properly manufactured and properly labeled.

As opposed to an animal drug, food for animals doesn’t need FDA’s pre-market review to be legally marketed (unless the substance is a food additive—see next section). However, the FD&C Act still requires that food for animals, like food for people, be:

• Safe to eat;
• Produced under sanitary conditions;
• Free of harmful substances; and
• Truthfully labeled.

Canned pet food must also comply with the regulations for low-acid canned food.

 

[Ankou]

Their evasiveness and downright deceit over this is more concerning than the lack of supplements, yikes!
How they answered speaks volumes to me; they know it's lacking crucial vitamins and they don't care as long as it sells. That really rubs me the wrong way in any company but especially when it could hurt animals even when an owner is well-meaning.
Thank you for sharing, it's certainly something to keep in mind for picky eaters or offering pellet variety.

I am very grateful Peanut will eat Harrisons, I know not all birds will. Like Michigan, taking birds outside isn't even an option for a lot of the year. By the end of August autumn has usually set in and it's raining constantly, then doesn't get warm enough again until May.

 

[Mizzely]

Well, here's another thing that makes this seem deceitful. As far as I can tell, their PACKAGING does not mention "Complete diet". Only their website!

The closest I can find is “Feed naturally as a Daily Care Formula”:

On their website:

So maybe they are skirting the issue by not actually labeling it as a complete diet on the package??

 

[Mizzely]

Their evasiveness and downright deceit over this is more concerning than the lack of supplements, yikes!
How they answered speaks volumes to me; they know it's lacking crucial vitamins and they don't care as long as it sells. That really rubs me the wrong way in any company but especially when it could hurt animals even when an owner is well-meaning.

That is what gets me too. I can forgive that it doesn't have the supplements. But the way they handled the question was unnerving.

 

[Ribbit21]

What "good" pellets do contain vitamin D? Goldenfeast is all Josie will eat. I've managed to switch the others to Harrisons. Between time constraints and the weather there are very few days that I can actually get the birds outside.

 

[Mizzely]

What "good" pellets do contain vitamin D? Goldenfeast is all Josie will eat. I've managed to switch the others to Harrisons. Between time constraints and the weather there are very few days that I can actually get the birds outside.

Harrison's
Caitec Oven Fresh Bites
Zupreem
Roudybush
Higgins inTune
Hagen Tropican

Even
Pretty Bird
Kaytee
Scenic

Basically everything except TOPS and Goldenfeast from what I have been able to find

 

[hotfoot jackson]

Vetafarm maintenance pellets have D3 in them....as does Passwell Low Fat pellets (both Aussie brands)

 

[Ribbit21]

Whelp I suppose I’m going to have to switch her to something else. Don’t think I’ve tried Roudybush before.

 

[Mizzely]

Whelp I suppose I’m going to have to switch her to something else. Don’t think I’ve tried Roudybush before.

I'm sorry I really do think they changed the recipe. I could have sworn it had dried egg before!

 

[saroj12]

I stopped buying goldenfeast after a found a big fat rat dropping in the very first handful I took out of a new jar of hookbill legume blend. It was so disgusting!

 

[Mizzely]

I stopped buying goldenfeast after a found a big fat rat dropping in the very first handful I took out of a new jar of hookbill legume blend. It was so disgusting!

Gross!!!

 

[SandraK]

What "good" pellets do contain vitamin D? Goldenfeast is all Josie will eat. I've managed to switch the others to Harrisons. Between time constraints and the weather there are very few days that I can actually get the birds outside.

Weather-wise, most of us in the Midwest have restricted access to sunning our birds outside. More often than not, the weekends are awful and the week days are great but that doesn't help. It may be sunny and warm to begin with but knowing Chicago weather at least, one doesn't leave one's fids outside in the a.m. just because it is warm and sunny. Temps can drop 20-30 degrees or more in one day so if you're at work until 5 or 6 leaving the fids outside is not an option unless you want to come home to some seriously cold birds.

 

[Familyof12]

I came to this board due to the sunlight issue. It really is confusing. The avian specialist stated a minimum of 12 hours a week. Well, with the fires in Napa and the air being so poor, mine didn't go out at all for four days. So do I know stick them out there for 6 plus hours every weekend? When it's cold?! I'd have frozen bird lollipops only identifiable by color and shape! That is not okay. We get into the 30's in the winter and with how small their body mass is, they can't do it. My chickens can and even they get a heated lamp in their large coop, so we'll stick to the roundybush.

Rat droppings in food?! What the heck?!! That is disgusting and could get our birds and us soooo sick! What are they thinking?

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I stopped buying goldenfeast after a found a big fat rat dropping in the very first handful I took out of a new jar of hookbill legume blend. It was so disgusting!

That's horrible! My birds love the Goldenfeast Australian Blend, they even eat all of the tiny fruits and veggies in it. How disheartening! Did you ever contact the company?

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Shawn's, the solution to your Vit D problems is the same as mine. Artificial sunlight via lamp.