FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
ULTIMATE FEEDS
PREMIUM DOG FOOD
Founded in 2000 we supply a premium quality dry dog food at an affordable price.
The services of a New Zealand based animal food nutritionalist, Ms Jenny Anderson, were contracted to formulate a range of products, covering growth (puppy) adult maintenance, and active (working). The specifications called for New Zealand sourced raw materials, from the human food chain where possible. The product was to be wheat free, G.E. free, and completely natural. New Zealand sourced raw materials are preferred as there is no G.E. grains grown here, and the stock from which muscle meat is obtained is grass fed, not G.E. modified grain fed, or steroid fed as happens in some overseas countries. Also there is no foot and mouth, or mad cow disease in this country. The specifications have been analyzed by Massey University to confirm that they meet AAFCO requirements.
A modern extrusion plant was installed in Auckland late in 2000, and the first production run done on December 28, 2000. Since that time there have been many improvements in the manufacturing procedures and formula to ensure that only product of the highest quality is produced. Massey University, an AAFCO approved testing agency, have recently confirmed that our products meet the latest AAFCO specifications.
The savings gained from no fancy packaging, no international freight, no MAF or custom clearances, and no extra middleman (the importer) are reflected in the pricing structure.
DELIVERY & PAYMENT
Delivery Fees?
There is no charge for delivery in the Christchurch urban area.
A $7 delivery fee for deliveries from Ashburton to Amberley and everywhere in between.
Delivery Time?
Deliveries are made on Saturday mornings, unless by courier in which case within 4 day.
Payment?
All Major Credit & Debit cards accepted online and phone orders or call us to arrange a an alternative payment type.
Can I Pickup My Order?
Contact us to arrange a time to come in and pick up your order.
Price
In these days of tight economic conditions we all have to get best value for money. Because we manufacture in New Zealand, from locally sourced raw materials, we save international freight costs, biosecurity and custom clearance charges, and the importers costs. These saving are passed on to you, the pet owner. We also do not incur the costs of expensive packaging, nor so called “free” giveaways. Our aim is to supply a quality pet food at an honest price. It is interesting to compare (via the internet) retail prices of imported pet foods between their country of origin, and New Zealand.
FRESHNESS
All foods deteriorate (oxidize) when exposed to air. This action can be slowed by various means, but never completely halted. There are basically 2 forms of anti oxidants (preservatives) available to pet food manufacturers.
- Natural. These are a combination of vitamins C & E, usually in the form of tochopherols, citric acid, and rosemary extract.
- Chemical. These come in a number of forms, some of which are quite harsh and require protective clothing when being handled.
Chemical preservatives generally give a longer shelf life than the natural forms, and are considerably cheaper. At Ultra, we use only natural antioxidants, and in the minimal amounts to ensure the shelf life is maintained.
Our products are usually in the hands of the distributor within 10 days of manufacture, compared to the up to 3 months with some imported products, thus ensuring that the product is as fresh as possible, and therefore with the absolute minimum of deterioration.
MINERALS
Minerals come in 3 forms, chelated (or proteinated) sulphates and oxides. Chelated are more easily absorbed by the dog than oxides and sulphates, but however are a lot more expensive. At Ultra, quality is paramount, so we use all chelated minerals.
EXTRUDED V BAKED
Most of us know that the longer you cook a food, the more you reduce the nutritional benefits. At Ultra we extrude the food, which means that it is cooked under pressure by direct steam injection in less than 30 seconds, compared to the up to 40 minutes required to bake a biscuit. This ensures minimal nutritional loss, particularly with the vitamin content, a lot of which is subject to damage when heated for too long a period.
GRAIN v VEGETABLES
In their natural environment, canines (unlike felines who eat only muscle meat) ate all their prey, including the offal, stomach and intestines and their contents. Their prey was normally grazing animals, so the stomach etc contained partially digested grass. Grains are cultivated grasses, therefore canines ate grains. Certainly the grain was partially broken down, and not as harvested, but we do the same in processing our dog foods.
COMPLETE v PREMIUM
A complete food contains all the necessary nutrients (protein, fats, minerals vitamins etc) necessary, but there is no control over where those nutrients are obtained. One batch may have most of the protein from assorted meats, the next from assorted cereals. These products are normally price driven, and therefore the cheapest raw materials are regularly used. A premium product must source some 90% of protein from animal sources, as canines absorb animal protein a lot better than vegetable protein. Premium products also must have a fixed formula, so the raw materials are not affected by price fluctuations.
LIST OF INGREDIENTS
Some manufacturers say that the first ingredient must be meat based. This is not true. Two of the first three should be meat based. Consider the following formulae.
For these we assume that some 25% of the product contains the fats, vitamins minerals, fibre moisture etc, and the balance meat and grain.
1. 40 parts beef, 35 parts corn. Beef is listed first.
Protein from beef is 20%
Protein from corn is 5% Total protein 25%
2. 30 parts beef, 35 parts corn, 10 parts dried blood. Corn is listed first
Protein from beef 15%
Protein from corn 5%
Protein from blood 8%
Total protein 28%, the majority of which is sourced from meat.
Also a product that has 20% meat, 19% rice, 19% corn,17% barley has the meat listed first, but is obviously grain based.
CONTACT US
For More Information Fill in the email form below or Free Call: 021 105 3382
SUPPLYING
HIGH-QUALITY
FRESH DOG FOOD
GUARANTEED
NEW ZEALAND
MADE
PREMIUM
QUALITY DRY
DOG FOOD
Contact Us or Call 021 105 3382