Rancher Uses Unused Meat For Dog Treats
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“I haven’t met a dog that didn’t like them,” says Arron Nerbas about Juno Bites, made and sold through his Manitoba family’s cattle ranch operation. Made from freeze-dried organ meats, the dog food is part of the Nerbases’ quest of “nose to tail,” utilizing every part of the beef cows they butcher and sell locally every month.
Nerbas’ parents, Gene and Cynthia, started with a cow/calf operation that evolved into raising registered Angus breeding stock. They and two of their sons, Arron and Shane, and their families own Nerbas Bros. Angus in Shellmouth, Manitoba. In recent years, they added direct marketing meat, working with a butcher and selling locally at The E Butchery on Main in Russell, Manitoba, where frozen cuts of the grass-raised beef are sold by weight through a vending machine.
The store also sells Juno Bites in 80-gram bags for $10.
“It’s actually a free product for us,” Nerbas says. There’s minimal cost for the butcher to slice and vacuum seal the organ meat (kidney, heart, liver and tongue) in pound bags kept in a separate freezer. When store supplies are getting low, Nerbas thaws and drains the raw meat and spreads it out on the four trays of a small freeze dryer for an average of 18 to 20 hrs.
“By freeze-drying, you keep 95 percent of the nutritional content,” Nerbas says. “I consider Juno Bites as a health supplement.”
The freeze-dried organs break up like wafers, are weighed, and are bagged for sale. They can be stored for up to one year, and their final weight is about a third of the raw meat.
“It’s our goal to add a value of $400 (Canadian) per animal with this product line,” Nerbas says.
He adds that other commercial companies sell freeze-dried beef dog food, but customers prefer to buy products raised by people they know.
Shipping is currently too cost-prohibitive for internet sales, and the Nerbas family is focused on meeting local demands. That includes keeping plenty of Juno Bites at home for Juno, the 5-year-old beagle for whom the treats are named.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Nerbas Bros. Angus, Box 6, Shellmouth, Manitoba, Canada R0J 1Y0 (ph 204-773-6800; agnerbas@gmail.com; www.nerbasbrosangus.com; Facebook: The E Butchery On Main)
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Rancher Uses Unused Meat For Dog Treats “I haven’t met a dog that didn’t like them ” says Arron Nerbas about Juno Bites made and sold through his Manitoba family’s cattle ranch operation Made from freeze-dried organ meats the dog food is part of the Nerbases’ quest of “nose to tail ” utilizing every part of the beef cows they butcher and sell locally every month Nerbas’ parents Gene and Cynthia started with a cow/calf operation that evolved into raising registered Angus breeding stock They and two of their sons Arron and Shane and their families own Nerbas Bros Angus in Shellmouth Manitoba In recent years they added direct marketing meat working with a butcher and selling locally at The E Butchery on Main in Russell Manitoba where frozen cuts of the grass-raised beef are sold by weight through a vending machine The store also sells Juno Bites in 80-gram bags for $10 “It’s actually a free product for us ” Nerbas says There’s minimal cost for the butcher to slice and vacuum seal the organ meat kidney heart liver and tongue in pound bags kept in a separate freezer When store supplies are getting low Nerbas thaws and drains the raw meat and spreads it out on the four trays of a small freeze dryer for an average of 18 to 20 hrs “By freeze-drying you keep 95 percent of the nutritional content ” Nerbas says “I consider Juno Bites as a health supplement ” The freeze-dried organs break up like wafers are weighed and are bagged for sale They can be stored for up to one year and their final weight is about a third of the raw meat “It’s our goal to add a value of $400 Canadian per animal with this product line ” Nerbas says He adds that other commercial companies sell freeze-dried beef dog food but customers prefer to buy products raised by people they know Shipping is currently too cost-prohibitive for internet sales and the Nerbas family is focused on meeting local demands That includes keeping plenty of Juno Bites at home for Juno the 5-year-old beagle for whom the treats are named Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Nerbas Bros Angus Box 6 Shellmouth Manitoba Canada R0J 1Y0 ph 204-773-6800; agnerbas@gmail com; www nerbasbrosangus com; Facebook: The E Butchery On Main
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