All about Dr.Harrisons bird foods

Dr. Harrisons birdfood is often shortened with the term harrison food. This food is the result of more than 10 years research to develop a balanced food, which has the optimal content of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements for the needs of parrots and parakeets. The raw plant materials are all organically grown.

Dr. Harrison food is produced in an especially mild extrusion process. This guarantees that the structure and the original colour of the ground seeds will be preserved. The Dr. Harrison formula is characterised by a balanced ratio of protein, carbohydrate, and fat content and is easy to digest. Consequently, it is also suitable for organically sick parrots or birds whose metabolism is damaged.

Parrot owners observe a few weeks after the complete conversion of their food on the parrots Dr. Harrison feed that their birds got shining feathers. The birds are lively and set as a sign of normalization of bowel function a well-shaped, greenish-brown droppings.

The Dr. Harrison formula is enriched with vitamins and minerals, but has:

• no pesticides
• no insecticides
• no herbicides
• no fungus or mycotoxines
• no artificial colouring
• no artificial flavours or sweeteners
• no preservatives
• no antioxidants

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Why to use Harrisons Bird Foods?

1. Certified USDA Organic

• No artificial colors.
• No chemical sweeteners.
• No added flavors.
• No preservatives.
• First certified organic pet food.

• Grain Place Foods was featured in the first National Geographic Magazine article on sustainable agriculture as a role model. Founding member of certification movement.
• They grow, source and store our ingredients with organic farmers they have worked with for decades. Not the open market.
• Many grains are toasted on site as discussed later.
• Whole grains and product is handled in state of the art vacuum transfer and storage facilities to avoid scratching, breaking and worn metal contamination from agars, buckets and chains so often used.
• Each ingredient is prepurchase tested for molds (mycotoxins) and nutrient analysis.
• Each mix is tested after grinding for fat, moisture, protein, fiber and ash to assure continuity of extrusion flour.
• Product is refrigerated upon grinding, mixing and during post production shipping to our ware house.

• Each batch has the same ingredients.
• Low priced ingredients are not switched for higher priced items.

• Example on HBD label ground shelled corn = whole corn not by product.
• Pet product labels. Corn = corn with oil removed, pressed, post cooking or other by products.

• Enhances absorption of nutrients:
  • Calcium.
• Binds toxins and allergens.
• Firmer droppings = easy clean up.
• Increases feed efficiency, lowers volume consumed and of stool.
• Bacteria - yeast problems reduced.

• High quality protein.
• Natural source of vitamins:
  • B vitamins (riboflavin).
  • Vitamin E.
  • Stimulates vitamin K production in the bird s intestine.
• Wild birds do not eat vitamin A. Their diet provides vitamin precursors (carotenoids) found in these food items. Nor do they eat vitamin D3 but produce it from exposure to sun light.
• New roles for carotenoids & sun light:
  • Immune strength.
  • Healing of digestive (pancreas, liver, and colon), nervous and respiratory tissues if diseased and ready for healing.

• Montmorillonite clay.
• Sea salt.
• Calcium carbonate.

• Easier to evenly disperse in flours.

• Infrared ovens stabilize natural enzymes.
• Toasted flavor.
• Reduces extrusion temperature needs.

• Fish meal - animal proteins = waste by-products.
  • fishy taste
  • bacterial contamination potential
• Vegetable protein eliminates problems.

• Extrusion = cooking resembles baking.
• Increases digestibility.
• Prolongs storage.
• Toasting - allows low temperature extrusion.
• natural flavors.
• enzymes.
• maximum acceptance and health benefits.
• Avoids degrading vitamins.
• Minerals are less interactive.
• No heat denatured by products.
• No over-formulation accommodation.

• Whole grain flour - lower temperature.
• Extrusion slow.
• Drying slow.

• Each and every product is analyzed using a nutrient profile.
• Five of the worlds leading pet bird nutritionists have reviewed our formulas for nutritional content.

• Products are often inadequately packaged.
• Light, oxygen, moisture and heat speeds spoilage.
  • Peroxide formation from damaged fats (rancidity).
• Plastic, cellophane, coated paper or cardboard boxes
  • Stop light or moisture but not oxygen or heat.
  • Break down of essential nutrients or change their biological activity.
  • advertised vitamin A 12,500 IU/kg reduced to 1,500 IU/kg (McDonald D, CAM 2006) further after being opened.
  • To compensate some companies have added excessive levels.
  • So only old bags have ideal levels.
  • New bags may have excessive levels.
  • Most companies use preservatives.
• Organic ingredients with no synthetic preservatives are very prone to rancidity.

• Used by high-end coffee companies.
• Poly coated extruded paper.
• Nylon for puncture resistance.
• Metal alloy oxygen barrier.
• Polyethylene layer moisture resistance, retain oils.
• Increased shell life - 14 months.
• Opened six weeks - food needs to be replaced.
• Cannot be preprinted.
• Cannot be formed at packaging.
• Preformed, top sealed, hand labeled.
• Bags 10 x as expensive as roll stock.

• Used by most companies.
• Mass produced bags.
• Rolls of preprinted plastic formed at packaging.
• Faster than preformed.
• Less expensive.

• Healthiest food -preferred by 9 out of 10 veterinary avian specialist s surveyed.
• Any claim made about a potential problem with a product is followed up by independently monitored feeding trials in healthy birds. No unhealthy links to our products every substantiated.
• Not designed for entertainment but preferred by birds in independent tests.
• survey of ultra violet properties show high level in HBD s natural ingredients is attractive to birds.
• Echols studies show birds need more than colored shapes for enrichment.

• Normal bacterial flora created without probiotics.
• Normal body weight = increased muscle mass.
• Loss of lipomas and xanthomas.
• Decreased cholesterol.
• Decreased sugar in urine.
• Corrects pancreatic and liver malfunctions.
• Recovery ideal sick bird gavage.
• Neonate & Juvenile give least problem hand rearing and sick bird support.
• Production of breeding birds is enhanced and baby bird survival is maximized.

• Avian Medicine: Principles and Application by Ritchie, Harrison & Harrison
  • the standard
  • little basic science changed since publication
  • Pages: 1384 pp. Published: 1993

• Clinical Avian Medicine (2 volumes set) by Harrison & Lightfoot
  • 1300 color images
  • current scientific data
  • practical diagnostic support
  • published 2006. Pages: 1008pp.

• Trained professionals.
• Assistance in bird s health and feeding.

• Developed in avian practice.
• Developed to correct breeding and hatching problems in Hyacinth macaws.
• Nine years feeding trials.
• Two breeding collections.
• Parrots, mynahs, toucans hemachromatosis:
• all formulas low iron.
• no vitamin C which enhances iron absorption.
• some birds need vitamin C added on an individual basis.
• Small birds do better on chia than psyllium.

• African greys, macaws, budgerigars, recovering wild birds.
• Ideal levels of intestinal bacteria - reduces Gram-negative bacteria without antibiotics.
• Levels of calcium and vitamin D3 prevent seizures, osteoporosis.
• Harrison s stabilizes HDL cholesterol levels.

• Sunflower, millet, oats, rice, peas and peanuts fed since the beginning of bird keeping.
• HBD improved centuries of results by adding missing nutrients.
• Chicken formulas were avoided.
• No wheat or refined sugar.

• No corn, sunflower, peanuts for sensitivity to develop.
• Gray millet, wild buckwheat, sesame and chia seeds clinically reduce allergy symptoms.

• Veterinarians do not want to stock a wide variety of diets.