liver while in whelp

does anyone feed there bitches liver whislt they are in whelp?

we give ours liver from week 5 until 2 weeks past whelping

not too much else they get the runs lol

cheri xxx

I know this is an old post, but since I'm reading it, I'll add my comment.

Yes, I was advised by my vet a couple of years back that Liver is good for a lactating bitch in that it helps with milkproduction.(Beneficial if there is a big litter)
Then I've read somewhere about a study that was done on beagles, feeding liver before welping, vs NO additional liver.
The dam's litter that received the liver was not only stronger, but bigger then the counterparts without the liver added.

I have thus experimented on my last 3 litters, and I can agree. Avarage litter size (per pup that is!) were between 100-200gr more then my previous litters. The puppies were much stronger.

I used to make use of chicken livers, coocked and then chopped fine and added with the normal kebble food. Since I got married and are living on a game farm, I use game liver as that are even more healthy free of any antibiotics etc. (TOTALLY ORGANIC)

The only thing that I cannot figure out, is if it's better to cook it (but kill some of the valuable nutrients) or feeding raw (that is frowned apon). My logic tells me uncooked is better, but the civilised me thinks one should rather cook it.

i cook mine

reason being mine will get the runs i should think if i dont!???

however a few breeders i know feed it raw its not worth the risk to me

we get ours wekkly from our butcher who kills onsite either from chickens or pigs

cheri

that is very interesting and something i shall bear in mind.
What quantities of liver do you feed?

I give about a cup full worth (between 250-300ml) per feeding as I make it really fine /soft with the thunderstick.

Bearing in mind though that a heavely pregnant bitch gets fed 2 or 3 times a day, (THen I would add the liver 1/p day) and whils lactating, I would ad liver every second feeding (thus sometimes 2x p/day). I keep this up for the whole 8 weeks whilst raising the pups, and even a week or 2 after. That way the bitches never even loose condition after raising a litter!