At Shine Pet Food: We sustainably source wild boar for our Gently Cooked Dog Recipe from the southwest United States, where they live a truly free-range lifestyle. Texas, for example, is overrun with wild boar and has a program to cut their numbers that involves large cages that trap the animals. They are then taken to a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse, where they are processed as domesticated hogs would be. Our source, D'Artagnan, partners with experienced trappers in Texas to provide the best wild boar meat on the hoof.
The Benefits: Wild boar meat is similar to pork, but there are a few differences worth noting. The boar is higher in protein with less fat and calories than domestically-raised pig and it has an intense, sweet and nutty flavor, due, in part, to its diet of grasses, nuts, and forage. Because of their natural lifestyle, wild boar, are much less prone to illness and disease.
Nutrient-wise, boar meat is a good source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, zinc, and selenium, while being low in sodium. It’s also considered to be a healthy alternative to fish oil, with its moderate levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine: Boar is considered a “cooling” and yin-supportive meat. Cooling foods help to bring down inflammation throughout the body and are good for dogs with arthritis, allergies, skin conditions, and cancer (which is why it’s in our cancer-supportive diet).
