Izmir Metropolitan Municipality established a food production facility for stray animals to be fed healthier. The high-protein, additive-free foods produced are used in the feeding of cats and dogs in municipal shelters.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality established a food production facility for stray animals in shelters. Quality and high protein food is obtained with the studies carried out within the scope of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department.
They feed on waste food
In the facility located in Seyrek, very short-lived black soldier flies are used in the production of food, which are nature-friendly, live in a tropical climate, have no mouth and sting, and do not pose any risk of biting or carrying disease. After mating, black soldier flies lay their eggs in specially designed honeycombs. After about 105 hours, baby larvae emerge. Baby larvae are ready to feed in 3 or 5 days. The larvae, which are ready for feeding, are fed with the food that is ground in the facility after the shelf life is over. The larvae turn these wastes into protein and oil in about 15 days and reach the harvest stage. Harvested larvae are sieved.
No preservatives
Harvested black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are scalded. Then, the oil is taken from the larvae dried by the cold press method. BSF flour, which is very rich in minerals, contains high protein and calcium, and is obtained without the use of any additives and preservatives, is converted into food after the final process in the food production facility within the İzmir Pako Stray Animals Social Life Campus.
Production is planned to increase
Umut Polat, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Veterinary Affairs Branch Manager, stated that the food produced is high in protein and hypoallergenic in terms of feeding stray animals. Emphasizing that it is planned to produce between 500 kilograms and 1 ton per day with the new machines to be purchased, Umut Polat said, “The food we produce will be used for our own internal feeding in the first place. But we will also support the field feeding of stray animals with the food we produce.”
Street animals will now be fed healthier
Emphasizing the importance of production, Polat said, “We feed street animals with quality food that we produce ourselves and whose content we know. Thus, we will contribute to a healthier diet of our animals. It is very important for their health,” he said. Emphasizing that this study is also economically advantageous, Umut Polat said, “We will provide a significant decrease in the amount of food we will buy annually. We will not need to buy baby food in the future," he said.