Folks, The USDA mandates that anything that isn't the primary muscle tissue of an animal be labeled as by-products. Therefore, by-products can contain offal, beaks, feathers, etc. depending on the manufacturer. However, just because a product has by-products in it, does not mean that it contains those things. By-products can also be organs, cartilage, some bone, and other non-muscle tissues. Many of those by-products contain elements our pets need, and would eat in the wild, such as liver for iron. (Have you ever known anyone who took shark cartilage pills? That would be considered a by-product.) The best thing to do is A) look for products that contain chicken {or beef, or turkey} as the primary ingredient, and B) contact the manufacturer to find out what they consider acceptable to use as by-products. That will vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. The more they hear from us about what is acceptable as ingredients in the products we buy, the more likely they are to adhere to higher standards. GEC @};~ and the Three Musteteers; Athos {Mischief}, Porthos {Kaos} and Aramis {Trouble} [Posted in FML issue 4900]