Do you have questions about bully sticks? What are they? What are they made of? Are they safe? Is pizzle the same as bully sticks? Read on...
What Are Bully Sticks?
Bully sticks are dehydrated meat treats, sometimes known as pizzle. They are the penis of bulls or steers, and although they are somewhat of a delicacy in some Asian cultures, they are generally considered to be an animal by-product.
It can take 2 - 3 days to dehydrate each bully stick.
This is great news for dogs, because once dehydrated these are a tasty and long lasting chew. Being a single protein, they are easily digestible. Bully sticks contain high levels of taurine, an amino sulphonic acid necessary for fat digestion and heart health.
Slow dehydration retains nutrients - these are the perfect treat for raw fed dogs. You can see all the bully sticks or pizzle which we sell here.
They can be quite high in calories, but these are good quality calories from protein, not empty calories from sugar. As an occasional treat this is not a problem - if your dog is lucky enough to get bully sticks frequently, we would recommend adjusting the meal allowance accordingly to prevent overfeeding.
Are bully sticks safe?
Bully sticks are excellent for dental health. Unlike bones, bully sticks cannot splinter. Being a longer lasting chew, as the dog works through it, dental plaque and tartar is loosened, helping to keep teeth healthy and clean.
This chewing is also key in preventing gum disease, or gingivitis. Did you know that gingivitis not only leads to dental decay, but that bacteria from the mouth can travel throughout the body causing heart, liver and kidney disease. Read more about the importance of dental health here.
Chewing is good for your dog for other reasons than dental health. For puppies, chewing can relieve teething pain. Chewing also relieves boredom, and is considered to be useful in helping dogs manage anxiety and frustration. Giving your dog a treat which he can chew on for a reasonable period will make him relaxed and release feel good endorphins.
Why Are Bully Sticks Expensive?
Given that bully sticks are dehydrated penis, that rules out all the lady cows, and there is only one per bull - I know, it sounds obvious, but bulls have 2 ears, 4 legs, but only one penis. That means there are fewer to start with than any other beef treat.
Then there is the actual work involved in preparing the bully sticks. They are quite labour intensive. Each one has to be prepared by hand, removing any fat. They are then dehydrated for 2 to 3 days.
Finally, throw in the the weather events which have plagued Australian farmers for the past few years, affecting supply. Drought, floods and fires have all had an impact on stocks of cattle. All Australian beef products are rising in cost, whether for humans or dogs. Even in times of plenty, they are still a more expensive treat, as demand often exceeds supply.
Our supply of bully sticks is always unpredictable - demand is always much higher than supply. We do have a good supply of beef bully sticks at the moment, and the quality is excellent.
We stand by our decision to only stock Australian meat treats. We are supporting Australian farmers and other Australian business, and bringing the best quality treats to you.
Our beef bully sticks are graded as follows:
Small, Medium, Thick, Jumbo, Mega.
We stock the following bully sticks:
We have also stocked camel pizzle - however as at June 2023 these are unavailable.
Alternatives to Bully Sticks
If bully sticks are not in your price range, we can recommend jerky as a more cost effective high protein alternative, available in a range of proteins.
If you are just looking for a long lasting chew, take a look at our collection of treats for dogs that chew where a huge range is available.
Finally, don't forget about our fugly & fomo collection where you can find a constantly changing selection of treats which are either flippin' ugly or one-offs from our suppliers - the fugly treats represent a real saving on our "perfect" prices.
Leave a comment