Fat Trap

Question

Hi all, 
 Was flicking through a birdfood catalogue of a well known wild bird food supplier. Never used them before - thought I'd try out some insectiverous food. Anyhow, they are advertising a Fat Trap ( device for collecting kitchen fat so you can then chuck it away neatly). This birdfood supplier are selling this fat trap with their own instructions on "how to make your own bircake treats with leftover fat from your sunday roast." 
 I read an article over Christmas by the RSPB which says "using fat from roasting tins to feed garden birds is a big no-no." The article details the reasons - high in salt/toxic to birds, harbours salmonella, can coat their feathers rendering it useless and it also warns against turkey fat. 
 So I rang these people up and queried their advocation of using a kitchen fat collector to make bird cakes with. They said my query would be taken to management and they'll ring back. 
 What do you think? I'm planning to push on this should I get fobbed off so any advice on this matter, back up would be great. 
 Ange

Rockwolf · Answer

Good on you Ange!! can't offer any more ammunition but good luck and do let us know the outcome!

JudiM · Answer

Good for you. Roasting fat is a no no and I hope you are sucessful in disuading them from misleading advertising. Hopefully the RSPB can give you some back-up

IanH · Answer

Hi Ange 
 We certainly do not advocate the use of the waste fat from cooking processes as bird food as it can cause problems for birds on three fronts. Firstly, when placed a outside and left for the birds the combination of meat juice and fat is a breeding ground for bacteria which can make birds very poorly when ingested. Secondly the mix of meat juice and fat never sets as solid as pure fat and can easily smear over birds feathers potentailly runing their ability to keep out water and provide them with insulation against the cold, reducing their ability to survive cold winters. Thirdly, salt is often added to many cooking procedures and much of that will end up in the left over fat and juice waste, birds cannot cope well with salt so this is again dangerous to birds. 
 Solid fat is fine and suet and lard can be used to create homemade fat based snacks for birds, but the contents of roasting tins should be collected and disgarded as they are not fit for human, or bird, consumption. 
 I hope this helps and good luck.