Label analysisGrade CKibble (Extruded)

NutriSource

NutriSource Lamb Meal & Rice

Editor ingredient insight

NutriSource Lamb Meal & Rice starts with lamb meal, brown rice, barley, and oatmeal, with moderate protein and joint-nutrient disclosure. I would use it for lamb-and-grain tolerant dogs, not for strict poultry/fish avoidance.

Logic-based verdict

This food is worth considering when budget per kilogram matters alongside baseline nutrition.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Processed plant protein after the top 3

Animal protein

Lamb meal (#1), menhaden fishmeal (#7)

Plant protein

sunflower meal (#11)

The protein number includes processed plant protein support.

Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Yucca extract

Stool odor support ingredient

Yeast culture

Gut support ingredient

Probiotics

Gut support ingredient

L-carnitine

Heart and weight support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Lamb meal
brown rice
barley
Meal-basedPlant booster present
Crude protein22%
Crude protein22%
Crude fat13%
Other 65%

Calcium

1.9%

Phosphorus

1.1%

Sodium

0.5%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Lower
query_statsFat position
Typical
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Typical

This is not a premium ingredient story first, but the baseline nutrition is still comparable and the price per kilogram stays easier on budget.

Nutritional strengths

  • Price per kilogram stays low enough that this can still make sense on a value basis.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Phosphorus is 1.1% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
  • Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
  • Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio sits near the upper end of the preferred range, so a more conservative read makes sense.

Alternative foods

Smart lamb alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

44 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

NutriSource

Grain Free High Plains Select

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

Puppy · Small/medium breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · Large breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1964 in the United States. This brand appears in public voluntary recall lists during the researched period.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients are still usable, but this is the part to inspect more carefully before calling the recipe a clear strength.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

C3/6
Ingredient Grade
Mixed
1Lamb meal
Named Meal · Upper
2brown rice
Whole Grain · Upper
3barley
Whole Grain · Mid

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Lamb meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •brown rice is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
  • •barley is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

34 ingredients
Lamb mealbrown ricebarleyoatmealdried plain beet pulpnatural chicken and turkey flavorsmenhaden fishmealflax seedchicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid)dehydrated alfalfa mealsunflower mealdried yeastpotassium chloridesaltDL methioninecholine chlorideminerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, copper proteinate, magnesium oxide, manganese proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide)brewers dried yeastvitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid)taurinelactic acidL-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C)yucca schidigera extractyeast culturedried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extractdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation productdried Bacillus licheniformis fermentation productdried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extractdried Enterococcus faecium fermentation productdried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extractcalcium carbonateL-carnitinerosemary extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously

Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Broad disclosure

Disclosure is broad enough that this section works as evidence, not guesswork.

Safety verification

2 warnings

There is no immediate hard stop here, but a few caution rows are still worth checking.

Public data trust (ETF)

C1 tier

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.

Back to all foods