Rating: 
Bil Jac Dog Food receives the Advisor’s below-average rating of 2.5 stars.
The Bil Jac product line includes 9 dry dog foods.
Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Bil Jac website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.
- Bil Jac Puppy
- Bil Jac Senior
- Bil Jac Select Adult
- Bil Jac Large Breed Puppy
- Bil Jac Small Breed Select
- Bil Jac Small Breed Puppy
- Bil Jac Sensitive Solutions
- Bil Jac Large Breed Select Adult
- Bil Jac Reduced Fat Dog Food (1.5 stars)
Bil Jac Select Adult Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Bil Jac Select Adult
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken by-products (organs only, source of arginine), corn meal, chicken by-product meal, dried beet pulp, brewers dried yeast, oatmeal, flaxseed, dl-methionine, l-lysine, sodium propionate (a preservative), vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin supplement, niacin, biotin, choline chloride, folic acid, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), ascorbic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, manganous oxide, inositol, BHA (a preservative), ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, zinc oxide, cobalt carbonate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken by-products, what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the good cuts have been removed.
In most cases, chicken by-products are considered those unsavory leftovers of slaughter deemed “unfit for human consumption”.
However, here the manufacturer specifies “organ meat only” which makes this item something more desirable, and better described as chicken giblets.
Once again, this item is inclusive of water and is subject to the same drying effects of cooking previously described.
Which brings us to corn meal, the third and quite possibly the dominant ingredient in this dog food. corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fourth item is chicken by-product meal, a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.
In addition to organs (the nourishing part), this stuff can contain almost anything — feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs — anything except quality skeletal muscle (real meat).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fifth ingredient includes beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The sixth ingredient is brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can be considered a nutritious additive.
The seventh ingredient is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.
The eighth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly microorganisms applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, the minerals here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
And lastly, this formulation is preserved with BHA, a suspected cancer-causing agent.
Bil Jac Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Bil Jac Dog Food appears to be a below-average kibble.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 30%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 42%.
If we omit the lower-rated Reduced Fat product, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 18%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
We actually like this dog food and we commend the company for eliminating the menadione from its products.
In addition, compared to the high-heat extrusion equipment used to make most kibbles, it’s appropriate to acknowledge Bil Jac’s low-temperature vacuum drying process, a process claimed to protect many of the recipe’s nutrients from damage.
However, it’s unfortunate the company still uses BHA in its recipes.
Without this controversial preservative and if the designers had included chelated minerals, we’d have been compelled to award this brand a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Bil Jac Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a notable amount of chicken and chicken by-product meal as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 2.5 stars.
Not recommended.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Other spellings: Biljac
Notes and Updates
02/21/2010 Original review
07/10/2010 Review updated
09/24/2010 Review updated
12/17/2010 Review updated (menadione and eggs removed)
11/20/2011 Review updated (added Sensitive Solutions product)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
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