Black Gold Signature Series (Dry)

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Black Gold Signature Series dog food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.

The Black Gold Signature Series includes three dry dog foods, each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • Black Gold Ultimate Adult
  • Black Gold Ultimate Puppy
  • Black Gold Ultimate Performance

In addition, the company also markets ten other products sold under its standard Black Gold Dog Food label.

Black Gold Ultimate Performance dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Black Gold Ultimate Performance

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 34% | Fat = 23% | Carbs = 34%

Ingredients: Chicken meal, corn meal, fish meal, poultry fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, ground whole grain barley, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, natural poultry flavor, potassium chloride, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, inulin, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, biotin, vitamin A acetate, manganese proteinate, taurine, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium iodate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second ingredient includes corn meal, a coarsely ground flour made from dried 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.

Fish meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate.

Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does little to properly describe this ingredient.

Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.

What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.

But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.

We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.

Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find some ethoxyquin in this product.

The fourth ingredient lists poultry fat. Poultry fat is obtained from rendering… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Poultry fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. However, we consider poultry fat lower in quality than a more specifically named item (such as chicken or turkey fat).

The fifth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.

This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.

The sixth item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.

Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.

This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.

The seventh ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.

The eighth ingredient lists 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 ninth item is vegetable oil… a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical… and can vary significantly (depending on the source).

Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of any item vaguely described as simply “vegetable oil”.

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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.

With three notable exceptions

First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.

Next, this food does contain chelated mineralsminerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

And lastly, Black Gold Signature Series also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

Black Gold Signature Series Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients, Black Gold Signature Series appears to be an average dry dog food.

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 34%, a fat level of 23% and estimated carbohydrates of about 34%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 33% and a mean fat level of 21%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39% for the overall product line.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing a moderate amount of meat.

Just the same, it’s unfortunate the company chose to incorporate menadione in all its recipes. Without this controversial supplement and no corn gluten, we would have been obliged to award this product line a higher rating.

Bottom line?

Black Gold Signature Series is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.

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.

Notes and Updates

03/05/2010 Original review
08/24/2010 Review updated
10/06/2010 Review updated

Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


  • Barry

    We’ve used the Ultimate Adult for the past 3 years with our dogs and can’t believe how good they look and their activity level is just superb. I heard it is 60% plus chicken. Why would you say it only has about 35% meat? Do you ever check with the company? It is the quality of the ingredients that matter and from what I hear Black Gold uses only the best most of which are human grade fats etc.

  • Pam

    I have used black 26/18 for a couple of years. All my field trial Springers do very well on it. When I had to switch dog to another higer priced dog food for a couple of months I noticed I had to feed larger amounts and didn’t get the results I did from Black Gold.

  • neil callais

    hi i use the black gold ultimate series the blue and gold bag. my dogs love it, and do well on it .it’s a 30 /21 and i like the extra fat content becuase with the bullies and the shows. it’s good to have the weight on them.was surprized to see that they use this (menadione)why can’t any one talk to the company and have them change that ? would hate for my dogs to have health problems becuse of this. but i feed alot of dogs and the price is right for my pocket book 24.85 uncluding tax for a 40 lb. bag. one thing i notice that alot of dog food companies are going with lighter weight bags for the same or more money .

  • Meagan

    The Ultimate Adult really does not look to bad. They could remove the Menadione and add more meat it’d be a good product. I would not object to feeding it if I was really in a tight spot.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Mike… Since we don’t track pricing information or try to predict results of any dog food in our database, it would be impossible for me to help you find a good replacement. Unfortunately, I cannot provide customized product recommendations for each reader. For more information, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.

  • Mike

    I have a field trial lab. She is out a MNH Bitch and FAC FC Sire. Most of the trainers, kennels, and breeders I know feed Black Gold. Usually the Red 30/20, Black 26/18, or Blue 24/20 formulas. I came across this site after having my in-laws dogs for 10 days. They feed Kirkland, I am unimpressed with their coat and condition. Granted they don’t brush or exercise their dogs enough. After a week with me with more exercise, regular brushing, and Black Gold 26/18 they are far healthier. I was going to recommend Black Gold but now I am not so sure. Can you recommend a better food that is only marginally more expensive (less than $1.00 a pound) that will satisfy the needs of a field trial dog?

  • Tonya

    I used to feed the Ultimate Adult and I took my dogs off of it. I didnt see any improvements with my dogs, but thats just my dogs. every dog is different.

  • ed

    I believe the company has upgraded the formula and removed corn gluten meal. The grade of chicken by-product meal used in this food is very high quality and is probably lower in ash than chicken meal. This grade is organ meat, skin and meat.

    The prices of these foods are unbeatable. This food is $.50 lb and has very high meat content from animal sources. Ultimate Adult is about $.40 lb.

  • Tiffanie

    I apologize. I was reading the review and the only thing that I saw was “Black Gold Ultimate Performance” and the ingredients I listed were for the only Ultimate Performance I could find on the Black Gold web site.
    I am researching this food for a friend and several ingredients gave me pause. Thank you for your time to analyze dog foods and give us unbiased ratings.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Tiffanie… We do not create a review for each dog food in a brand product line. But we do select an example product that best represents all the others in the group. In this case, we selected Professional Blend (23/16 formula) whereas the ingredients you mention are those of a completely different product. However, the product you mention would still only earn 1 or 2 stars.

  • Tiffanie

    I was looking at the Black Gold Dog Food web sites ingredient list and it reads a little different than your version. I don’t know if they changed their ingredients or if the list differs from the web site to the bag?…..

    Black Gold Signature Series Ultimate Performance 31/21 Ingredients:
    #1 GRADE Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Poultry Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols-Source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Brewer’s Rice, Natural Liver Flavor (Hydrolyzed Poultry Liver (Enzymatic) With Brewer’s Dried Yeast, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Lecithin, Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative) and Rosemary Extract), Fish Meal, Cheese Meal, Dried Whole Eggs, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed Meal, Salt, Dried Whey, Brewer’s Dried Yeast, Liver Meal, and Essential Proteinated Vitamins & Minerals.