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Open Farm Dog Food Review (Dry)

Open Farm Beef Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Which Open Farm Dry Recipes Get
Our Best Ratings?

Open Farm Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Open Farm product line includes the 21 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage: Growth, Maintenance, All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Product Rating AAFCO
Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Grain Free 4.5 A
Open Farm Pasture-Raised Lamb Grain Free 4.5 A
Open Farm Homestead Turkey and Chicken Grain Free 5 A
Open Farm Farmer’s Table Pork Grain Free 4.5 A
Open Farm Catch of the Season Whitefish Grain Free 4.5 A
Open Farm Grass-Fed Beef Grain Free 5 A
Open Farm Puppy Grain Free 5 A
Open Farm Senior Grain Free 5 M
Open Farm New Zealand Venison Grain Free 4.5 A
Open Farm Small Breed Grain Free 5 A
Open Farm Wild Caught Salmon and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Homestead Turkey and Ancient Grains 4.5 A
Open Farm Harvest Chicken and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Grass Fed Beef and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Pasture Raised Lamb and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Puppy with Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Catch of the Season Whitefish and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Farmer’s Table Pork and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Small Breed Chicken, Turkey and Ancient Grains 5 A
Open Farm Kind Earth Insect Recipe 4 M
Open Farm Kind Earth Plant Recipe not rated M

Recipe and Label Analysis

Open Farm Grass Fed Beef Grain Free was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.


Open Farm Grass-Fed Beef Grain Free

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 33% | Fat = 16% | Carbs = 43%

Ingredients: Beef, ocean whitefish meal, peas, sweet potato, beef liver, pumpkin, coconut oil, chickpeas, herring meal, red lentils, green lentils, flaxseed, natural flavor, carrots, apples, sunflower oil, cranberries, dried chicory root, salt, suncured alfalfa meal, salmon oil (source of DHA), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid), choline chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, selenium yeast, calcium iodate), taurine, calcium carbonate, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), potassium chloride, cinnamon, turmeric, rosemary extract

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%

Red denotes controversial item

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis30%14%NA
Dry Matter Basis33%16%43%
Calorie Weighted Basis29%33%38%
Protein = 29% | Fat = 33% | Carbs = 38%

The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Although it’s a quality item, raw beef contains up to 73% 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 ocean whitefish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1

Whitefish is a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast.

The third ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The next ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The fifth ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The sixth ingredient item is pumpkin, which is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The seventh ingredient is coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.2

Because of its proven safety3 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.

The eighth ingredient includes chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpeas are a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The ninth ingredient is herring meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.

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 Open Farm product.

With 8 notable exceptions

First, we note the use of lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, we find 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.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

In addition, this food contains salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.

We also find sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

This product also lists alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa is high in protein (18%) and fiber, it’s uncommon to see it used in dog food. This hay-family ingredient is more commonly associated with horse feeds.

Another notable inclusion is taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

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

And lastly, this recipe incorporates selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Open Farm Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 31% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.

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

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the legumes, flaxseed and alfalfa, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.

Our Rating of Open Farm Dry Dog Food

Excluding the Kind Earth Plant recipe, Open Farm lists both grain-free and grain-inclusive dry dog foods using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Open Farm Dog Food
Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Open Farm through March 2024.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

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More Open Farm Brand Reviews

The following Open Farm dog food reviews are also posted on this website:

A Final Word

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References

  1. Association of American Feed Control Officials
  2. Pan Y et al, Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs, British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 103, Issue 12, June 2010, pp 1746-1754
  3. Matulka RA et al, Lack of toxicity by medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in canines during a 90-day feeding study,Food Chem Toxicol, Jan 2009, 47(1) 35-9.
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