Rating: 
Performatrin Ultra Grain Free dog food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Performatrin Ultra Grain Free product line includes just one dry dog food.
However, since we’re unable to locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the company’s website, it’s impossible for us to report specific life stage recommendations for these recipes.
Performatrin Ultra Grain Free
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal, salmon meal, duck meal, potato, peas, chicken fat stabilized with mixed tocopherols (a natural source of vitamin E), vegetable pomace (tomato, carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach), natural flavor, cultured yeast, whole fresh sweet potato, pumpkin, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, sea salt, chicory root extract, lecithin, choline chloride, alfalfa juice concentrate, dried kelp, fresh spinach, fresh whole blackberries, dried yeast, taurine, rosemary extract, marigold extract, Yucca schidigera extract, spirulina, green tea extract, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, ascorbyl polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidium, Streptococcus faecium, zinc proteinate (source of chelated zinc), iron proteinate (source of chelated iron), vitamin E supplement, manganese proteinate (source of chelated manganese), copper proteinate (source of chelated copper), vitamin A supplement, niacin, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, inositol, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin, calcium iodide, selenium yeast (source of organic selenium)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 37% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 18% | 33% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 35% | 37% | 28% |
The first ingredient in this dog food lists turkey. Although it is a quality item, raw turkey 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 turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The third ingredient includes salmon meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears2 to be ethoxyquin-free.
The fourth ingredient includes duck meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.
The fifth item is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth ingredient mentions peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The eighth ingredient is vegetable pomace, the solid by-product of vegetables after pressing for juice or oil. This item contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit.
Vegetable pomace can be a controversial ingredient. Some praise pomace for its high fiber, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough vegetable pomace here to make much of a difference.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, the company appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
Thirdly, this recipe also contains this recipe also contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Performatrin Ultra Grain Free Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Performatrin Ultra Grain Free appears to be an above-average 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 41%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 33%.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 43%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Performatrin Ultra Grain Free is a meat-based kibble using a significant amount of turkey, salmon and duck meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
06/10/2012 Original review
06/10/2012 Last Update
