Grain Free Vs Non-Grain Free Feed Less?

[Guest WhenIGiveIn]

Im thinking of switching to Natures Domain http://www.naturesdomainpetfood.com/ which Costco now carries. Its grain free and only about 27$ for 35lbs. That's about $4 more a bag than I spend now for Kirkland but Im hoping it would even out if I could feed less. I know $4 more a bag isn't a big leap for sure but I go through a lot of dog food between my dogs, fosters, boarders and training dogs. Im also not saying that I don't think my dogs are work and extra $16-20 a month just want to make sure the switch would be worth it.

 

For those of you that are dog food coinsures do you think going from Kirkland to Natures Domain I would be able to feed less? Obviously I would judge by my dogs but in general going from corn free but with grain to a grain free do you feed less? Also I have always been a fan of "if it isn't broke don't fix it" and my dogs seem to do perfectly fine on Kirkland.

 

The ingredients look promising and VERY similar to TOTW.

 

So here are the ingredients of both ND and Kirkland. What do you guys think? Could I likely feed less? Is the switch worth it?

 

 

$27.99 for 35 pounds, 24% protein, 14% fat.

http://www.naturesdomainpetfood.com/

 

Nature's Domain:

 

Salmon meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, potato protein, potato fiber, natural flavor, flaxseed, ocean fish meal, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

 

 

Kirkland $23.99 24% protein 16% Fat

 

Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearl barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and vitamin E), egg product, beet pulp, potatoes, fish meal, flaxseed, natural flavor, brewers dried yeast, millet, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, carrots, peas, kelp, apples, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, dried chicory root, glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, chondroitin sulfate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

 

 

 

 

 

[Batmom]

You're really just substituting salmon for chicken and sweet potatoes/peas/potatoes for rice and barley. The similar protein and fat percentages suggest that you *probably* won't feed less by weight. The Nature's Domain website gives calorie content as 3590 kcal/kg. You might check and see if that measurement is on your Kirkland bag. The calculated calories for dog foods sure aren't perfect -- some that say they have very high calories have not gone through my dogs that way -- but it's a decent place to start.

[Guest mcsheltie]

You need to compare kcal/cup on each bag. If there is not a significant difference you will be feeding the same amount.

 

The extra you are paying is because salmon and canola oil cost more than chicken and chicken fat. If your dogs are doing good on the Kirkland I am not sure it is worth the switch. Here is why:

-There is more meat in Kirkland than Nature's Domain. There is chicken and chicken meal in Kirkland and only salmon meal in ND.

-Two carb sources in Kirkland and three in ND. The whole grain brown rice in Kirkland is a top quality nutritious grain. As is barley.

-In addition to more carb sources, ND is using ingredient splitting on one of them. See the three forms of potatoes? By giving them three separate names they are disguising the fact that this food is primarily potatoes. Salmon meal would not be the first ingredient if they were not able to do this.

 

The ingredient list of ND really reads:

Potatoes, Salmon meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Canola oil etc...

 

I don't think the ingredients in ND are better than Kirkland. They are just trying to get a piece of the current grain free market. I would stay with Kirkland and add fish oil.

[kamsmom]

I feed both the Kirkland chicken and rice and natures domain. I mix them together and do feed less that I was feeding when they were just on the kirkland chicken and rice. All of mine seem to love it and never have any left over.

[Guest WhenIGiveIn]

You need to compare kcal/cup on each bag. If there is not a significant difference you will be feeding the same amount.

 

The extra you are paying is because salmon and canola oil cost more than chicken and chicken fat. If your dogs are doing good on the Kirkland I am not sure it is worth the switch. Here is why:

-There is more meat in Kirkland than Nature's Domain. There is chicken and chicken meal in Kirkland and only salmon meal in ND.

-Two carb sources in Kirkland and three in ND. The whole grain brown rice in Kirkland is a top quality nutritious grain. As is barley.

-In addition to more carb sources, ND is using ingredient splitting on one of them. See the three forms of potatoes? By giving them three separate names they are disguising the fact that this food is primarily potatoes. Salmon meal would not be the first ingredient if they were not able to do this.

 

The ingredient list of ND really reads:

Potatoes, Salmon meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Canola oil etc...

 

I don't think the ingredients in ND are better than Kirkland. They are just trying to get a piece of the current grain free market. I would stay with Kirkland and add fish oil.

 

Thank you! I will definitley think about doing just that!

[greg1229]

I switched from the lamb and Rice to their grain-free NAture's Domain a few months ago. I free-feed so no measuring. I do know that I don't have to fill the bowls as often and they aren't getting any skinnier.

 

It has helped my Ellie with her soft serve output. Firmer and easier to scoop up.

 

All in all, it may be a bit more in the initial cost per bag, but with them eating less a bag goes further then the Kirk Lamb and Rice so balances out in cost for me