Farmina N&D Brown Dog Food Review (Dry)

There is just one product in the Farmina N&D Brown range that received the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.

Farmina N&D Brown Soft & Shiny Coat Brown Coat Lamb, Norwegian Kelp and Carrot recipe is formulated to help protect vibrant brown fur from losing color. The recipe has quality meat as the top ingredient.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is lamb. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus. ¹

Lamb is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is dehydrated lamb protein. Dehydrated lamb is considered a meat concentrate and contains more than four times as much protein as fresh lamb.

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

The fourth ingredient is hydrolyzed-fish-protein. Hydrolyzed fish protein is considered a meat concentrate, as fish proteins contain almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself. 

Being hydrolyzed means the fish has been chemically broken-down into its component amino acids. Hydrolyzed proteins are considered hypoallergenic as they are not identifiable by the body to trigger allergy reactions. 

The fifth 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 sixth ingredient is herring oil. Herring oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high-quality fats boast the highest bioavailability to dogs and humans.

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

The seventh ingredient is dried kelp, a dehydrated form of seaweed also known as alginate. Kelp is most likely used here as a thickening or gelling agent. 

The eighth ingredient is linseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, linseeds are also rich in soluble fiber. However, linseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The ninth ingredient is dried carrot. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary 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 the product.

This recipe has four notable exceptions.

First 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. 

We view the presence of taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide, an alternative sweetener3 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.

In addition, this food includes 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.

Last, dried brewers yeast, which can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and 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.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Farmina N&D Brown Soft & Shiny Coat Brown Coat Lamb, Norwegian Kelp and Carrot looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 37.4%, a fat level of 19.8% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 34.9%, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 53%.

This means Farmina N&D Brown contains above-average protein, below-average carbohydrate, and above-average fat when compared to typical dry dog food.

Farmina Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Farmina through September 2024.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Farmina N&D Brown Dog Food

Farmina is a premium high-quality product that formulates all its dog foods with natural, non-GMO ingredients and through strict production and quality control. 

This product range is certainly worthy of the 5 stars the brand has earned in our review.

Highly Recommended

About

Francesco Russo founded the Russo Mangimi company in 1965 specializing in animal nutrition.  In 1999, the company’s focus shifted to the pet food industry with a new perspective of developing foods based on scientific studies focused on the well-being of pets.

The Mangimi company started to collaborate with Farmina, an English company specializing in food research and formulation. 

Mangima manufacturing facilities are based in Europe and Farmina foods are mostly sourced from Italy.  Some ingredients are sourced from Europe and New Zealand.

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