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Acana

ACANA Classics, Beef and Barley Recipe

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Kibble

An independent Feed Wise evaluation of Acana ACANA Classics, Beef and Barley Recipe, built from the published ingredient panel, guaranteed analysis, certifications and processing method.

Named beef first
4 named animal proteins
Extruded
Complete and balanced (verified)
Size
Not recorded
Food type
Kibble
Life stage
All life stages
UPC
Not recorded
Brand
Acana
Country
United States
Feed Wise Score
5.2out of 10
FAIR

Complete diet: complete and balanced (aafco)

76%
Confidence
High confidence

Share of scoring criteria backed by published evidence.

Product type
Complete & Balanced Food
Complete & balanced
VERIFIED
Life stage
ALL LIFE STAGES EXCEPT LARGE BREED GROWTH
Large breed growth
EXCLUDED
Standard named by source
AAFCO

Protein

25%

Fat

15%

Estimated carbohydrate

Not calculable

Processing

Extruded

Where to Buy

Expert Summary

Feed Wise considers this a workable everyday option for ACANA Classics, Beef and Barley Recipe, an extruded kibble formula built on beef and pork. The manufacturer publishes a nutritional adequacy statement, so it can be fed as a complete daily diet for the life stage named on the label. Supporting the rating, it is manufactured in United States and the label declares 25% crude protein.

What is actually in this food?

Beef, beef meal, pearled barley, whole peas, oat groats, pork fat, pork meal, whole oats, lentil fiber, natural pork flavor, pea starch, fish oil, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, dried kelp, salt, choline chloride, DL-methionine, taurine, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, whole apples, whole butternut squash, whole carrots, collard greens, whole pears, whole pumpkin, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, copper proteinate, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product

First 5 ingredients

1. Beef

Tier A, exceptional food ingredient

Named Animal Protein

Named animal muscle meat. Highest value protein source in the FeedWise model.

2. beef meal

Tier B, high quality supportive ingredient

Named Rendered Protein

Named rendered animal meal. Concentrated named animal protein, but rendered rather than whole.

3. pearled barley

Tier C, moderate or neutral ingredient

Whole Carbohydrate

Whole carbohydrate source. Evaluated on position, quantity and combined plant load rather than treated as automatically poor.

4. whole peas

Tier C, moderate or neutral ingredient

Whole Carbohydrate

Whole pea. A pulse carbohydrate and plant protein source.

5. oat groats

Tier C, moderate or neutral ingredient

Whole Carbohydrate

Whole oat grain. A moderate glycemic whole carbohydrate.

Animal Protein Quality

13.4 / 25

This is the largest single category in FeedWise. It looks at which animal ingredients are present, whether the species is named, whether organs, egg and named fats are included, and whether concentrated plant proteins are diluting the animal content.

  • Named animal protein first

    Beef is a named animal ingredient in position 1.

    +8 / 8
  • Animal Prominence Index

    Animal Prominence Index 48 of 100. This is a FeedWise position-weighted measure of how far animal ingredients dominate the ingredient panel. It is a label-position index, not a manufacturer-disclosed recipe percentage.

    +1.8 / 5
  • Liver

    No liver in the ingredient panel.

    0 / 2
  • Heart

    No heart in the ingredient panel.

    0 / 2
  • Other appropriate organs

    No additional organ meats identified.

    0 / 2
  • Whole egg

    No meaningful egg inclusion.

    0 / 1
  • Named animal or marine fats

    Named animal or marine fat sources: pork fat, fish oil.

    +2 / 2
  • Verified animal ingredient proportion

    The manufacturer has not published an animal ingredient percentage. Excluded from the score rather than counted against the product.

    NOT SCORED
  • Plant protein dilution

    No concentrated plant proteins detected.

    0

Ingredient Quality

14.1 / 20

Every ingredient is classified into a quality tier and weighted by its position on the label, so ingredient number one counts far more than ingredient number fifteen.

  • Position weighted ingredient quality

    19 food ingredients assessed by quality tier with early positions weighted most heavily. 24 fortifying nutrients or preservatives excluded from the average.

    +15.1 / 20
  • Ingredient splitting

    Multiple fractions of the same core ingredient appear: PEA FAMILY (whole peas, pea starch).

    -1

Carbohydrate and Plant Load

0 / 15
  • Estimated carbohydrate: not calculable
  • Pulse ingredients detected: pearled barley, whole peas, lentil fiber, pea starch
  • Plant protein concentrates: none
  • Ingredient splitting: PEA FAMILY (whole peas, pea starch)

Carbohydrate is not calculable because ash is not disclosed. It is left blank rather than overstated.

  • Carbohydrate burden

    Carbohydrate is not precisely calculable because ash has not been disclosed. This is an evidence limitation, not evidence of high carbohydrate, so it is removed from the score and reported as reduced confidence.

    NOT SCORED
  • Ingredient based plant load

    Plant load assessed as VERY HIGH. Carbohydrate bearing plant ingredients: pearled barley (whole grain), whole peas (whole pulse), oat groats (whole grain), whole oats (whole grain), lentil fiber (whole pulse), pea starch (refined starch), whole butternut squash (starchy vegetable).

    0 / 8
  • Combined pulse load

    4 pulse ingredients detected at positions 3, 4, 9, 11: pearled barley, whole peas, lentil fiber, pea starch. Together these represent a substantial plant contribution.

    -2
  • Split plant fractions

    Split plant fractions understate the true plant load in the ingredient order.

    -1

How is it made?

5 / 10

Processing method: Extruded. This category measures food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control, so a raw food can score well here and still lose safety points.

  • Processing method

    Extruded processing. Food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control.

    +5 / 10

How transparent is the manufacturer?

8 / 10
  • Animal species clearly identified

    Every animal ingredient names its species.

  • Ingredient sourcing disclosed

    Not publicly verified

  • Country or region identified

    Country or region of origin published: USA.

  • Manufacturing location identified

    Manufacturing location published: United States.

  • Detailed nutritional analysis

    A detailed nutritional analysis is published.

  • Traceability information

    Not publicly verified

  • Manufacturer provides sourcing detail

    Not publicly verified

  • Overall formulation transparency

    A complete ingredient panel and an identified manufacturer are on file.

Marketing language alone does not count. Anything that has not been published is shown as not publicly verified rather than as a failure.

Nutritional Formulation

8 / 10
  • Complete and balanced for the stated life stage

    ACANA Classics Beef * Barley Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, except growth of large size dogs (70 lb or more as an adult).

  • Detailed nutritional analysis available

    A full guaranteed analysis with energy content is on file.

  • Qualified formulation expertise

    Not publicly verified

  • Feeding trial or validation

    Not publicly verified

  • Calcium and phosphorus disclosed

    Calcium 1.5 percent and phosphorus 1 percent disclosed.

Safety and Quality Control

3.3 / 10
  • Batch testing

    Not publicly verified

  • Pathogen testing

    Not publicly verified

  • Supplier verification

    Not publicly verified

  • Lot traceability

    Not publicly verified

  • Nutrient verification

    Not publicly verified

  • Manufacturing quality program

    Not publicly verified

  • Recall context and corrective action

    No recalls on file.

A recall alone does not destroy a score. Severity, cause, frequency, recency and documented corrective action are all considered.

What we could not verify

Unknown information is not treated as bad information. It is scored as unverified and it lowers the confidence rating instead.

  • Carbohydrate (incomplete guaranteed analysis)
  • Verified animal ingredient percentage
  • Ingredient sourcing evidence
  • Quality control and testing evidence
Submit a correction or supply missing evidence

Where to Buy

Canadian retailers on record. Stock and price vary by store and province.

    Guaranteed Analysis

    As-fed basis
    Protein
    25%
    28% dry matter
    Minimum crude protein as declared on the label.
    Fat
    15%
    Minimum crude fat as declared.
    Fibre
    6%
    Maximum crude fibre as declared.
    Moisture
    12%
    Maximum moisture as declared.
    Calcium
    1.5%
    Declared calcium level.
    Phosphorus
    1%
    Declared phosphorus level.
    Energy
    3305
    kcal / kg
    Metabolisable energy per kilogram.

    ACANA Classics Beef * Barley Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, except growth of large size dogs (70 lb or more as an adult).

    Certifications & Claims

    Only certifications we can confirm from the brand's own documentation or the certifying body appear here. Nothing is assumed — if a program isn't listed, it isn't disclosed for this product.

    AAFCO nutrient profile statement
    Manufacturer claim

    FeedWise Findings

    The FeedWise Verdict

    5.2/ 10FairHigh Confidence

    Why it scored this way

    • Complete diet: complete and balanced (aafco)
    • Limited animal protein contribution relative to the plant content
    • No concentrated plant protein inflating the protein figure
    • High ingredient and sourcing transparency

    Full score breakdown

    Animal Protein Quality13.4 / 25
    Ingredient Quality14.1 / 20
    Carbohydrate and Plant Load0 / 15
    Processing and Food Integrity5 / 10
    Transparency and Sourcing8 / 10
    Nutritional Formulation8 / 10
    Safety and Quality Control3.3 / 10
    Total51.8 / 100

    FeedWise Score 5.2 · Fair · High Confidence

    How FeedWise Scores Dog Food →

    Scored by the FeedWise 100 point model. Read the full methodology.

    Community reviews do not affect the Feed Wise score.

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