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Boreal

Functional Limited Ingredient Herring

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Kibble

An independent Feed Wise evaluation of Boreal Functional Limited Ingredient Herring, built from the published ingredient panel, guaranteed analysis, certifications and processing method.

Named dehydrated herring first
Kibble
Complete and balanced (verified)
Manufactured in Canada
Size
1.80 kg
Food type
Kibble
UPC
Not recorded
Brand
Boreal
Country
Canada
Feed Wise Score
4.9out of 10
BELOW AVERAGE

Complete diet: complete and balanced (aafco)

78%
Confidence
High confidence

Share of scoring criteria backed by published evidence.

Product type
Complete & Balanced Food
Complete & balanced
VERIFIED
Large breed growth
INCLUDED
Standard named by source
AAFCO

Protein

28%

Fat

13%

Estimated carbohydrate

37%

Processing

Extruded

Where to Buy

Expert Summary

Feed Wise rates this below the standard we look for in this category for Boreal Functional Limited Ingredient Herring, a dry kibble formula led by dehydrated herring. The manufacturer publishes a AAFCO 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 Canada and the label declares 28% crude protein.

What is actually in this food?

Dehydrated herring, peas, northern white beans, tapioca, pea protein, yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides – MOS), canola oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), coconut oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), dicalcium phosphate, natural flavor, calcium carbonate, herring oil, salt, chicory root extract (source of inulin), taurine, choline chloride, DL-methionine, L-lysine, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, vitamin E supplement, manganese amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, selenium, niacin, biotin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, ascobic acid (source of vitamin C), pyridoxin hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, rosemary extract

First 5 ingredients

1. Dehydrated herring

Tier A, exceptional food ingredient

Named Marine Protein

Named fish. Provides high value protein plus marine omega 3 fatty acids.

2. peas

Tier C, moderate or neutral ingredient

Whole Carbohydrate

Whole pea. A pulse carbohydrate and plant protein source.

3. northern white beans

Tier C, moderate or neutral ingredient

Whole Carbohydrate

Whole pulse contributing carbohydrate, fibre and plant protein.

4. tapioca

Tier D, lower value formulation ingredient

Refined Plant Fraction

Refined or fractionated plant ingredient. Lowers ingredient quality when used prominently.

5. pea protein

Tier E, major formulation concern

Concentrated Plant Protein

Concentrated plant protein. Raises the crude protein figure without contributing animal protein quality.

Animal Protein Quality

11.6 / 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

    Dehydrated herring is a named animal ingredient in position 1.

    +8 / 8
  • Animal Prominence Index

    Animal Prominence Index 27 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.

    +0.2 / 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: herring oil, Dehydrated herring, herring 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 disclosure

    Concentrated plant protein is present: pea protein. The manufacturer does not publish its inclusion level or the animal versus plant share of the crude protein, so the contribution is not quantified. This is deducted once under Ingredient Quality and is not counted again here.

    N/A

Ingredient Quality

8.6 / 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

    8 food ingredients assessed by quality tier with early positions weighted most heavily. 29 fortifying nutrients or preservatives excluded from the average.

    +11.6 / 20
  • Ingredient splitting

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

    -1
  • Concentrated plant protein

    Concentrated plant protein appears at position 5: pea protein. Scored once here and not repeated in other categories.

    -2

Carbohydrate and Plant Load

0 / 15
  • Estimated carbohydrate: 37 percent
  • Pulse ingredients detected: peas, northern white beans, pea protein
  • Plant protein concentrates: pea protein
  • Ingredient splitting: PEA FAMILY (peas, pea protein)

Estimated carbohydrate, calculated as 100 minus protein, fat, moisture, fibre and ash.

  • Carbohydrate burden

    Calculated with a published ash value carbohydrate of 37 percent.

    +3 / 7
  • Ingredient based plant load

    Plant load assessed as VERY HIGH. Carbohydrate bearing plant ingredients: peas (whole pulse), northern white beans (whole pulse), tapioca (refined starch), pea protein (concentrated plant protein), chicory root extract (source of inulin) (fibre ingredient).

    0 / 8
  • Combined pulse load

    3 pulse ingredients detected at positions 2, 3, 5: peas, northern white beans, pea protein. Together these represent a substantial plant contribution.

    -2
  • Pulse protein disclosure

    A concentrated pulse protein is present. Its inclusion level is not published, so no share of the protein figure is asserted. It is deducted once under Ingredient Quality rather than a second time here.

    N/A
  • 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?

10 / 10
  • Animal species clearly identified

    Every animal ingredient names its species.

  • Ingredient sourcing disclosed

    Not publicly verified

  • Country or region identified

    Not publicly verified

  • Manufacturing location identified

    Not publicly verified

  • 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

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

    Not publicly verified

  • Feeding trial or validation

    Not publicly verified

  • Intended use clearly stated

    Not publicly verified

  • Guaranteed analysis published

    A guaranteed analysis is published for this formula.

  • Calcium and phosphorus disclosed

    Not publicly verified

  • Feeding guidance for supplemental use

    Not publicly verified

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.

  • Verified animal ingredient percentage
  • Ingredient sourcing evidence
  • Manufacturing location
  • 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
    28%
    31% dry matter
    Minimum crude protein as declared on the label.
    Fat
    13%
    Minimum crude fat as declared.
    Fibre
    3%
    Maximum crude fibre as declared.
    Moisture
    10%
    Maximum moisture as declared.
    Ash
    9%
    Mineral content remaining after combustion.
    Calcium
    1.5%
    Declared calcium level.
    Phosphorus
    1%
    Declared phosphorus level.
    Energy
    3800
    kcal / kg
    Metabolisable energy per kilogram.
    Energy per cup
    380
    kcal / 8 oz cup
    Calories per standard 8 oz measuring cup as published by the manufacturer.

    Boréal dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages.

    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

    4.9/ 10Below AverageHigh Confidence

    Why it scored this way

    • Complete diet: complete and balanced (aafco)
    • Limited animal protein contribution relative to the plant content
    • Concentrated plant protein contributes to the stated protein
    • High ingredient and sourcing transparency

    Full score breakdown

    Animal Protein Quality11.6 / 25
    Ingredient Quality8.6 / 20
    Carbohydrate and Plant Load0 / 15
    Processing and Food Integrity5 / 10
    Transparency and Sourcing10 / 10
    Nutritional Formulation10 / 10
    Safety and Quality Control3.3 / 10
    Total48.5 / 100

    FeedWise Score 4.9 · Below Average · 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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    Real experiences from Paw Privileges members. Reviews never affect the Wise score — scoring is based only on label evidence.

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