Nulo Large Breed Puppy Organic Ancient Grains Beef, Lamb & Pork Recipe
Dry Extruded complete
Is Nulo Large Breed Puppy Organic Ancient Grains Beef, Lamb & Pork Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 50/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall rating of 50 out of 100. The inclusion of ingredients without printed percentages contributed -13.1 points, and the processing format adjusted the score by -7. Conversely, the overall quality of the ingredient list added +6.9 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +1.7 points to the final evaluation.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe50
- Nutritionallow100
- Transparency35
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.
Complete extruded dry food for puppies, with deboned beef, deboned lamb and dehydrated turkey protein as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- High in protein: 36% protein on a dry-matter basis.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 32%
- Fat
- 14%
- Fibre
- 5%
- Moisture
- 10%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.70%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 2.30%
- Calcium
- 1.20%
- Phosphorus
- 1%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E 150 IU/kg; Taurine 0.20%; Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 65 mg/kg
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for puppies
- Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at large dogs
- Doesn't list venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dried chicken protein
- Your dog avoids beef: the label lists deboned beef
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists dehydrated turkey protein
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists deboned lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon protein
- Your dog avoids pork: the label lists pork
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists oats
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (51)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deboned Beef | Deboned Beef | meat | good | - | 2.6 |
| 2 | Deboned Lamb | Deboned Lamb | meat | good | - | 2.6 |
| 3 | Turkey Meal | Dehydrated turkey protein | meat | good | - | 2.5 |
| 4 | Chicken Meal | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | - | 2.5 |
| 5 | Salmon Meal | Salmon Protein | meat | good | - | 2.5 |
| 6 | Organic Oats | Oats | carb | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 7 | Organic Millet | Millet | carb | good | - | 2.4 |
| 8 | Organic Barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 9 | Deboned Pork | Pork | meat | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 10 | Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | good | - | 2.4 |
| 11 | Ground Miscanthus Grass | Miscanthus Grass | fibre | medium | - | 2.3 |
| 12 | Organic Rye | Rye | carb | good | - | 2.3 |
| 13 | Natural Flavor | Flavor | additive | poor | - | 2.3 |
| 14 | Chicken Cartilage | Cartilage | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 15 | Ground Flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 2.2 |
| 16 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 17 | Dried Carrots | Carrots | veg | good | - | 2.2 |
| 18 | Salt | Salt | additive | poor | - | 2.2 |
| 19 | Dried Pumpkin | Pumpkin | veg | good | - | 2.1 |
| 20 | Dried Blueberries | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 2.1 |
| 21 | Dried Spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 2.1 |
| 22 | Dried Chicory Root | Chicory root | veg | good | - | 2.1 |
| 23 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 24 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 25 | Calcium Carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 26 | Taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 27 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 28 | Dicalcium Phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement | medium | - | 1.9 |
| 29 | Zinc Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 30 | Zinc Sulfate | Zinc sulfate | supplement | medium | - | 1.9 |
| 31 | L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C) | L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 32 | Iron Proteinate | Iron Proteinate | mineral | good | - | 1.8 |
| 33 | Niacin Supplement | Niacin | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 34 | Ferrous Sulfate | Iron sulfate | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 35 | Copper Proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 36 | Copper Sulfate | Copper sulphate | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 37 | Vitamin A Supplement | Vitamin A | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 38 | Manganese Proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 39 | Thiamine Mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 40 | Calcium Pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 41 | Riboflavin Supplement | Riboflavin | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 42 | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 43 | Manganous Oxide | Manganese (II) Oxide | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 44 | Biotin | Biotin | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 45 | Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product | Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 46 | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 47 | Vitamin D3 Supplement | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 48 | Folic Acid | Folic acid | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 49 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 1.4 |
| 50 | Calcium Iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement | medium | - | 1.3 |
| 51 | Rosemary Extract | Rosemary | veg | good | - | 1.3 |
Brand
- Website
- https://nulo.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-15
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- nulo.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.90 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 10.6% | 0.116 | +1.23 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.113 | -1.12 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 2.7% | -0.088 | -0.24 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.002 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.7% | 0.177 | +0.83 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 53.8% | -0.009 | -0.48 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.8% | -0.045 | -0.26 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.868 | -2.60 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.056 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Additive penalty | -5.39 | 0.236 | -1.27 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.90 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 10.6% | 0.116 | +1.23 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.113 | -1.12 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 2.7% | -0.088 | -0.24 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.7% | -0.002 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.7% | 0.177 | +0.83 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 53.8% | -0.009 | -0.48 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.371 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.8% | -0.045 | -0.26 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.868 | -2.60 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.056 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.131 | -13.09 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 3.194 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | -0.506 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -1.988 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | -0.073 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -5.39 | 0.236 | -1.27 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 50.4
- Final score
- 50/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 50/100 | current |
| v1 | 50/100 | |
| v1.9 | 50/100 |
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for puppies and growth. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
Scored against FEDIAF growth minima; puppy scoring is under review; Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 32 | 34.8 | 100 |
| Fat | 14 | 15.2 | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.2 | 1.3 | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 1 | 1.1 | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.2 | 1.2 | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100, omega-3 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
Scored over 6 declared nutrients (combined weight 80); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 8% from the food type.
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Feeding guidance given, Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| sustainably sourced beef, lamb, and pork deliver high-quality protein for developing lean muscle (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| balanced calcium and phosphorus levels support healthy bone development (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Lean Muscles & Heart Health (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| High-quality proteins provide amino acids that support lean muscle mass and a healthy heart (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Advanced Probiotics (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| GanedenBC30® probiotic supports your pet's digestive and immune health (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Healthy Immune System (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| All recipes contain wholesome vegetables and fruits and Vitamins C and E that work together to support immune health (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Brilliant Skin & Coat (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| A balanced amount of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids nourish your pet's skin and help promote a beautiful shiny coat (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Includes Salmon Oil as a source of DHA for brain and eye development (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Calcium & Phosphorus Balanced levels to support healthy bone development (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| ultra-high-meat dry dog foods (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| Low carbohydrate levels and low glycemic ingredients (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| Natural Sources of DHA (on page) | Nutrient | Manufacturer assertion |
| Low-Glycemic Organic Ancient Grains (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Ethically raised proteins pair with nutrient-dense ingredients, like organic grains, pumpkin, spinach, and more (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Lower in Carbs (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
| Certified-Organic grains like oats, millet, barley, and rye (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| 32-35% protein – 83-90% of which is animal-based (on page) | Nutrient | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated with Organic Oats, Organic Barley and Organic Millet (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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