Our verdict
Is New Zealand Petfoods Ltd Equal Dog Biscuits a good dog food?
We score it 38/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".
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.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Single named protein: chicken
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (19)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- supplement 23.6%
- carb 20.4%
- meat 20.0%
- additive 16.2%
- veg 14.5%
- fibre 5.3%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 6.9 |
| 2 | rice | Rice - white | carb · medium | - | 6.7 |
| 3 | whole wheat | Wheat | carb · poor | - | 6.5 |
| 4 | chicken meal | Dried chicken protein | meat · good | - | 6.4 |
| 5 | corn gluten meal | Maize gluten | carb · poor | - | 6.2 |
| 6 | liver flavor | Flavor | additive · poor | - | 6.0 |
| 7 | chicken fat (preserved with mixed-tocopherols) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil · good | - | 5.8 |
| 8 | whole peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 5.6 |
| 9 | yeast hydrolysate | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 5.4 |
| 10 | natural flavors | Flavor | additive · poor | - | 5.3 |
| 11 | lysine | Lysine | supplement · medium | - | 5.1 |
| 12 | pea fiber | Pea Fibre | fibre · medium | - | 4.9 |
| 13 | dried chiccory root | Chicory root | veg · good | - | 4.7 |
| 14 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 4.5 |
| 15 | spinach | Spinach | veg · good | - | 4.4 |
| 16 | fructooligosaccharides | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement · good | - | 4.2 |
| 17 | salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 4.0 |
| 18 | choline chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 3.8 |
| 19 | MINERALS [zinc sulphate, ferrous sulphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodate, sodium selenite] VITAMINS [Vitamin E supplement, niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5), thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 supplement, biotin (Vitamin B7), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K)] Potassium chloride. | Menadione sodium bisulfite complex | supplement · poor | - | 3.6 |
- 1. Chicken6.9% estimated
- 2. rice6.7% estimated
- 3. whole wheat6.5% estimated
- 4. chicken meal6.4% estimated
- 5. corn gluten meal6.2% estimated
- 6. liver flavor6.0% estimated
- 7. chicken fat (preserved with mixed-tocopherols)5.8% estimated
- 8. whole peas5.6% estimated
- 9. yeast hydrolysate5.4% estimated
- 10. natural flavors5.3% estimated
- 11. lysine5.1% estimated
- 12. pea fiber4.9% estimated
- 13. dried chiccory root4.7% estimated
- 14. flaxseed4.5% estimated
- 15. spinach4.4% estimated
- 16. fructooligosaccharides4.2% estimated
- 17. salt4.0% estimated
- 18. choline chloride3.8% estimated
- 19. MINERALS [zinc sulphate, ferrous sulphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodate, sodium selenite] VITAMINS [Vitamin E supplement, niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5), thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 supplement, biotin (Vitamin B7), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K)] Potassium chloride.3.6% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 25% · Fat 11%
Guaranteed analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 25% |
| Fat | 11% |
| Fibre | 2.90% |
| Moisture | 9% |
Energy: 381.7 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Best Before 2 years
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
zinc sulphate; ferrous sulphate; copper sulphate; manganese sulphate; potassium iodate; sodium selenite; Vitamin E supplement; niacin (Vitamin B3); Vitamin A supplement; calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5); thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B1); riboflavin supplement; Vitamin D3 supplement; biotin (Vitamin B7); menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K); choline chloride; potassium chloride; lysine
Technological additives
mixed-tocopherols (preservative)
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-19
Brand and contact: New Zealand Petfoods Ltd
- Website
- https://nzpetfoods.co.nz/
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 03 683 1084
- Address
- 32 Redruth St, Timaru NZ
- Contact page
- nzpetfoods.co.nz
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-19
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- nzpetfoods.co.nz
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.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 38 out of 100 based on several key factors. Ingredients without printed percentages contributed -10.6, while the processing format added -6.7 to the total. Additionally, the additive load contributed -4.4, and the additives in the recipe provided +3.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.1 | 9.191 | +1.27 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 23.0% | -0.115 | -2.65 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 12.2% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 18.5% | 0.163 | +3.02 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 27.7% | -0.012 | -0.34 |
| Recipe graded poor | 33.3% | -0.065 | -2.17 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.876 | -5.26 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.9% | 0.060 | +0.41 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -19.67 | 0.222 | -4.37 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.1 | 9.191 | +1.27 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 23.0% | -0.115 | -2.65 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 12.2% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 18.5% | 0.163 | +3.02 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 27.7% | -0.012 | -0.34 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 33.3% | -0.065 | -2.17 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 6 | -0.876 | -5.26 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.9% | 0.060 | +0.41 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -19.67 | 0.222 | -4.37 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 37.8
- Final score
- 38/100
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.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. 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.
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 | 25 | 27.5 (band 18.875274725274725 to 40%) | 94.4 |
| Fat | 11 | 12.1 (band 5.767445054945055 to 20%) | 96.6 |
| Fibre | 2.9 | 3.2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 381.7 | 419.5 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 18 nutritional additives on the label
- zinc sulphate
- ferrous sulphate
- copper sulphate
- manganese sulphate
- potassium iodate
- sodium selenite
- Vitamin E supplement
- niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Vitamin A supplement
- calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- riboflavin supplement
- Vitamin D3 supplement
- biotin (Vitamin B7)
- menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K)
- choline chloride
- potassium chloride
- lysine
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) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| 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.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "A complete and balanced everyday kibble" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
5 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synthetic colours or preservatives (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| with added green spinach kibble for gut health (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| flaxseed for coat shine (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| A complete and balanced everyday kibble (on page) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| A balanced dry kibble for small and medium adult dog breeds, featuring real chicken and rice (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to meet AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Maintenance (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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